The stepmother of a Florida cheerleader who died under mysterious circumstances on a cruise ship is seeking an emergency delay for a legal hearing with her former husband. She argues that testifying could potentially incriminate either herself or one of their minor children in the ongoing criminal investigation into the cheerleader’s death.
Shauntel Kepner, previously known as Shauntel Hudson, submitted an urgent request in Brevard County to postpone a December court date. This request comes in light of the FBI’s investigation into the death of Anna Kepner, who was discovered deceased aboard a Carnival cruise ship on November 7.
“The Respondent has been cautioned through conversations with FBI investigators and her legal counsel that a criminal case may be filed against one of the minor children involved in this current matter,” Shauntel’s attorney, Millicent Athanason, stated in a letter to a Brevard County judge.
A family photograph shows Anna Kepner alongside her father, stepmother, and several siblings. (Shauntel Kepner/Facebook)
A law enforcement source informed Fox News Digital that officials have retrieved surveillance footage from the cruise ship, which captures Kepner with a “suspect.” The FBI is now examining several hours of additional video from the cruise taken before her death.
In a separate emergency motion for temporary relief submitted on Monday, Shauntel’s former husband, Thomas Hudson, revealed that their eldest child, aged 18, moved in with him following an alleged “violent altercation” involving himself, Shauntel, and her new husband, Christopher Kepner, who is Anna’s father.
Read the father’s emergency motion:
Further, Hudson’s filing alleges their second son, a 16-year-old, “is now a suspect in the death of the stepchild during the cruise.”
“The [16-year-old]’s future has been put in jeopardy because of the choices made by [Shauntel],” according to Hudson’s filing.
The teen’s current whereabouts are unclear. According to the filing, he has been released from custody and is staying with an unnamed third party.
Anna Kepner was identified by her family as the passenger who died onboard the Carnival Horizon. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)
Hudson is accusing his ex-wife of alienating him from their two youngest children and arguing that his lack of involvement in their life is negatively impacting them.
In a separate response, Shauntel’s lawyer denied that their eldest child had been involved in a violent altercation and denied that she refused to allow Hudson time-sharing under the terms of their custody plan.
Neither Shauntel nor Athanason responded to requests for comment. In the motion, the lawyer noted that her client has a right against self-incrimination, and she argued that testifying in the divorce proceeding could “be prejudicial to her or her adolescent child” in the criminal investigation.
“An extremely sensitive and severe circumstance has arisen wherein the Respondent/Mother will not be able to testify at the hearing at this time,” Athanason wrote.
Anna Kepner wrote that she would endure after a rough breakup in a video posted just days before she died under unknown circumstances. (@fl.anna18/TikTok)
“Currently, there is an investigation being conducted by the [FBI] arising out of the sudden death of [18-year-old] Anna Kepner,” the filing continues. “Ms. Anna Kepner, the deceased, is the daughter of the Respondent’s paramour and the Respondent and the minor children of this instant action were all on the cruise ship together.”
The filing is part of a dispute stemming from Shauntel’s divorce from her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson.
Authorities have said little about the case.
The FBI’s Miami office is investigating the matter. And the medical examiner’s office in Miami-Dade County is handling the autopsy, although no cause and manner of death have been determined as of Wednesday morning.
The Daily Mail reported Tuesday, citing two unnamed sources, that Kepner’s remains had been discovered wrapped in a blanket and covered in life jackets under the bed in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship.
Carnival said in a statement it is cooperating with the FBI. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.
