Stepbrother of teen found dead on Carnival cruise appears in federal court

The half-brother of a Florida teenager who died aboard a Carnival cruise ship appeared in federal court in Miami on Friday as investigators continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

Her court appearance comes three months after Anna Kepner, 18, of Titusville, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon during a family vacation in November.

Kepner’s 16-year-old half-brother was seen leaving juvenile court before entering adult federal court on Friday. to FOX 35.

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The teenager entered the courthouse wearing a camouflage hoodie; his face was hidden under a low-slung baseball cap, the hood hugging him tightly.

18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead on the Carnival cruise ship on November 7 while vacationing with her family. (Anna Kepner/Instagram | Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Although the FBI has not publicly identified a suspect or filed criminal charges, filings in a separate family court dispute showed that the 16-year-old was being investigated in connection with the death of Anna Kepner.

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Anna Kepner was seen dancing with fellow holidaymakers on a Carnival Cruise Line ship, with eerie footage posted online before her death stunts. (TikTok/@nickcapo609)

Kepner’s mother, Heather Wright, told FOX 35 she is relieved to see the case moving forward and hopes it will eventually bring answers.

Speaking to FOX 35, Wright said, “I look at my phone every day and first thing in the morning I will check the updates on Anna Kepner’s case. All I want is justice for my daughter.”

Kepner was found dead in his cabin on the cruise ship around 11:15 a.m. on November 7. Authorities later ruled her death a homicide caused by “mechanical asphyxiation,” according to a report.

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18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead on the Carnival cruise ship on November 7 while vacationing with her family. (Anna Kepner/Instagram)

According to investigators, Kepner was found under the bed in his cabin, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets. The cabin was shared with his half-brother.

The FBI is investigating because Kepner’s death occurred in international waters as the cruise ship was returning to Miami after a week-long Caribbean cruise. People Magazine.

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The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.