Dead newborn found aboard Carnival cruise ship

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- The FBI is investigating the death of a newborn found aboard a Carnival cruise ship that returned to Port Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday.

Special Agent Dave Couvertier wrote in an email to The Associated Press on Saturday evening that the FBI's Evidence Response Team was activated that morning when the ship returned to its Florida base. He said the FBI is working with port authorities to investigate.

"We received preliminary information of a deceased newborn on the vessel (the Dream) and we are investigating the matter," Couvertier wrote. "We have been coordinating with Carnival Cruise Line which has been fully cooperative."

Florida Today reported on its website Saturday evening that an employee of the Carnival Dream ship found the dead newborn in a guest cabin. The newspaper reported that Carnival officials said the cruise line informed authorities in St. Maarten and that the mother, a 20-year-old U.S. passenger, was detained.

Couvertier wrote, "No one has been charged as we are still working on obtaining facts and gathering any available evidence. As a result, no information is being released regarding suspect(s) at this time."

He said he understands that the mother is not from Florida and has not returned to the U.S.

"Due to the international and jurisdictional aspects we are still working on obtaining facts and specific details about the incident," the agent wrote.

Messages left for Carnival by the AP weren't immediately returned.

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