A family member of an 18-year-old cheerleader who was found dead on a Carnival cruise ship has reportedly been identified as a suspect in the investigation into her unexpected death, as revealed by court documents.
Anna Kepner, a teenager from Florida, passed away on November 7 while on a family cruise through the Caribbean with her father, stepmother, and two step-siblings.
Her body was discovered by staff on the Carnival Horizon ship as it was returning to Miami. According to ABC, her body was wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests.
Initial medical reports into the mysterious death of the Titusville cheerleader suggest that she died from asphyxiation, likely due to a bar choke hold across her throat, where an assailant wraps their arm around the neck until the victim can no longer breathe.
Although the FBI has not commented on the ongoing investigation, which is being conducted in collaboration with local law enforcement, unrelated family court documents accessed by CBS indicate that Kepner’s family believes her 16-year-old step-brother is now a suspect in the investigation.
The documents, filed on November 18 in Brevard County, Florida, as part of custody proceedings related to a former marriage of stepmother Shauntel Hudson, requested a pause in the process as she had been informed that one of her children was involved in the investigation.
Hudson “has been advised through discussion with FBI investigators and her attorneys, that a criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children of this instant action,” the documents allege.
The filings claimed that Hudson could not provide testimony at this time due to the “extremely sensitive and severe circumstance” surrounding Kepner’s sudden death.
Further documents reviewed by the Brevard County court, filed a day later, identify Hudson’s teenage son, identified by the initials “T.H.,” as the child being investigated in connection with the incident.
“There is an open investigation regarding [Kepner’s] death… and T.H. is a suspect regarding this death which occurred recently on a cruise ship,” states the filing from stepmother Hudson.
The filings also reveal that the 16-year-old is currently residing with another family member to ensure the safety of his other siblings, and his biological father has offered to provide him with legal representation.
Kepner, who was anticipating her next steps into adulthood as either a college cheerleader or serving the community by joining the military, had been sharing a state room on the ship with her step-brother and another step-sibling.
An attorney involved in the separate court proceedings mentioned that her 16-year-old step-brother was allegedly allowed to drink once the Carnival ship reached international waters. Upon docking in Miami, he was taken to the hospital.
Federal agents and Carnival Cruise Line have not confirmed the cause of death for the 18-year-old cheerleader, and FBI investigators have remained silent on whether a crime occurred and if charges will be pressed.
Carnival released a statement saying, “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.”