Stepbrother of cheerleader found dead on cruise ship identified as a suspect in her death
11/21/2025 8:00 am PST
TITUSVILLE, Fla. (TCN) -- The 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner, the 18-year-old cheerleader found dead under her bed on a Carnival cruise ship Nov. 8, has been named as a suspect in her death.
Court documents from an unrelated custody dispute between his parents, Shauntel Hudson and Thomas Hudson, show they acknowledge that the FBI is investigating their child in connection with Kepner’s death, The Associated Press reports. The 16-year-old was referred to by his initials, T.H., according to the AP.
Thomas Hudson filed an emergency motion for temporary relief, People magazine reports. The filing states, “The 16-year-old child is now a suspect in the death of the stepchild during the cruise.”
In response to her ex-husband’s motion, Shauntel Hudson requested a delay of a previously scheduled hearing. She invoked her Fifth Amendment right, noting that testimony could have a prejudicial impact on her or T.H. during the ongoing criminal investigation, People reports.
Kepner was on the cruise with her father, her stepmother Shauntel Hudson, and three stepsiblings, including T.H., CBS News reports. A law enforcement source told CBS the two stepsiblings might have been in an altercation.
Kepner reportedly told family members she was unwell on Nov. 7 and went to her stateroom. The search for her began when she reportedly did not show up for breakfast the next day, Nov. 8.
That morning, a housekeeper discovered Kepner’s body under a bed in her stateroom, according to CBS News, and the ship returned to port in Miami on schedule the following day.
Kepner’s obituary said she was an 18-year-old high school senior who loved to spend time on the water, the AP reports.
According to NBC Miami, Kepner was a cheerleader who hoped to one day cheer at the University of Georgia.
Kepner’s cause and manner of death have not been made public, and a final autopsy report is pending.
The FBI has jurisdiction because the death occurred on international waters and Kepner was a U.S. citizen, CBS reports. Investigators are reviewing onboard surveillance footage and swipe-card data from the ship to determine who might have had access to Kepner’s stateroom.
Court documents state that T.H. is currently staying with a third party, according to WPLG.
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