Recently unveiled court documents have provided further insights into the family’s actions following the tragic death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who passed away last month on a Carnival cruise ship.
As reported by FOX 35 Orlando, text message exchanges following Anna’s death reveal the family’s efforts to control the public dissemination of information and to protect the identity of their 16-year-old son from media exposure.
These messages, submitted as evidence in an ongoing family court case, began circulating about a day after Anna was found deceased. They highlight the family’s assertion that their teenage son has no memory of the events leading to Anna’s death.
Anna Kepner was discovered lifeless on November 7 in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon, which returned to Port Miami two days after the incident. Federal authorities boarded the ship upon its return to gather evidence related to the case.
The family has identified Anna Kepner as the passenger who died aboard the Carnival Horizon. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)
Authorities have determined that Anna’s cause of death was mechanical asphyxia, indicating she was deprived of oxygen. As of now, no suspects have been publicly identified in the investigation.
Text exchanges between Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Kepner, and her ex-husband show conversations that began the evening of Nov. 8, about a day after Anna’s body was discovered.
Court records indicate the discussions focused largely on managing information, limiting social media exposure and addressing concerns involving the teen, who is a minor, rather than on the circumstances of Anna’s death. Court documents indicate the teen is being investigated in connection with Anna’s death but note he has not been charged.
In one message sent around 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8, Shauntel asked her ex-husband to call her immediately, describing the situation as an emergency. When he later suggested picking up their daughter, Shauntel declined, explaining the girl had only been told that her brother was struggling emotionally and was being evaluated at a hospital.
In a later exchange on Nov. 9, Shauntel described a brief conversation she said she had with her son while he was in a medical facility. She stated he repeatedly said he could not remember anything and that a nurse allowed the short call so she could reassure him that his parents loved him.
The messages also show efforts to prevent information from spreading on social media, including concerns about posts circulating online and the desire to shield the teen from negative attention. Shauntel emphasized that he is a minor and that the family did not want his name released.
During a Dec. 5 court appearance, Shauntel’s attorney said the teen’s father agreed to have him live with a relative after his release from the hospital once the ship docked. The attorney said the decision was made to eliminate any potential risk to other children in the home, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Shauntel also testified that the teen takes medication for ADHD and insomnia and had not taken his insomnia medication for two nights during the cruise, including the night before Anna’s body was found.
Court documents state Anna’s body was discovered under a bed in a cabin she was sharing with two siblings, including her 16-year-old stepbrother.
(L-R) Chris Kepner, Shauntel Kepner, and Jeffrey Kepner arrive to court in Melbourne, Florida, Friday, December 5, 2025. The trio are headed to an emergency custody hearing in an ongoing dispute between Shauntel and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)
While the FBI has not publicly identified anyone as a suspect and no criminal charges have been filed, records from an ongoing family court dispute between Anna’s father and stepmother, Christopher Kepner and Shauntel Kepner, and Shauntel Kepner’s ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, indicate the teen is being investigated in Anna’s death.
Additional messages referenced the possibility that charges could be filed depending on the results of the autopsy. Shauntel said the family planned to learn more once the autopsy findings were available.
A former sheriff’s detective, Jamie Copenhaver, reviewed the messages and told FOX 35 Orlando they raised concerns for him. He said the exchanges appeared focused on controlling public perception rather than addressing the loss of an 18-year-old family member.
Anna Kepner, her father, stepmother and several siblings in a family photo. (Shauntel Kepner/Facebook)
Copenhaver described the messages as resembling “damage control,” adding that the tone suggested to him that the family knew more than what had been publicly shared.
Messages included in the court records also show both parents expressing emotional support for their son, emphasizing that he was not alone and that his family stood by him.
In one exchange, Hudson told Shauntel that he wanted their son to know “he isn’t just dead to everyone,” adding that “regardless of everything at the moment, he needs his parents,” and that he wanted an opportunity to speak with him as soon as possible.
Kepner, of Titusville, Florida, was a high school senior at Temple Christian School. She was preparing to graduate in the spring of 2026 and hoped to enlist in the U.S. Navy, her family said.
The FBI has not released details about the investigation, and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner has not publicly released Anna’s autopsy or toxicology results. The investigation remains ongoing, and more than six weeks later, no individual has been publicly identified as a suspect.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
