More than three months after 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead under a bed on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship, her mother says she remains 'in the dark' about the circumstances of her daughter's death. The teenager, a cheerleader from Oklahoma, was discovered during a family holiday in November last year.
Anna's stepbrother, aged 16, who shared a cabin with her, was questioned and appeared in court on February 6. However, it remains unclear whether he has been formally accused of any wrongdoing. Anna's biological mother, Heather Wright, has expressed frustration at the lack of information from investigators.
Ms Wright said she was initially misinformed and incorrectly posted a video claiming the stepbrother was being charged. She later clarified that she does not know if any charges have been filed. 'I'm still all in the dark out here in Oklahoma,' she said, adding that she has struggled to get updates on the investigation.
The stepbrother's hearing on February 6 was held behind closed doors. A law enforcement source told People that the teen was escorted by US Marshals to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where he appeared with a public defender before a magistrate. If prosecutors decide to try him as a juvenile, court documents will not be released and all hearings will remain private.
Anna's father, Christopher, and stepmother, Shauntel, released a statement after the proceedings confirming the stepbrother had been granted release. They expressed 'grief and outrage', saying: 'It is devastating to know that while we live every day with the loss of our child, the individual responsible has not yet been fully held accountable.'
