Federal investigators are looking into the stepsibling of 18‑year‑old Anna Kepner, a Florida high‑school cheerleader whose body was found wrapped in a blanket under a bed on the Carnival Horizon. The mystery began on November 7 when the teen’s family was on the six‑day Caribbean cruise with her and her father, Christopher Kepner.
Anna had been seen saying she didn’t feel well at a family dinner and went back to her cabin. The next morning, she was missing. A search of the ship, which can carry almost 4,000 people, ended when a crew member discovered her body inside the cabin at about 11 a.m. The medical examiner in Miami ruled her time of death 11:17 a.m. but has not yet released a cause of death.
Because the incident happened in international waters, the FBI took the lead. A new court filing filed in Brevard County says the FBI is conducting an investigation that could potentially involve one of Anna’s stepsiblings. The family’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson—who has recently married Anna’s father—asked for more time before responding to the divorce filings, citing the sensitive nature of the case.
Hudson and her children were all aboard the cruise when Anna was found. She has requested that legal proceedings be delayed until the federal investigation finishes, warning that early testimony might be prejudicial to her and her minor children.
Both the FBI and Hudson’s ex‑husband have yet to comment. Anna was nicknamed “Anna Banana” by her family and was expected to graduate from Temple Christian School in Titusville in May. The family remains in limbo, waiting for answers about how their daughter died and whether a crime will be charged.
The case has drawn international attention. The FBI’s involvement, the death’s occurrence on an international cruise ship, and the potential investigation into Anna’s stepsibling are all key points that will shape the story’s next chapters.
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