Stepbrother Reportedly Charged After Teen Girl's Death on Carnival Cruise
Federal officials have not publicly announced charges or named a suspect in the high-profile investigation into the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was found dead on a Carnival cruise ship in November. However, the teen's stepbrother has reportedly been arrested and charged this week, according to family statements and court filings.
Family Reveals Cause of Death and Legal Developments
The family of Anna Kepner has disclosed that her death was deemed a homicide by asphyxiation. Chris Kepner, the alleged suspect's stepfather, told ABC News that the stepbrother has been charged, though federal authorities have not confirmed this publicly. Court records in the case are sealed because the suspect was charged as a juvenile, as indicated in filings obtained by media outlets.
The stepbrother was reportedly seen on Friday walking into a Miami federal court flanked by public defenders and U.S. Marshals, adding to the mounting evidence of legal action. The Independent has contacted the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida for comment and confirmation, but no official statements have been released yet.
Details of the Incident and Investigation Focus
On November 7, a maid found Kepner wrapped in a blanket and covered in life jackets underneath a bed in a room she shared with her stepbrother aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship, which was bound for the Caribbean at the time. Prior to the alleged charges and arrest, there were multiple indications that Kepner's stepbrother was a primary focus of the investigation into her death.
Chris Kepner has previously suggested his daughter's stepbrother could be responsible, stating in an interview with People last year, "I want him to face the consequences ... I will be fighting to make sure that does happen." He added, "I cannot say that he is responsible but I can’t decline. He was the only one that was in the room and the FBI has an ongoing investigation in which they will have to provide the evidence to say that he did do it or did not do this."
Family Dynamics and Court Testimonies
The stepbrother was described as a "suspect" in the death in November court filings as part of a custody dispute between his parents, Thomas Hudson and Shauntel Hudson, who finalized their divorce in 2023, prior to the cruise. According to text messages submitted to the court, the teen's mother told her ex-husband that the boy had no memory of events surrounding Kepner's death.
In December testimony, Shauntel Hudson stated that the teens were good friends and had chosen to room together, along with Kepner's biological brother, rather than stay with their grandparents. "They wanted to stay together," she said, as reported by News 6. "The three of them, like the Three Amigos, are best friends."
Remembering Anna Kepner
Anna Kepner, of Titusville, Florida, was set to graduate from high school this year and had ambitious dreams for her future. She aspired to be a cheerleader for the University of Georgia and had considered joining the military or serving as a K9 police officer after school. Her tragic death has left a community in mourning as the legal proceedings unfold in this complex and sensitive case.
