Court filings from a Florida custody dispute have revealed that the 16-year-old stepbrother of high school senior Anna Kepner is now a suspect in her death aboard a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month.
Documents filed separately by both of the teen’s parents confirm that their middle child, referred to as “TH,” is under FBI investigation in connection with the incident, which occurred on the Carnival Horizon and has drawn widespread attention.
Authorities have not released details about how Kepner died, whether criminal activity is involved, or why investigators are focusing on the boy. A final autopsy report from the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner is pending.
In the filings, the boy’s father, Thomas Hudson, stated that his son is a suspect and sought changes to custody arrangements, while also accusing his ex-wife of decisions that jeopardised the teen’s future. His ex-wife, Shauntel Hudson—who married Kepner’s father after their divorce—acknowledged the investigation and said the teen has been temporarily placed with a relative for safety reasons. She also confirmed that the boy has legal representation due to the probe. The FBI has declined to comment.
Kepner, a cheerleader from Florida’s Space Coast, was honoured at a memorial service in Titusville, where her family encouraged mourners to wear bright colours in tribute to her personality.
Carnival Cruise Line said the ship returned to PortMiami as scheduled and is cooperating fully with investigators.
