Anna Kepner case: Has stepbrother been charged? New social media concerns

The father of Anna Kepner's stepbrother, who is reportedly under investigation in connection to the Florida 18-year-old's death during a family cruise, has expressed concerns about alleged social media posts by members of the Kepner Family.

According to newly-filed court documents, Thomas Hudson, the ex-husband of Shauntel Hudson, who is now married to Chris Kepner, Anna's father, said some members of the Kepner family have posted about his son, the alleged suspect, on social media:

• "Social media from the Kepner family has indicated that they want the "nails in the coffin" of (suspect)…"
• "And that both the Kepner Family and the Respondent ‘want him buried.’"

In the court documents, Thomas Hudson also alleged that the kids may have been allowed to drink while on the summer cruise, alleged a "lack of supervision" of the children, and "inappropriate living arrangements" between the kids on the cruise.

Members of the Kepner Family have denied those accusations in previous court hearings.

The court documents themselves are not connected to the investigation into Anna Kepner's death. They're part of an ongoing custody case between Thomas Hudson and his ex-wife, Shauntel, though details on Anna Kepner's death, the investigation, and the alleged suspect have been included in several of those court documents.

In the latest documents, Thomas Hudson is seeking sole custody of the 9-year-old sister of the alleged suspect, citing the ongoing criminal investigation. 

"It is not in the best interests of Petitioner/Father's nine-year-old minor child…to be living with her stepfather where her brother has been accused of (redacted) and murdering the daughter of her stepfather, all while the Petitioner/Father is supporting his son…in his criminal defense of those allegations," the count document said. 

"This would be an extremely complicated situation for any adult, let alone a nine-year-old minor child, to be in the center of and have to navigate," the court document said. 

What they're saying:

The FBI has repeatedly declined to provide any information on its reported investigation into Kepner's death, citing agency policy. The Medical Examiner's Office has not released the autopsy results for Anna Kepner, citing the active and ongoing investigation.

It does not appear Shauntel Hudson or her representation has responded yet to the latest filing.

The attorney representing Thomas Hudson, the father of the alleged suspect, released the following statement to FOX 35.

"Thomas continues to love and support all 3 of his children in the best possible way that he can. As any parent would understand, there is an immeasurable amount of grief and anger by the Kepner family over the tragic death of Anna. Thomas is trying to protect and support all of his children during these incredibly complicated and tragic set of circumstances."

Reports: Has Anna Kepner's stepbrother been charged with murder?

It's unclear.

Two weeks ago, Anna Kepner's stepbrother and family members were seen walking into a federal courthouse in Southern Florida. However, details on why they were in court have not been publicly revealed. No one answered questions from reporters.

The case has reportedly been sealed.

The newly-filed court documents in the custody case do mention charges have been filed against the alleged suspect, though they site social media posts from members of the Kepner Family. FOX 35 cannot independently confirm those social media posts. 

FOX 35's Garrett Wymer talked to a lawyer, who is not connected to the case, about the newest documents. She noted that it appears there could be two charges being investigated: one that has been redacted in the court documents, and the other listed as homicide/murder.  You can listen to that discussion below. 

Who was Anna Kepner?

Anna Kepner was an 18-year-old senior high school student at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida. She was set to graduate in Spring 2026, according to an online obituary. 

She had dreams of joining the U.S. Navy and eventually becoming a K-9 police officer, according to her family and an online obituary.

"Anna was pure energy: bubbly, funny, outgoing, and completely herself. She never had a filter, and that was part of her charm. Whether she was practicing new makeup looks (even if she had nowhere to go), making TikToks in front of the mirror, or blasting a perfectly curated playlist on the boat, Anna lived every day with her whole heart. She loved the sun, the water, boat days, island days, and beach days, anything that let her soak in the light she so easily radiated to others," reads her obituary. 

What happened?

Anna Kepner was found dead on Friday, Nov. 7, aboard the Carnial Horizon cruise ship. 

According to previous court documents in the ongoing custody case, Kepner died from asphyxiation – or of being deprived of oxygen. The documents also revealed that Kepner's body was found under one of the beds in the same room that Kepner and her step siblings apparently shared aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship.

What do we know about the alleged stepbrother suspect?

Text messages between Anna Kepner's stepmother and the "suspect's" mom, Shauntel Hudson-Kepner and her ex-husband, Thomas Kepner, start on Nov. 8, around 7:30 p.m., with Hudson-Kepner saying, "I need you to call me asap. It’s an emergency."

The son took medication for ADHD and insomnia, Hudson-Kepner said during the Dec. 5 court hearing. He had not taken the insomnia medication for two nights on the cruise, including the night before Anna's body was found, Hudson-Kepner confirmed before a judge in court.

In a Nov. 9 text exchange between Hudson-Kepner and Kepner around 10:20 a.m., Hudson-Kepner spoke about a short interaction she had with her son while he was in a facility.

"I was able to talk to him last night for under two minutes briefly. He just keeps repeating over and over he can’t remember anything," Hudson-Kepner said.