Court hearing: Stepbrother ‘suspect’ hospitalized after Anna Kepner’s death on cruise ship
Teen stepbrother is the subject of a child custody dispute
Amid an FBI probe into the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship, the teen’s stepmother appeared at a court hearing Thursday involving custody of two children from her previous marriage.
One of those children, a 16-year-old boy, has been described by his parents as a “suspect” in Anna Kepner’s death.
The FBI has not confirmed the 16-year-old is a suspect, nor has the agency disclosed details about its investigation into Anna Kepner’s death.
Shauntel Kepner, who is the children’s biological mother and the stepmother of Anna Kepner, has been involved in a child custody dispute with her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, for more than a year, court records show.
“The older child, who is approximately 16 years of age, is a suspect in the death of the stepchild,” Thomas Hudson’s attorney, Scott Smith, told the judge during a remote court hearing conducted online Thursday morning.
Although there was no immediate resolution to the former couple’s ongoing child custody dispute, the court hearing revealed new details about the cruise on the Carnival Horizon, which returned to the Port of Miami on Nov. 8.
Anna Kepner was joined on the cruise by her father, Christopher Kepner, her stepmother, Shauntel Kepner, and at least two of her children.
Anna Kepner shared a stateroom with her 16-year-old stepbrother, according to Hudson’s attorney.
“It’s our understanding that, because the cruise was in international waters… the 16-year-old was allowed to drink,” said Smith. “The teenagers were given their own room in which to stay. Just a lot of circumstances that showed that the mother in this case was not exercising appropriate supervision over this child or the other child involved.”
[WATCH: 16-year-old stepbrother ‘suspect’ in Titusville teen’s death on cruise ship, court documents show]
16-year-old stepbrother ‘suspect’ in Titusville teen’s death on cruise ship, court documents show
226
Millicent Athanason, Shauntel Kepner’s attorney, disputed the allegation that the 16-year-old consumed alcohol.
“The issue that counsel raised about drinking, there are videotapes on the ship that confirmed that there was absolutely no drinking,” said Athanason. “DCF investigated and saw there was no alcohol in mom’s house whatsoever. So I’m not sure where that’s coming from.”
The 16-year-old was hospitalized “immediately after the incident” for an undisclosed reason, according to Athanason, and is now living with one of his mother’s relatives.
Shauntel Kepner indicated her 16-year-old son “has a psychiatrist appointment” early next month, but did not elaborate after the judge cautioned the mother not to speak without first seeking advice from her attorney.
Brevard County Circuit Court Judge Michelle Pruitt Studstill scheduled a four-hour hearing on Dec. 5 to address child custody arrangements between Shauntel Kepner and her ex-husband.
The attorneys indicated Christopher Kepner, who was also on the cruise, could be called to testify at that hearing.
Hudson’s attorney indicated his client’s 16-year-old son might also be asked to appear in court.
“I would anticipate that the child will choose not to testify and invoke his Fifth Amendment right,” the judge said. “But I don’t know. If you are intending to call him, you will need to file a motion with the court prior to the hearing.”
News
He never took those headphones off…:A close friend of James “Weston” Higginbotham said investigators recently questioned him about the white wireless headphones he always carried, after a witness reported seeing one near the bridge and then,…
The focus of the international investigation into the disappearance of James “Weston” Higginbotham has narrowed significantly onto a distinct personal item that may hold the definitive answer to his final movements. In the weeks since the twenty-year-old Auburn University student…
“He couldn’t live without it…” While the search for James “Weston” Higginbotham continues, relatives say investigators have questioned them about a sedative they initially dismissed as unimportant — but which may now help explain his final actions
The ongoing investigation into the disappearance of James “Weston” Higginbotham has taken a sharp, unexpected turn as authorities shift their attention from the rugged geography of Kyoto’s mountain trails to a minor detail found within the young man’s personal belongings….
“I still can’t forget those 4 words…” A close friend of James “Weston” Higginbotham is expected to speak publicly, and investigators are reportedly reviewing one final message that may help rebuild the timeline
The sudden silence surrounding the disappearance of James “Weston” Higginbotham has left a community suspended in a state of collective grief and unanswered questions. For weeks, the small-town backdrop of this unfolding tragedy has been dominated by a singular, frustrating…
Just now: Los Angeles police arrested the son of the victim’s girlfriend in the stabbing death of actor James Handy, but his testimony is shocking; his relationship was rejected, driving him insane, and the truth is even more shocking…
LAPD arrest girlfriend’s son in stabbing death of actor James Handy This image made from video provided by KABC shows the scene at a home where authorities were investigating the fatal stabbing of actor James Handy on Wednesday, June 3,…
NEIGHBORS CAN’T FORGET ONE IMAGE: Just moments after James Handy was discovered, a camera allegedly captured an image of a figure silently walking down the street… as if a scream of just four words mentioning a name had terrified the neighbors to this day
The quiet, tree-lined sidewalks of Erwin Street in Tarzana, California, are designed for peaceful morning walks, dog walking, and neighborly pleasantries. However, for the residents who looked out their windows or checked their security applications on the morning of June…
THE LAST THING THE COORDINATOR HEARD… Before police arrived at the house, a James Handy caller allegedly uttered a chilling confession — and detectives are now reviewing every second of nearby surveillance video. The suspect’s MOTIVE was not simply love
The fatal stabbing of 81-year-old character actor James Handy on June 3, 2026, has evolved from a tragic domestic response into one of the most structurally complex homicide investigations in recent Los Angeles history. While initial media reports highlighted the…
End of content
No more pages to load
