Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner’s killing has taken a dark turn, as court documents reveal her 16-year-old stepbrother is now considered an FBI suspect — all while unsettling new allegations surface about the family behind closed doors.
The bombshell surfaced during a bitter custody battle between Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, and her ex-husband — a clash marked by dueling court filings as both fight for control of their two young children.
In a chilling twist, Shauntel accused her ex, Thomas, of physically and emotionally abusing their two youngest children — including the teen boy now being questioned by the FBI in the high school senior’s mysterious death, according to an emergency motion filed Monday and reviewed by Faqinsurances.
Anna Kepner, 18, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on November 8, 2025 — a discovery that shocked passengers and set off a rapidly escalating investigation. Instagram/@anna.kepner16
She added that Thomas is currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Children and Families, according to the documents.
The stepbrother — identified only as ‘TH’ in the documents — is currently staying with one of his mother’s relatives as the investigation into Kepner’s Nov. 7 death aboard a Carnival cruise ship continues, according to filings in Brevard County family court.
Thomas pushed back, accusing Shauntel of getting into a "violent altercation" with their adult son — a clash that allegedly involved Shauntel and her new husband, Christopher Kepner, who is Anna’s father, according to the court filings.
The allegations — which Shauntel firmly denies — surfaced after she moved to delay a December hearing meant to address ongoing custody issues with her ex-husband, whom she divorced in 2023.
Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, has accused her ex-husband, Thomas, of physically and emotionally abusing their two youngest children. Facebook/Thomas Hudson
Thomas also claims his 16-year-old son’s legal troubles stem from his ex-wife’s decision to keep the boy away from him, asserting that his "future has been put in jeopardy because of the choices made by" Shauntel.
On November 2, Shauntel Hudson and two of her children boarded the Carnival Caribbean cruise — the same voyage that Christopher and Anna would take, a trip that would tragically end in disaster.
Anna was reportedly discovered dead in her cabin at the end of the six-day cruise, wrapped in a blanket and surrounded by life jackets.
Thomas Hudson pictured with his children in an undated Facebook photo. Facebook/Thomas Hudson
The ship docked back at the Port of Miami the next day, arriving as scheduled.
Amid the family turmoil, Anna’s memory was celebrated in a heartfelt tribute released following her tragic death.
Instagram/@anna.kepner16
Her family remembered her as a ‘beauty’ who ‘lived every day with her whole heart’ and dreamed of becoming a K9 police officer after serving in the U.S. Navy.
“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,” the family wrote in the obituary, in which they referred to the 18-year-old by her nickname, “Anna Banana.”
“She never had a filter, and that was part of her charm,” they heartbreakingly recalled. “She had a big, beautiful heart, often sending random ‘I love you’ messages or little gestures that made someone’s day,” the missive read.
Thomas Hudson and Shauntel Kepner pictured together in an undated Facebook photo. Facebook/Thomas Hudson
The FBI’s Miami office, handling the investigation since the death occurred in international waters, offered no new updates Wednesday.
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office, which is conducting the teen’s autopsy, has not yet released an official cause or manner of death.
As of now, no charges have been filed in connection with the case.
