Stepbrother of woman who died on Carnival cruise now a suspect

TITUSVILLE Fla AP The -year-old stepbrother of the Florida high school senior who died this month on a Carnival cruise ship has been identified as a suspect in her death according to court documents filed by his parents The disclosures contained in motions filed in an ongoing custody dispute offer the clearest general indication that federal investigators are scrutinizing a member of the victim s own blended family The documents show both parents acknowledging that their middle child identified in court only by his initials T H is under FBI examination in connection with the death of Anna Kepner a high school cheerleader from Florida s Space Coast whose death aboard the ship has drawn international attention and remains shrouded in uncertainty A memorial system for Kepner was scheduled for Thursday evening Neither the FBI nor Carnival has commented publicly how Kepner died whether a crime occurred or what led agents to focus on the teen A spokesperson for the FBI has declined to comment saying the agency does not provide operational updates about ongoing investigations A final autopsy statement detailing the cause and manner of death is still pending according to the Miami-Dade County Health Examiner s office T H is now a suspect in the death of the step child during the cruise Thomas Hudson the boy s father noted in court papers seeking custody of the youngest of the three children he shares with his ex-wife Hudson s ex-wife Shauntel Hudson also acknowledged in family court filings that her middle child was a suspect in the death of Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon ship Shauntel Hudson married Kepner s father after her divorce from Thomas Hudson Kepner was traveling aboard the ship with Shauntel Hudson and her minor children It is true that there is an open analysis regarding the death of the biological daughter of the stepfather and T H is a suspect regarding this death which occurred in recent months on a cruise ship Shauntel Hudson s attorney wrote Shauntel Hudson wrote that this week she and her ex-husband had agreed to have the teenage boy live with a relative to ensure the safety of the youngest child of the parties She also stated that her ex-husband had hired an attorney for their son due to the probe into Kepner s death Earlier this week Shauntel Hudson s attorney had petitioned for a delay in a court hearing scheduled next month because of the FBI study The attorney argued that her client cannot be compelled to testify as any testimony Shauntel Hudson may give could be prejudicial to her or her adolescent child in this pending criminal inspection Kepner s loved ones planned to honor her Thursday at a celebration of life institution in Titusville miles kilometers east of Orlando Her family encouraged attendees to wear colorful clothes instead of the traditional mourner s black in honor of Anna s bright and beautiful soul Kepner s obituary described her as someone who loved spending time on the water and announced she was planning to graduate high school next year from Temple Christian School in Titusville The Carnival Horizon can hold nearly guests and sails to the Caribbean Carnival Cruise Line stated the ship returned to PortMiami on Nov as planned and the ship was working with the FBI Miami office to investigate the affair