The younger brother of murdered Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner went to sleep only a few feet from her body — unaware she was already dead, a chilling new report claims. The boy reportedly noticed his sister wasn't in their cruise cabin, but assumed that she had left early to hang out with their parents, and went to bed, not realizing what had happened.
Kepner, 18, had been staying in a Carnival cruise cabin with her 14-year-old brother and her 16-year-old stepbrother — the same teen who is now a suspect in her death. On Nov. 6, the night she was killed, Anna left dinner early and returned to the cabin, telling others she wasn't feeling well, a source told the Daily Mail.
So Much in Mystery
Later that night, both boys returned to the cabin. Anna's younger brother quickly changed clothes, then headed back out to take photos of the Carnival Horizon as it continued its six-day trip through the Caribbean.
When he came back, he noticed Anna still wasn't in her bed, but assumed she had gone to spend more time with their parents.
Thinking nothing was wrong, he simply went to sleep, the source said.
However, surveillance footage shows Anna returned to the cabin that night — and never came out. By the next morning, when she still hadn't shown up, the Titusville, Fla., family realized something was wrong.
As her father, Christopher Kepner, 41, searched the massive $800 million cruise ship looking for her, a medical emergency was suddenly announced over the ship's PA system, the source said.
A cleaning crew found Anna's body tucked under her bed, right next to the bunk beds where her brothers had been sleeping. Her body was reportedly wrapped in a blanket.
Twist in the Tale
Shocking court filings reveal that her 16-year-old stepbrother is now a suspect in her death and is living with a relative on his mother's side. The FBI is not planning to launch a possible criminal investigation against Anna's stepbrother.
In an emergency motion obtained by the Daily Mail and filed on Monday in Brevard County, Anna's stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, asked the court for more time to respond to documents related to her 2024 divorce.
Hudson said that she's dealing with an "extremely sensitive and serious circumstance," which has made it difficult for her to meet the deadlines.
"Currently there is an investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.) arising out of the sudden death of eighteen-year-old Anna Kepner," the filing explains.
"The respondent has been advised through discussions with the FBI investigators and her attorneys, that a criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children of this instant action," the filing continued, according to ABC News.
Hudson — a mother of three who recently married Anna's father — asked the court to put the case on hold until the "criminal investigation has concluded." She warned that giving testimony right now could unfairly affect both her and her teenage child while the investigation is still underway.
