Anna Kepner’s aunt says the family is “in turmoil” while waiting for answers, following the Florida teen’s untimely death earlier this month, aboard a Carnival cruise ship.
The 18-year-old Florida cheerleader is believed to have “fought for her life,” aboard the Carnival Horizon, according to what Krystal Wright, Anna’s aunt, told Fox 35 Orlando.
“I know Anna fought. I know she fought for her life, so it’s rough. It’s rough.”
The family is waiting on an official arrest, which has not been made, despite Anna’s stepbrother being named a suspect.
The teen’s death has been ruled a homicide.
“We don’t understand why, if the boy is a suspect, he has not been charged yet. What’s happening there?” Wright asked. “It’s turmoil. We’re just sitting here waiting.”
According to the Daily Mail, Anna’s former boyfriend, Joshua Tew, 15, said he told the FBI details about the night of Anna’s death after her younger brother spoke to him.
Anna’s brother reportedly said that the stepbrother blocked his entrance into the room. The younger brother then “heard yelling” and described it as “in a harmful way, like ‘shut the hell up’ and stuff like that.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Anna was likely strangled during a struggle.
There were reportedly no signs of a sexual assault. Initial reports did not find drugs or alcohol at play. Official autopsy and toxicology reports have not been released.
A room steward discovered Anna’s body at around 11 a.m. while cleaning a cabin aboard the vessel on November 8. The ship then detoured and stopped at Port Miami.
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner determined that Anna Kepner died on November 7.
Barbara and Jeffrey Kepner, grandparents of Anna Kepner, who was on the cruise with family, told ABC News the cheerleader’s 16-year-old stepbrother said he didn’t remember what happened in the stateroom.
However, he had been the only person ‘seen coming and going’ from the room. He also reportedly had a strange obsession with her.
During a previous FaceTime call, Joshua reportedly saw the stepbrother enter her room and get on top of her.
FOX News Digital reports that Joshua said the incident happened at around 3 a.m., after Anna had fallen asleep while on the call.
“Anna was lying down, and he walked in there and tried to get on top of her, but he got caught by me in the process of it,” the former boyfriend said at Anna’s celebration of life gathering in Titusville, according to the Daily Mail.
Anna’s death is still pending autopsy. This is an ongoing investigation only, with no arrests at this time.
Check back for the latest updates.
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[Feature Photo: Anna Kepner/Instagram]
