Newly reported details about the death of 18-year-old Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner have intensified scrutiny around the Carnival Horizon cruise incident and prompted strong reactions online, including from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.Anna Kepner was reportedly found dead under a bed on November 8, 2025, during a family cruise from Miami to the Caribbean. While the FBI has not released official findings, multiple outlets, including ABC News on November 22, 2025, and PEOPLE on November 21, 2025, have reported new information from sources briefed on the investigation. These accounts describe a violent cause of death, the absence of drugs or alcohol, and potential legal exposure for one of Kepner’s stepsiblings. As public interest grows, Perez Hilton wrote that “this poor girl deserves justice,” reflecting the broader alarm generated by the emerging evidence.More about the latest details of Anna Kepner's tragic deathAccording to ABC News, a source briefed on the investigation said Anna Kepner died from asphyxiation caused by a “bar hold,” described as an arm placed across the neck. The same source reported two bruises on the side of her neck, consistent with choking. Anna Kepner was found under a bed in her cabin, wrapped in a blanket and covered with several life vests, according to details shared with ABC by a security source. Autopsy and toxicology reports remain pending, and the FBI has declined public comment due to the active investigation.Perez Hilton’s website similarly reported that investigators’ early findings suggested death by a “bar hold,” and emphasized that there was no preliminary evidence of sexual assault. Both ABC and Perez Hilton cited sources indicating that no drugs or alcohol appeared in Kepner’s system. The death occurred in international waters, placing the investigation under federal jurisdiction.Jennifer Coffindaffer @CoffindafferFBILINKHere is Anna Kepner being transported from the Carnival cruise ship where she was found deceased on Saturday. This is truly sad. Anna was 18 YO and had her whole life ahead of her. Deaths aboard cruise ships are investigated by the FBI. This does not mean she was murdered. We shall see what the FBI sorts out. I will stay on it. #Annakepner#cruiselife#TexasThe lack of official releases from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner has left many questions unanswered, but the emerging picture, including asphyxiation, physical bruising, and concealment of the body, has reportedly contributed to growing public concern. More about the family court filingsAccording to the reports from PEOPLE on November 21, 2025, Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother was reportedly hospitalized shortly after her body was discovered. While the FBI has not identified any persons of interest, PEOPLE reported that the teen was referenced in an unrelated family court filing involving his mother, Shauntel Kepner. According to the filing, cited by PEOPLE, Florida Today, FOX 35, and ClickOrlando, Shauntel told the court she had been advised by the FBI that one of her minor children might face criminal charges, though the documents did not specify whether the potential charges pertained directly to Anna’s death.During a custody hearing on November 20, 2025, Shauntel Kepner’s attorney reportedly said that the teen was hospitalized “immediately after” Anna Kepner was found.Another attorney, representing Shauntel’s ex-husband, alleged that both Anna and the stepbrother had been allowed alcoholic drinks because the cruise was in international waters; Shauntel’s attorney disputed this, citing ship surveillance showing no evidence of drinking.PEOPLE reported that Anna Kepner had traveled with her father, stepmother, and two stepsiblings. The teen is remembered in an online obituary as “bubbly, funny, outgoing, and completely herself,” with no filter and a distinctive charm. The combination of family tensions, conflicting claims in court, and the lack of clarity from investigators has added further complexity to a case already marked by its disturbing circumstances.