MELBOURNE, Fla. — The tragic death of 18-year-old cheerleader Anna Kepner on a Carnival cruise ship has led to growing legal concerns, with her 16-year-old stepbrother potentially facing charges in relation to the incident. Speaking on the matter, Millicent Athanason, the attorney representing Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Kepner, has expressed uncertainty about whether the charges will be pursued at the state or federal level.
“We’re unsure about the course of action the FBI will take,” Athanason stated. “It’s unclear if they will pursue federal charges or delegate the case to the state authorities.”
The investigation is being spearheaded by the FBI’s Miami office, though they have yet to officially identify any suspects or press charges. This lack of clarity has intensified the situation, especially given the ongoing custody battle between Anna’s stepmother and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson.
In a recent emergency custody hearing, both parents have described their 16-year-old son, Anna’s stepbrother, as a suspect under FBI scrutiny in the context of her untimely death.
Anna Kepner, whose family confirmed her identity, was the young woman who tragically passed away aboard the Carnival Horizon. Concerns over the safety of their other children prompted Shauntel and Anna’s father, Chris Kepner, to make the difficult decision to place the teenage stepbrother in the care of Shauntel’s relatives, pending further investigation.
Shauntel testified that after the cheerleader’s death, she and Anna’s father, Chris Kepner, had safety concerns in allowing her 16-year-old son to stay with their other children. So he has been placed in the care of one of Shauntel’s relatives as the investigation plays out.
Anna was found dead under the bed in her cabin on the cruise ship. She had shared the room with her 14-year-old brother and the 16-year-old stepbrother. Her cause and manner of death were reportedly a homicide by mechanical asphyxiation.
(L-R) Chris Kepner, Shauntel Kepner and Jeffrey Kepner arrive to court in Melbourne, Florida, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (MS for Fox News Digital.)
“They’re also waiting on some testing results,” Athanason told the court. “They’ve done a bunch of psychological testing and psychiatric testing, so they’re also waiting to hear about that. And so they don’t know at this time how long that that child is going to be at her relative’s house.”
The FBI declined to comment on Athanason’s remarks.
Anna Kepner, her father, stepmother and several siblings in a family photo. (Shauntel Kepner/Facebook)
Shauntel said the 16-year-old had been diagnosed with ADHD after she separated from his father. He was also on medication to help with insomnia at night, which she said he had skipped for two days aboard the cruise.
The hearing kicked off shortly after 9 a.m. Friday. Shauntel had tried and failed to have it postponed, citing Fifth Amendment concerns.
Despite the circumstances, Shauntel testified that Anna, her 14-year-old biological brother and her 16-year-old stepson got along like “Three Amigos” and were “best friends.” She said they were all in the same room on the cruise upon the advice of a travel agent.
Shauntel Kepner loads her groceries at the local Publix supermarket in Titusville, Florida, on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Her stepdaughter, Anna Kepner, was found dead on a Carnival cruise on Nov. 7. (SM for Fox News Digital)
Shauntel’s older son, 18-year-old Andrew Hudson, lives with his father. He followed his mother on the witness stand and told the court he’s had scant interactions with his siblings due to the bitter split between his parents.
He also revealed a violent incident involving himself, Shauntel and Chris Kepner that took place before he began living with his dad full-time.
“They came and took me from school and took me to Titusville,” he testified.
Christopher Kepner (center, red hat) arrives at a memorial service for his daughter, Anna Kepner, at the Grove Church in Titusville, Florida, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. The 18-year-old cheerleader was found dead under a bed on a Carnival cruise on Nov. 7. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)
His mom asked for his phone, he said, took it and then shut it off. An argument broke out. He didn’t want to go with them to Titusville and preferred to stay with his father in Hernando County.
So he tried to get out of the car, he said, but was restrained by both his mother and stepfather.
“I was put in a chokehold and held it against the seat,” he testified.
Anna Kepner’s family said she had dreams of joining the military. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)
Under cross-examination, he denied assertions from Shauntel’s lawyer that he tried to jump out of the vehicle when it was moving.
“The vehicle was not moving,” he said. He also denied that the reason he wanted to stay in Hernando County was because of a girlfriend.
He had visited the Kepner home regularly before that, where he said he had been allowed to drink alcohol as a teenager.
A still image shows 18-year-old Anna Kepner’s cryptic final TikTok post, posted eight days before she was found dead on a cruise ship. (@fl.anna18/TikTok)
Next on the stand was Thomas Hudson, Shauntel’s ex-husband, who called for the emergency hearing, arguing that his 9-year-old daughter may be at risk under his ex-wife’s supervision following Anna’s death on the cruise.
The soft-spoken Hudson, wearing a black golf shirt, said Chris Kepner had interfered with child custody exchanges, physically blocking him from picking up his youngest daughter before Thanksgiving when she refused to get out of the car.
“Based on that evidence that’s been presented today, I don’t find that there is an emergency and that [the younger daughter] is in any imminent risk of harm,” Judge Michelle Pruitt-Studstill ruled at the end of the hearing. “I understand that there may be some issues with regard to contempt.”
A hearing on the contempt matter is scheduled for Dec. 17.
