2024 court documents reveal family turmoil before Anna Kepner’s death

Newly obtained 2024 court documents reveal years of instability, violent incidents, and custody disputes inside the household of the 16-year-old now identified as a suspect in the death of Titusville teen Anna Kepner, according to filings reviewed by Channel 9.

Anna, an 18-year-old cheerleader from Titusville, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon earlier this month while traveling with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother. Her body was discovered in what investigators described as a grim location, wrapped in a blanket and covered by life vests underneath a bed, according to ABC News Sources.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner says she died on Nov. 7, though her cause and manner of death have not yet been released.

2024 Documents Detail Violent Family Incident

The newly reviewed 2024 motion filed by Thomas Hudson, Anna’s stepmother’s ex-husband, described a volatile period in the home. He alleged that after Shauntel Hudson moved in with her boyfriend, Anna’s father, she failed to provide a “stable environment” for her children.

The filing also referenced a disturbing incident in which one of the children “attempted to jump out of a moving vehicle” during a confrontation between Shauntel and her then-teenage child.

Shauntel’s 2025 response confirms the incident but states that both she and the stepfather were preventing the teen from jumping out of the car so he could stay behind in Hernando County with his girlfriend, according to the filing.

In her response filed Nov. 18, 2025, Shauntel Hudson denies the father’s allegations of violent behavior or neglect toward her children. In the motion, the mother claims:

There was no violent altercation between her and the eldest child, contrary to the father’s claims

A judge previously denied the father’s attempt to file a domestic violence injunction against her

The father himself allowed the eldest child to live with a teen girlfriend and hindered Shauntel’s ability to see that child

She also states that two of the remaining minor children refused to visit their father due to what she described as “issues of domestic violence on the Father’s part.”

On page 2 of the document, Shauntel confirms a key detail: “There is an open investigation regarding the death of the biological daughter of the Step-Father and T.H. is a suspect regarding this death, which occurred recently on a cruise ship.”

She also states the parties signed a stipulation around Nov. 17, 2025, placing the 16-year-old with a relative “to ensure the safety” of the remaining children as the FBI continues its investigation.

Mother says FBI investigation should not be addressed in custody court

Shauntel argues that the father is now using Anna’s death to fast-track his emergency motion, even though the custody matters have been ongoing since 2024.

“There is no emergency at this juncture,” she writes, adding that the issue “should be set on the Court’s regular calendar.” She also says discussing the FBI investigation in a civil custody hearing is not in the best interest of the 16-year-old, who is at the center of the federal probe.

She confirms counseling is underway for the remaining child in her care and notes the family is grieving as funeral services for Anna are scheduled this week. “This was going on long before the death of this child, but now the father is using the death of this child to bootstrap his assertion that his motion needs to be heard and needs to be heard now,” WFTV’s legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said.

Investigators Exploring Multiple Possibilities

ABC News sources say investigators are looking into whether there was any altercation between Anna and her stepbrother before her death. They are also exploring several other potential scenarios, including the possibility of a medical emergency or overdose.

“The FBI investigation has the potential of affecting the custody battle,” the legal analyst added.

Anna Kepner’s family is planning a celebration of her life on Thursday in Titusville.

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