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Father of Teen Found Dead on Carnival Cruise Misses Subpoena Before Custody Hearing

Christopher Kepner, father of 18-year-old Anna Kepner who was found dead on a Carnival cruise on Nov. 7, was not at home when a process server attempted to serve him with a subpoena before a Dec. 5 custody hearing. The server reported Kepner’s SUV idling and house lights on, left the subpoena on the windshield at 10:29 a.m., and later found both vehicle and paperwork gone. No criminal charges have been filed, though filings show an FBI inquiry into a 16-year-old family member. A custody battle has unfolded between Shauntel Kepner and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson.

06:03 AM, 12/03/2025Society

Christopher Kepner, the father of 18-year-old Anna Kepner who was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship on Nov. 7, was not at home when a process server attempted to deliver a subpoena ahead of a contested custody hearing, according to a sworn statement filed in Brevard County.

Subpoena attempt

Process server Leslie V. Kinsey reported that on the morning of Dec. 5 an SUV registered to Christopher Kepner was parked in the driveway with the engine running and lights on inside the Titusville residence, but repeated knocks and the doorbell went unanswered. A visible "No Trespassing" sign and a Ring doorbell camera were noted at the property. Kinsey said she announced her presence several times and left the subpoena on the SUV’s windshield at 10:29 a.m.

When the process server returned, the vehicle had departed and the paperwork she had left on the windshield was missing. The incident was recorded in court as a verified return of non-service.

Background and family court dispute

Anna Kepner was discovered in her cabin around 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 7 while traveling with family members, including her father, stepmother, grandparents and several siblings. She had been sharing a cabin with two stepsiblings.

Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect and no criminal charges have been filed. Court filings related to the custody dispute, however, indicate that a 16-year-old family member is the subject of an FBI inquiry tied to Anna's death.

Following Anna’s death, Thomas Hudson — the ex-husband of Christopher’s wife, Shauntel Kepner — petitioned the family court seeking custody of the daughter he shares with Shauntel. In a Nov. 17 filing, Hudson argued that Shauntel’s parenting decisions have placed the 16-year-old’s future "in jeopardy" and said he has been excluded from the children’s lives, which he said has harmed them.

Christopher Kepner has not publicly responded to inquiries about his whereabouts or the attempted service of the subpoena.

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