FBI Investigates Teen’s Death Aboard Carnival Cruise as Family Court Battles and Allegations Emerge

FBI Probes Death of 17-Year-Old Anna Kepner

Anna Kepner, a 17-year-old high school senior from Florida who participated in cheerleading, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon during an early November Caribbean cruise. Federal agents have opened an inquiry and are examining ship records after the vessel returned to port. Authorities have not announced any criminal charges and have not released a cause or manner of death.

Allegations and Court Filings Surface

Recent court documents and interviews with people close to the family have thrust long-running disputes within Anna's blended family into public view. Those records indicate Anna's 16-year-old stepbrother has been identified in filings as a person of interest. A 15-year-old who described himself as Anna's former boyfriend told reporters he witnessed an unsettling FaceTime interaction in which Anna appeared to be lying down and the stepbrother tried to climb on top of her during a late-night call. He said he reported the incident to Anna's parents and that Anna had previously expressed feeling 'uncomfortable' around her stepbrother.

Legal Motions and Custody Disputes

In response to the investigation, Anna's stepmother, Shauntel Kepner (formerly Shauntel Hudson), filed an emergency motion in Brevard County asking a judge to postpone a December custody hearing while the FBI continues its inquiry. In the filing, attorney Millicent Athanason wrote that investigators had advised that a criminal case "may be initiated against one of the minor children in this action."

Following Anna's death, the stepbrother's father, Thomas Hudson, petitioned for a custody hearing and accused his ex-wife of alienating their younger children after prior family incidents. Court filings say the 16-year-old has been released from custody and was placed with a third party; his current location has not been publicly disclosed.

Family Reactions and Background

Relatives say they received limited official information after the ship docked. Anna's birth mother, Heather Wright, told local media that she first learned of her daughter's death after searching online. Anna's stepgrandfather, Christopher Donahue, said he also discovered the news through social media and questioned why Anna had been sharing a cabin with her stepbrother, a detail he said he learned from reports.

'All I know is that she went on that boat, and she never came back,' Donahue said. 'Everyone is heartbroken. There are questions. I don't think we'll ever know.'

Longstanding Disputes Documented

Public records obtained in the wake of Anna's death include a 2023 divorce petition in which a former stepmother alleged a history of physical and mental abuse by Anna's father toward the children and petitioner. Separately, a 2024 small-claims suit seeking the return of firearms included emails alleging manipulation and parental alienation; that small-claims case was later dismissed after a missed service deadline. Together, these filings paint a picture of a fractured family now thrust into the spotlight while investigators work to determine what happened on the cruise.

Investigation Status

Investigators have not disclosed any official findings about the cause or manner of Anna's death, and prosecutors have not filed charges. Family and friends held a memorial service at a church in Titusville, Florida, and neighbors described the neighborhood as unusually quiet in the days after her death. Officials with the FBI and local authorities continue to review evidence and travel records as the inquiry proceeds.