In a dramatic twist to an already tragic story, the father of a Florida teenager, who died under mysterious circumstances aboard a cruise ship, has been avoiding authorities attempting to serve him with a subpoena. This development adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle over custody of his stepchildren.

The case centers around the untimely death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner. Last month, during what was meant to be a family vacation, Anna was discovered dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship. Her body was found wrapped in a blanket and hidden beneath a bed in the cabin she shared with her 16-year-old stepbrother.

While no official suspects have been named, recent revelations indicate that the FBI is focusing its investigation on Anna’s stepbrother. This information came to light during a contentious family court proceeding involving Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner, and his wife Shauntel, who is embroiled in a custody dispute with her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson.

While nobody has yet to be identified as a suspect, it emerged last month that the FBI is probing the boy as a suspect. 

The details of that emerged in family court as Christopher’s wife Shauntel and her ex Thomas Hudson battled it over their children. 

Hudson has asked a judge to give him custody of their daughter, arguing that Shauntel’s parenting has put their son’s future ‘in jeopardy’, which she has denied. 

Christopher was ordered to testify in court on December 5 over the despite, but a process server ruled he was unreachable to be directly handed a subpoena. 

According to the official, Christopher’s SUV sat running in his driveway and the lights inside his home in Titusville, Florida, were on, but nobody answered the door. 

Anna Kepner, 18, after she was found dead last month aboard a Carnival ship while on a family vacation.

The ship was in international waters between Mexico and Florida when her body was found in her, Anna is seen here alongside her father Christopher

The documents, first seen by Fox News, also indicated that a ‘No Trespassing’ sign was placed on the property, as well as a Ring doorbell camera. 

The paperwork was eventually left on the windshield of the SUV after they announced their appearance several times. 

According to the court papers, the process server returned to find the subpoena left the windshield was gone.

Anna was declared dead at 11.17am on November 7 while on a cruise ship getaway with her blended family.

The ship was in international waters between Mexico and Florida when her body was found in her. She was wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests.

She had been hidden beneath a bed inside the cabin she shared with the 16-year-old and her 14-year-old younger half-brother.

Her official death certificate states she was ‘mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s).’

Authorities explained the term as meaning the cause of death was asphyxiation via a bar hold and that arm was pressed across her neck.

Anna is seen congratulating her 16-year-old stepbrother on receiving a pair of school awards 

Christopher Kepner is seen here alongside his wife Shauntel, who is now in court fighting over the custody of her children that she shares with her ex Thomas Hudson

Anna’s obituary said she planned to join the US Navy after graduating from high school and later become a K9 police officer

The Daily Mail was the first to report that her 16–year–old stepbrother was considered a ‘suspect’ in Anna’s death and was under investigation.

Her father told PEOPLE he wanted him ‘to face the consequences’ and that he would be ‘fighting to make sure that does happen,’ although he did not confirm that his stepson had been involved.

Anna and her stepbrother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shared a cabin on the Carnival Horizon during the family’s tropical trip. 

On the night of her death, Anna’s younger brother heard yelling and chairs being thrown in the cabin, where she was alone with her stepbrother, according to what the teen’s ex–boyfriend Josh Tew told reporters at a memorial service last week.

Josh claimed Anna’s younger brother told him their stepbrother prevented him from entering their room and that he’d ‘heard her yelling at her in a harmful way, like ‘shut the hell up’ and stuff like that.’

‘That’s when he knew something was going on,’ Josh added. However, Josh claimed Anna’s relative had stopped talking to him.

‘He said the FBI told them that if they talk they’ll get arrested because it’s tampering with an investigation or something,’ he said.

Anna’s ex–boyfriend said he had called the FBI over his concerns and claimed investigators told him they were ‘glad I gave them the information.’

Josh also alleged he had ‘caught’ Anna’s 16–year–old stepbrother trying to get on top of her nine months ago.

Anna’s father Christopher told the Daily Mail in a previous interview that investigators had shared barely any details with him.

He said: ‘We were there as a family. Everybody was questioned. Everybody came off that ship. I don’t know who they are looking at or what their investigation is.’

‘I have no idea what is going on right now,’ he added. ‘We are just trying to sit still and wait for answers.’ 

Anna was expected to graduate high school in May and had plans to join the US Navy and then become a K9 police officer, according to her obituary.