Anna Kepner News & Updates

Text messages released from the family of Anna Kepner at the time of her passing on board a Carnival cruise ship have revealed more information about the dynamics of her family. FOX 35 reporter Esther Bower spoke with Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to discuss more about the new developments. 

Weeks after 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead on a Carnival cruise ship, her 16-year-old stepbrother was named a suspect in her death investigation. A court hearing was held Friday morning about a custody dispute between his parents, Thomas and Shauntel Hudson. FOX 35's Garret Wymer covered the hearing, speaking live via Zoom with attorney Lauren Cadilac on what the new developments could mean.

A custody dispute between the stepmother of Anna Kepner and her ex-husband took place Friday morning, where new information was revealed about their children's living conditions. FOX 35's Esther Bower attended the hearing and joined Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to discuss the latest.

New court documents revealed in the custody dispute between Anna Kepner's stepmom and her ex-husband confirm that the Titusville, Florida teenager died by asphyxiation, and that her body was found underneath the cruise ship bed. Court documents also reveal that Kepner's stepbrother is an apparent "suspect" in the FBI's investigation. The FBI, to date, has released few, if any, details on the case or investigation, citing agency policy.

Orlando-based trial attorney Mark NeJame discussed questions regarding Anna Kepner's death and what he would like to find out. Reports say Kepner died by asphyxiation -- but that could mean a number of things, NeJame said. The next court appearance for the custody battle between Anna's stepmother and her ex-husband is set for Dec. 5.

Nearly three weeks after 18-year-old Anna Kepner boarded a cruise and never returned home, her family says they are still waiting for answers in the FBI’s investigation. Despite court documents indicating the teen’s 16-year-old stepbrother is considered a suspect, no arrests have been made in her death aboard the Carnival Horizon.

A newly issued ruling is poised to open a window into the final hours of 18-year-old Anna Kepner’s life. With a judge refusing to seal a related custody case, family members hope long-withheld details about her death aboard a cruise ship will finally come to light.

New documents filed in a Brevard County family court case show that the father of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who died under mysterious circumstances on a cruise ship, may soon be required to testify.

The father of Anna Kepner, the Titusville teenager who died aboard a cruise ship, has been ordered to testify in a civil custody case, a development that has shed new light on a separate FBI investigation into the girl’s death.

Joel Leppard, managing attorney at Leppard Law Criminal Lawyers, discusses the latest court documents and filings related to the death investigation of Anna Kepner. Leppard is not directly connected to the case. Kepner died in early November aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. Few details about her death have been released. However, documents in an unrelated child custody case, indicate the FBI is investigation her stepbrother, aged 16, as a possible suspect.

Anna Kepner's father was subpoenaed in the family court custody case this morning. In addition, a copy of Anna Kepner's death certificate obtained by FOX News reveals Anna's body was cremated after her death on board the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. The publicly available document does not include her cause or manner of death. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office and FBI refused to comment, citing the ongoing investigation into Anna Kepner's death. The FBI previously listed Anna's teen stepbrother as a suspect in a potential murder case surrounding Anna Kepner's death.