The parents of Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother have admitted for the first time that he is considered a ‘suspect’ in her mysterious death on board a packed Carnival cruise ship.
Anna, 18, was on a six-day Caribbean getaway with her dad, stepmom, siblings and stepsiblings when she was declared dead in international waters between Mexico and Florida on November 7.
Sources say the cheerleader’s body was found wrapped in a blanket and stuffed under a bed in her cabin, the grim discovery prompting FBI agents to swarm the Carnival Horizon when it returned to Miami a day later.
Court filings obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail confirm that Anna’s stepbrother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, now faces possible criminal charges.
He is currently in the care of an unnamed ‘third party,’ according to a motion filed Tuesday by the boy’s anxious father demanding urgent clarification of what is happening to his son.
Thomas Hudson is also seeking immediate custody of their other minor child, a nine-year-girl currently living in Titusville, Florida with Shauntel Hudson and Anna’s dad, Christopher Kepner.
‘The respondent took the remaining minor children on a cruise with a stepchild of her paramour,’ his filing says.
‘The sixteen-year-old child is now a suspect in the death of the stepchild during the cruise. While released from custody the sixteen-year-old child is residing with a third party.’
Anna went on the cruise with her 16-year-old stepbrother and other family members. Court filings obtained by the Daily Mail confirm that the stepbrother is now a ‘suspect’ in her death
Anna, 18, was on a six-day Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother, siblings and stepsiblings when she was found dead in international waters between Mexico and Florida on November 7
Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, has been locked in a custody battle with her ex, Thomas Hudson, over their children. On Tuesday, she filed a response acknowledging that ‘it is true that there is an open investigation’ into her stepdaughter’s death
The filing adds: ‘The sixteen-year-old’s future has been put in jeopardy because of the choices made by the Respondent… the youngest child is at immediate risk of abuse, abandonment, or neglect in the care of the respondent.’
Shauntel filed a response late Tuesday denying allegations that she ‘abused, neglected or abandoned’ her children.
She added: ‘It is true that there is an open investigation regarding the death of the biological daughter of the stepfather and [boy’s initials] is a suspect regarding this death which occurred recently on a cruise ship.’
Shauntel’s filing said the boy was staying with one of her relatives and she is providing counseling for all of her children.
Bubbly Anna grew up on Florida’s sundrenched Space Coast with Christopher, 41, his ex-wife Tabitha Kepner, 33, and siblings aged 14 and nine.
Christopher and Tabitha split in 2023 but the crane operator soon found love again with Shauntel, who divorced Thomas Hudson last year and relocated to Titusville with their two youngest kids.
Late last year Thomas, 37, accused his ex-wife of ‘willfully violating’ court orders and ‘denying his parenting time’ in a motion for contempt filed in Brevard County.
They were due to square off in court next month, but Shauntel filed an emergency motion Tuesday requesting more time to respond due to an ‘extremely sensitive and severe circumstance.’
Thomas is also seeking emergency custody of their nine-year-old daughter, who lives in Titusville, Florida, with Shauntel and Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner
Bubbly Anna grew up on Florida’s sun-soaked Space Coast with her father, Christopher, 41, his ex-wife and Anna’s stepmother, Tabitha, 33, and siblings aged 14 and nine
Christopher and Tabitha split in 2023, but he soon found love with Shauntel, who divorced Thomas last year and moved to Titusville with their two youngest children
She said the FBI had advised her that one of her minor children faced a potential criminal prosecution related to Anna’s death.
‘Any testimony the respondent may give, either written or oral, could be prejudicial to her or her adolescent child in this pending criminal investigation,’ wrote Shauntel’s lawyer.
Thus far the FBI has refused to say how Anna died – or whether she was murdered – on board the Carnival Horizon which visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel before sailing back to Miami.
Sources have told the Daily Mail that Anna complained of feeling unwell on the evening of November 6 and went back to her cabin.
When she didn’t appear for breakfast the next day her family members began searching the sprawling, $800million mega-vessel which carries up to 4,700 guests.
A maid eventually found the pretty youngster wrapped in a blanket, covered over with life jackets and stuffed under a bed, according to our sources, who spoke under condition of anonymity.
The Miami Dade County Medical Examiner lists Anna’s time of death at 11.17am on November 7 but it has not revealed its findings.
Heartbroken Christopher insisted in a previous interview with the Daily Mail that investigators had shared barely any details with him.
A maid aboard the Carnival cruise was the one to find Anna’s body wrapped in a blanket, covered over with life jackets and stuffed under a bed, according to our sources, who spoke under condition of anonymity
Kepner posted a TikTok video from on board the ship six months ago saying how much she wanted to return
‘We were there as a family. Everybody was questioned. Everybody came off that ship. I don’t know who they are looking at or what their investigation is,’ he said.
‘The FBI hasn’t shared anything with me yet. I would imagine they’re going to be in contact with me about it – but I know as little as everybody else.
‘I have no idea what is going on right now. We are just trying to sit still and wait for answers.’
Known by her nickname Anna Banana, Anna was set to graduate in May and had plans on joining the military.
A gymnast and varsity cheerleader, she attended Temple Christian School in Titusville, where her Kia Forte remained parked up this week, covered in flowers and tributes from heartbroken pals.
She was a ‘bright, kind-hearted young woman whose presence brought warmth and energy into the classroom,’ the school said in a touching Facebook post.
Christopher said his daughter’s ultimate career goal was to join the local police department so she could protect her friends and family.
‘The whole family is lost for words. We miss her and love her more than anything,’ he added.
Anna had been on previous cruises and had raved about her love of travel on TikTok.
One post showed her enjoying a cruise on the very same boat six months earlier. She danced about in a white dress and captioned the haunting clip: ‘I wanna go back.’
Carnival said in a statement: ‘Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.’A spokesman for the FBI added: ‘No further information is being released at this time.’
