What is “mechanical asphyxia”? Anna Kepner’s Death on Carnival Cruise Ruled Homicide

Weeks after 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead on a Carnival Cruise ship, her death certificate has officially classified her passing as a homicide, citing “mechanical asphyxia” as the cause.

Mechanical asphyxia, also known as physical asphyxia, occurs when an external object or force obstructs breathing, preventing oxygen from reaching the body—a life-threatening condition that can lead to unconsciousness or death. WebMD defines asphyxia as a situation in which the body’s oxygen intake is interrupted.

According to the certificate, Anna’s injury occurred on November 6, 2025, and she passed away the same day. Her body was discovered the following morning by a maid, lying under her bed wrapped in a blanket, with life vests covering her.

Kepner, a high school cheerleader from Titusville, Florida, was on a family vacation aboard the Carnival cruise, accompanied by her father Christopher Kepner, stepmother Heather Wright, two step-siblings, and her grandparents Barbara and Jeffrey Kepner.

In interviews with ABC News, her grandparents expressed their grief and shock. Barbara Kepner said, “We were all having a great time. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would wanna hurt my baby.” Jeffrey Kepner shared that Anna planned to join the U.S. Navy after her graduation, adding, “We were looking forward to seeing her grow… The cruise itself wasn’t what made me excited. It was the fact that I was gonna get to spend another week with my youngest son and his family and all the grandkids.”

Barbara Kepner recounted that Anna had minor discomfort from her braces on the last day but still chose to dress up and join her family at the cruise casino. Her last words to her grandmother were, “Meemaw, I love you guys, I’ll see you later.”

Regarding potential suspects, Barbara Kepner mentioned her stepbrother, who is a minor, saying, “He was in the room with her, he was the only one seen coming and going. I can’t accuse him because I don’t know what happened in that room, but the summation would be that he did something.” She added that the minor claimed he did not remember what happened that night.

Authorities investigating Kepner’s death have not yet publicly identified any suspects.