Tragic death aboard Carnival Horizon: Video captured moments before 18-year-old cheerleader’s death

An 18-year-old Central Florida cheerleader was found dead in her cabin aboard the Carnival Horizon five days into a six-day Caribbean voyage, and authorities have ruled the death a homicide. The death certificate lists mechanical asphyxia caused by another person or persons, a finding that has prompted a federal and local investigation into the circumstances aboard the ship.

On November 2, a passenger, Nicholas Giddens, filmed part of the Sail Away Party on the pool deck as dancers moved in a synchronized routine to the Cupid Shuffle. Giddens posted the clip to his TikTok account thinking nothing of it at the time, but after Kepner’s death became national news, a commenter alerted him that she was present in the footage. He later reposted the video with an on-screen memorial for Kepner, and it has drawn hundreds of thousands of views as it circulated online.

Kepner, a former high school cheerleader from Central Florida, was traveling with her father, Shauntel Hudson (the family’s adult guardian in the custody case), her brother, a younger stepbrother, and several grandparents. The Carnival Horizon itinerary on the voyage included Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, with the ship departing from Miami on November 2.

The body was found on November 7 in the cabin Kepner shared with her brother, who was 14, and her 16-year-old stepbrother. She was discovered underneath her bed, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests, according to investigators.

Federal and local authorities began their more formal inquiry shortly after the discovery. FBI agents boarded the Carnival Horizon on November 8 when the ship docked in Miami, interviewing family members and securing CCTV footage as part of the investigation. The involvement of federal investigators and the review of surveillance video have been cited by local outlets, with officials saying no public charging decision had been announced more than a month into the inquiry.

The Daily Mail reported that Kepner’s stepbrother – a minor whose identity is being withheld – was identified in court documents as a person of interest in a custody dispute between his divorced parents, Shauntel Hudson and Thomas Hudson. The boy was described in custody filings as living with a relative in rural Florida, with his status as a potential suspect mentioned in the context of the family’s ongoing legal matters. A December 5 custody hearing featured remarks from Hudson’s attorney, who said investigators were awaiting testing results and that it was unclear whether the FBI would pursue federal charges or hand the case to state authorities.

Authorities have not released additional information about what, if any, evidence ties Kepner’s death to other individuals aboard the ship, and no charges had been filed as of the latest public updates. Investigators continue to review CCTV footage and other material collected during the voyage, and they have not publicly disclosed a timeline for additional announcements.

Kepner’s grandparents described her as a bright, hopeful student who planned to graduate in May and pursue a future in the U.S. Navy. Friends and family have expressed shock at the loss, while officials emphasize that the investigation remains active and ongoing, with no public determination yet about potential charges.

As the case moves through the early stages of legal and forensic scrutiny, authorities are weighing testimony from those on board and evaluating physical evidence recovered from Kepner’s cabin and the ship’s surveillance records. The Carnival Horizon’s crew and the FBI continue to cooperate with ongoing inquiries, and investigators have urged patience as forensic analyses progress and interviews continue. In the meantime, Kepner’s family has asked for privacy while they await further information and await justice for a young life cut short at sea.