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In a shocking development, the stepmother of Anna Kepner has allegedly confessed that her 16-year-old son is being investigated in connection with the tragic death of the Florida teenager aboard a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Thomas Hudson is actively pursuing custody of his 9-year-old daughter, who currently resides in Florida with her mother, Shauntel Hudson, and Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner. The custody battle has intensified amid the recent events surrounding the cruise ship incident.
Hudson is also demanding clarity and answers about the situation involving his teenage son, highlighting the family’s ongoing turmoil.
In legal documents, Hudson expressed grave concerns, stating, “The sixteen-year-old’s future has been jeopardized due to the actions of the respondent… the youngest child is at immediate risk of abuse, abandonment, or neglect while in the respondent’s care.”
The family, including Christopher, Shauntel, and the children, were passengers on the Carnival Horizon when the lifeless body of Anna was discovered by a room steward. Her body was reportedly wrapped in a blanket and hidden under a bed, adding a chilling layer to the unfolding investigation.
“The respondent took the remaining minor children on a cruise with a stepchild of her paramour,” the court filings continued.
“The sixteen-year-old child is now a suspect in the death of the stepchild during the cruise. While released from custody, the sixteen-year-old child is residing with a third party.”
“The youngest child is at immediate risk of abuse, abandonment, or neglect in the care of the respondent.”
The respondent, Shauntel Hudson, argued that the 16-year-old is no longer in the family home and is staying with a relative, amid the FBI investigation.
She also denied accusations that the 9-year-old has been abused or neglected.
“Any testimony the respondent may give, either written or oral, could be prejudicial to her or her adolescent child in this pending criminal investigation,” her attorney wrote.
Court records reportedly indicated that Thomas and Shauntel Hudson divorced last year. She then moved to Titusville with her children, where she currently resides with Anna’s father.
Thomas and Shauntel Hudson were due in court next month, but she filed an emergency motion Tuesday, due to the FBI investigation.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the vessel had embarked on a trip from Miami to the Caribbean, when 18-year-old Anna Kepner passed away on the last day of the cruise.
Daily Mail said that two sources stated that Anna had not been feeling well on November 6 and went to her room. No one saw her until the next morning, when a room steward found her under the bed with a blanket and life jackets.
The room steward reportedly discovered the body at around 11 a.m. while cleaning the cabin. The ship then detoured and stopped at Port Miami on November 8.
Anna Kepner died on November 7, according to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner. The Cruise Globe reports that the vessel was in Cuba at the time, on the northwest coast.
The medical examiner has not yet revealed how she died.
Christopher Kepner previously said that he has been left in the dark about his daughter’s death.
Meanwhile, the FBI in Miami, currently leading the investigation, has not released additional details and has not confirmed the claims.
[Feature Photo: Anna Kepner/Instagram]