The family of Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old cheerleader who was found dead on a Carnival Cruise ship earlier this month, has spoken out following reports that her step-brother is an alleged suspect in the case.
Recent court documents from the divorce proceedings of her step-mother, Shauntel Hudson, indicate that law enforcement is treating Anna’s 16-year-old step-brother as a suspect in the investigation into her death.
This information has been confirmed by Anna’s grandparents in an interview with ABC News. They expressed their confusion and sorrow over the loss of Anna during what was supposed to be a joyful family vacation. Anna’s grandmother, Barbara Kepner, mentioned how everyone was ‘having a great time’ during the trip.
“I couldn’t fathom why anyone would wanna hurt my baby,” Barbara said, reflecting on the tragic loss of Anna, whose life ended on November 7 as the cruise returned to Miami from the Caribbean.
The cruise was intended as a weeklong bonding experience for the Kepner family, including grandparents Barbara and Jeffrey, their son and his three children (including Anna), his new wife Shauntel, and her two children from a previous marriage.
Anna, remembered as an independent and ambitious young woman, was in her final year of high school and looking forward to a future in the Navy.
Tragically, her body was discovered on the Carnival Horizon ship by housekeeping staff, wrapped in a blanket and hidden beneath life vests in a room she shared with her step-siblings.
Jeffrey shared with ABC, “We were looking forward to seeing her grow. The cruise itself wasn’t what made me excited. It was the fact that I was gonna get to spend another week with my youngest son and his family and all the grandkids.”
The family believes Anna died by asphyxiation, potentially from an arm held across her throat, but the FBI has not yet confirmed this as the investigation is ongoing.
The sleeping arrangements on the ship had three generations occupying different rooms, with Anna staying with her step-siblings.
Barbara stated, “The two younger girls stayed with the parents and then the three teenagers, they decided amongst themselves they wanted to stay in the room together. But we had a larger room and we made it very clear that at any time if they weren’t getting along, they didn’t want to be together, we had an extra bed in our room that they could come to.”
Describing the close-knit nature of their family, Barbara emphasized that they saw no distinction between biological and step-family members, referring to all as ‘just family’.
Upon their son’s remarriage, Anna’s grandparents felt as though they had gained two more grandchildren, saying, “I loved them just like I’ve loved the rest of my grandchildren. They called us Memaw, Peepaw, told us they loved us.”
Anna and her step-brother were reportedly very close, described by Barbara as ‘just like brother and sister’ and ‘two peas in a pod.’ However, court documents now name him as a suspect in Anna’s death.
“I know that those two kids cared about each other in the right way,” Barbara told ABC. “I can’t accuse him because I don’t know what happened in that room.”
As of now, no charges have been filed in relation to the case. The family has confirmed that Anna’s system was free of drugs and alcohol, and there were no signs of sexual assault.