Criminal charges might soon be brought against a stepsibling of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, a Florida high school cheerleader whose tragic death aboard a Carnival cruise ship is currently under investigation. This information emerged from a recent court filing related to a divorce case involving Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson.
In an emergency motion seeking to postpone a hearing in her divorce proceedings, Hudson’s legal team indicated that she has been informed by FBI investigators about the potential initiation of a criminal case concerning one of her minor children. The motion states that “an extremely sensitive and severe circumstance” has arisen, preventing the mother from testifying at the scheduled hearing.
Anna Kepner was vacationing with her family, including her father, stepmother, and three stepsiblings, when she was found deceased in her stateroom on the Carnival Horizon on November 8. A housekeeper discovered her body hidden under the bed. According to her family, Kepner had reported not feeling well the night before, prompting her to return to her room. When she did not appear for breakfast the following morning, family members initiated a search.
Authorities are scrutinizing surveillance footage from the cruise ship and evaluating electronic records from swipe cards to ascertain who accessed Kepner’s cabin. Additionally, they are analyzing her cellphone records. The FBI and Carnival Cruise Line’s security team are also conducting interviews with passengers, crew members, and relatives of Kepner.
Carnival Cruise Line has stated its commitment to cooperating fully with the ongoing federal investigation. The FBI has jurisdiction over the case due to Kepner being a U.S. citizen, and because the incident occurred in international waters. The Miami FBI office is collaborating closely with Carnival’s security team to uncover the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident.
This tragic situation underscores the complex challenges of investigating incidents that take place at sea, where jurisdiction and legal processes can become murky. The family’s ongoing support for a proper investigation reflects their hope for answers in the wake of this devastating loss.