Anna Kepner's Family Shares New Details About Tragic Cruise and Makes Key Decision After Her Death

The new details surface amid chilling accounts of Anna Kepner and her stepbrother sharing a troubled history.

As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continues to investigate the tragic death of Anna Kepner, who died aboard a Carnival Horizon cruise on November 7, 2025, at 18, more details have emerged.

The information surfaced during a December 5 court custody hearing initiated by Anna's stepmother's ex-husband, where Shauntel Kepner (Anna's stepmom) appeared.

Secret Safehouse for Teen at Center of Murder Probe

The new details have offered a deeper — and more unsettling — look into the aftermath of Anna's tragic demise. Her 16-year-old stepbrother, now at the center of the FBI's ongoing investigation, is currently living with a relative under confidential conditions. Legal documents confirm that only his parents and law enforcement are aware of his location.

"All parties agree that (the teen's) location will remain confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone other than his parents and law enforcement authorities," reads a November 13 court document filed in the recent custody case.

Additionally, Anna's stepbrother has not been charged, but according to attorney Millicent Athanason, who represents his mother, Shauntel, the teen has been identified to the family as a suspect in the case.

The decision to send the teenager away was reportedly made out of concern for the safety of the other children in the home. Shauntel and her husband, Christopher Kepner (Anna's father), agreed to remove the boy from their residence shortly after his release from the hospital, following his return to the United States from the cruise.

According to People magazine, Shauntel had also worked with her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson (the non-custodial father of Anna's stepbrother), on the matter. The third party now housing the teen has full power of attorney, and he cannot be moved without the consent of both parents.

In a move that appeared to confirm the seriousness of the investigation, Athanason told the court that the FBI is currently determining whether to hand over evidence in the case to state or local authorities. When approached for confirmation, an FBI spokesperson declined to comment.

Cruise Cabin of Doom: The Family's Final Vacation Together

Court documents also shed light on the complex family dynamic leading up to and following the events aboard the Carnival Horizon.

The cruise — which set sail from Miami on November 2 — included several members of the extended family, including Anna's father (Christopher), stepmother (Shauntel), 16-year-old stepbrother, 14-year-old half-brother, her grandparents (Jeffrey and Barbara Kepner), and two little girls (Shauntel's daughter and Christopher's other daughter).

Shauntel, Christopher, and the two girls were in a cabin across the hall. Meanwhile, Barbara and Jeffrey were two floors above their room.

According to Shauntel's testimony, the three teens — Anna, her stepbrother, and her half-brother — were close friends and had asked to share a stateroom during the trip. Shauntel also reportedly claimed that they stayed together on the advice of a travel agent.

"Yeah, the three of them are, like, the three amigos. They are best friends," she explained in court. However, while speaking to reporters outside Anna's memorial service on November 20, the late teen's ex-boyfriend said otherwise, stating that Anna did not enjoy spending time with her stepbrother.

Tragedy struck just five days into the vacation. On the morning of November 7, Anna was found dead beneath a bed in the cabin she had shared with the boys. Her death certificate states she had been "mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s)," and her death has been officially ruled a homicide.

Father Denied Custody After Courtroom Battle

Compounding the tragedy is the revelation that Thomas — who filed an emergency custody motion after learning of Anna's death — had not given permission for his son to go on the cruise.

In the motion submitted to the court, Thomas, who shares three children with Shauntel and is seeking custody of their youngest daughter, alleged that Shauntel had failed to properly supervise the teen during the trip.

He also claimed he had been kept from seeing his younger children for more than a year and described a recent verbal altercation with Shauntel's husband and in-laws during a disputed custody exchange.

Despite his concerns, Judge Michelle Studstill denied Thomas's emergency custody request. He is expected to return to court on December 17 for a contempt hearing related to the cruise and continued custody disputes.

Amid the custody challenges, Thomas was permitted to spend time with his youngest daughter on Thanksgiving, which marked the first time in over a year he got to see her. Their time together came just after a date was set for the emergency custody hearing.

More Questions Raised About Cruise Behavior

Additional testimony offered an intimate, and at times unsettling, glimpse into the final days of the family's cruise and the atmosphere on board. Under questioning from Thomas's attorney, Scott Smith, Shauntel stated that she consumed only two piña coladas and a single glass of wine during the entire voyage.

When asked whether Anna had consumed alcohol at any point, Shauntel said she didn't know. As for the two boys — Anna's 14-year-old half-brother and 16-year-old stepbrother — she insisted, "I'm sure they were not."

Attention then turned to the stepbrother's medical history. Shauntel revealed that her son takes a daily regimen of prescription medications for both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insomnia. Crucially, she admitted that in the days leading up to Anna's death, he had missed two consecutive doses of his insomnia medication.

On the first night of the trip, she said, he fell asleep naturally — and on the second, she went to bed without administering it. The boy's treatment plan, and the potential consequences of deviating from it, were not explored further in court.

Michelle, who presided over the custody hearing, directly addressed concerns about the teen possibly returning to the family home in Titusville, Florida. The home, which Shauntel shares with her husband, Christopher.

After learning that there was no chance the suspect teenager would be permitted to return to the residence, the judge ruled that the girl (Thomas and Shauntel's child) could remain in her mother's custody.

As investigators continue to search for answers, the newly surfaced details have cast a sharper light on the days leading up to Anna's death — but they have also reignited questions that stretch further back.

According to reports, the relationship between Anna Kepner and her stepbrother had long been marked by tension, raising concerns that now seem impossible to ignore.

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 also 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." Joshua 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.

Adding to the narrative, Joshua's father, Stephen Westin, said the teen was obsessed with Anna, despite being her stepbrother. "He always wanted to date her," Stephen told Inside Edition. Stephen added 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.

Even Anna's funeral, held on Thursday, November 20, 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.