Before Cruise Ship Death, Anna Kepner Had Tense History with Alleged Suspect: Report

A promising Florida cheerleader with dreams of serving in the U.S. Navy's death aboard a Carnival cruise is now the focus of a federal investigation, and emerging accounts suggest she had a troubled history with someone who was on the ship with her.

18-year-old Anna Kepner died on November 7, 2025, while vacationing with her father, Christopher Kepner, his partner, Shauntel Hudson, and Shauntel's children. Now, disturbing accounts from those close to the deceased have surfaced, suggesting the teen had long felt unsafe around her stepbrother.

A Troubled Family Dynamic Emerges

Anna's ex-boyfriend, Joshua Westin, painted a chilling picture of events leading up to her death, revealing that he once witnessed the stepbrother enter Anna's bedroom during a late-night FaceTime call. According to Joshua, the stepbrother tried to climb onto Anna as she lay down, but fled when he shouted, "What the [expletive] are you doing in her room?"

Anna never told her family about the incident. Joshua said Anna often kept her worries to herself because she was afraid speaking up might make things worse.

He recalled that she never felt entirely at ease around her stepfamily, especially since they were still relatively new to her life — Shauntel had only been with Anna's father for about a year. The ex-boyfriend added that Anna once told him Shauntel "doesn't really like her… she has an attitude most of the time and was very controlling over her."

The ex-boyfriend said Anna disliked living with Shauntel's family so much that she frequently stayed with friends instead. He shared how close they had been — he'd even planned to be on the cruise with her.

Joshua's father, Stephen Westin, said the teen boy was obsessed with Anna, despite being her stepbrother. "He always wanted to date her," Stephen told Inside Edition, explaining that his son described the boy as "infatuated, attracted to her like crazy."

Stephen said that his son tried to raise concerns with Anna's family, but was brushed aside. As the investigation proceeds, the stepbrother — whose identity remains protected due to his age — could face criminal charges, according to the Daily Mail.

Custody Battle Casts Harsh Light on Internal Strife

Recent court filings have shed further light on the troubled dynamics inside the blended family. The New York Post reported that Shauntel and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, are locked in a custody dispute in which each accuses the other of endangering their children.

In an emergency motion obtained by the Post, Shauntel alleged that Thomas emotionally and physically abused their two youngest children — one of whom is the 16-year-old now at the center of the FBI probe. Christopher, Shauntel, Anna, and two of Shauntel's children boarded the cruise on November 2. Less than a week later, the vacation ended in tragedy.

Even Anna's funeral, held Thursday in Orlando, was marked by family turmoil. Some relatives were told not to attend because of the ongoing investigation. Anna's biological mother, Heather Kepner, said she was asked not to come to the service in Titusville — but she refused to be kept away.

"I'm going to wear a disguise," Heather told Inside Edition. "I'm going to put a wig on and wear some really tall shoes because I'm four-foot-nine."

Although she had moved to Oklahoma and hadn't seen her daughter regularly in recent years, Heather expressed pride in Anna's aspirations. Anna had long dreamed of joining the U.S. Navy and later becoming a K-9 police officer.

The FBI has yet to issue any public updates, leaving lingering questions, unresolved accusations, and fractured relationships in the wake of Anna's death.

While these early accounts painted part of the picture, we previously reported that a recent court document introduced a development that placed the spotlight on Anna's stepbrother.

Details and Documents Revealed

While authorities have remained mostly tight-lipped, the Daily Mail learned on Monday, November 17, that a maid later discovered Anna’s body shoved under the bed in her cruise cabin, hidden beneath a pile of life jackets and a blanket.

But on November 18, the same outlet released details from a court motion filed in Brevard County by Shauntel Hudson, the stepmother of the deceased teen.

The documents hinted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was contemplating criminal charges against one of her own minor children.

Shauntel's attorneys submitted the emergency motion in the context of her 2024 divorce proceedings, pleading for more time to respond due to an "extremely sensitive and severe circumstance."

Federal Agents Closing In

Shauntel, who had only recently married Anna's father, entered the union with three children of her own, including one 18-year-old and two minors.

The court document detailed the FBI's current interest in one of those underage kids. "Currently there is an investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.) arising out of the sudden death of eighteen-year-old Anna Kepner," it stated.

The motion continued, "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 respondent has been advised, through discussions with FBI investigators and her attorneys, that a criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children of this instant action."

But the reveal doesn't end there. The gist was that Shauntel asked the court to delay a scheduled custody hearing brought by her ex-husband, citing fears that anything she says in family court could jeopardize the unfolding criminal investigation against her own child.

Earlier reporting by the Daily Mail revealed that Anna had not been feeling well the night before her tragic demise. The teenager allegedly returned to her cabin early, but when she failed to appear at breakfast the next morning, concerned family members began searching for her.

Investigation Continues

Federal agents combed through every second of CCTV footage from the Carnival Horizon, which docked in Miami on November 8. Authorities are also analyzing data from passengers' electronic key cards to determine who accessed Anna's room and when.

The teenager's cellphone has been seized for forensic analysis. Investigators are also interviewing family, fellow passengers, and crew members in their desperate search for the truth. Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed it is working closely and fully with the FBI.

The FBI, Shauntel, and Chris are yet to comment officially on the latest developments.

For now, Anna Kepner's death has left behind a trail of unanswered questions and a family divided by accusation, grief, and fear. Until federal investigators release their findings, the truth about her final hours at sea remains painfully out of reach.