The father of Anna Kepner, a teenager who was tragically killed on a cruise ship in November, has publicly addressed the situation following the news that her stepbrother has been charged in relation to her death.
Anna, an 18-year-old cheerleader, was discovered deceased from ‘mechanical asphyxiation’ during a family vacation on a Carnival cruise ship traveling through the Caribbean. Her death was ruled as a homicide.
The FBI launched an immediate investigation to determine how Anna ended up ‘stuffed under a bed’ in her family’s cabin during a trip with her grandparents, father, stepmother, siblings, and stepsiblings.
Anna’s stepbrother has now been detained and charged concerning her death, according to Anna’s father, Chris Kepner. The specific charges have not been disclosed.
As reported by Click Orlando, Chris expressed his frustration upon learning that Anna’s stepbrother was released on bail and had returned to stay with a family in Brooksville.
Chris and his wife, Shauntel, who is the suspect’s biological mother and Anna’s stepmother, issued a statement following the arrest.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice for their dedication, professionalism, and thoroughness in the investigation into the murder of our daughter,” they began.
The statement continued: “The loss of our daughter is a pain that will never fully heal. She was taken from us in a violent and senseless way, and our family has been permanently changed. Our grief is overwhelming, and her absence is felt in every part of our lives.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child, and no words can fully express the depth of our loss.”
The statement further read: “We believe in accountability and in the importance of justice being carried out. Our daughter deserves justice, and her life deserves to be honored through a full and fair legal process.
“We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who have worked to uncover the truth and to ensure that this crime is treated with the seriousness it warrants.”
The couple concluded their statement by emphasizing their commitment to ‘honoring our daughter’s memory’ and pursuing justice for the teenager.