n.
Kepner was a member of the school’s varsity cheerleading team and was set to graduate high school in May of next year with plans of joining the military after.
Carnival Cruise Line also confirmed that a passenger had died on board. They issued a statement on the matter saying, “Since this is an ongoing matter under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, all media inquiries need to be directed to the FBI’s Miami public affairs office.
“Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI,” they said.
The FBI said to the media that it had responded to the scene, with Special Agent Willie Creech declining to comment further on the case. Creech said, “Because this is an ongoing matter, no further information is available at this time.”
As news of Kepner’s death was revealed, her last post to social media started making rounds. The teenager had posted on TikTok a bathroom-mirror selfie in which the text read, “You deserve to be happy, but if it ain’t with me, then nvm.”
The high school senior concluded her post with a light-hearted, “Haha I’m not kidding,” adding the hashtags ‘#comeherebae’ and ‘#funny’.
Her school paid tribute to the late student, with a teacher from Temple Christian School writing a sweet note about her, saying the teenager “brought warmth and energy into the classroom.”
“Your curiosity, your gentle spirit, and the way you cared for those around you made a lasting impression on me and on everyone who knew you,” she went on. “I will miss you poking your head in my office to say hello and that turning into a fun 15-minute conversation.”
Her family is still trying to process what happened, saying that “We’ll alwaysContinue reading…
