Anna Kepner cruise ship death: Family texts reveal damage control efforts

Newly released court records shed light on how one family reacted after the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship last month.

Accordingly Documents obtained by FOX 35 Orlando, Text messages sent to each other after Anna’s death show the family’s concern about limiting information shared publicly and keeping their 16-year-old son’s name out of the media.

The messages were submitted as evidence in an ongoing family court case and involve exchanges that began about a day after Anna’s body was found. The messages also highlight the family’s stance that the teenager has no memory of the events surrounding Anna’s death.

Anna Kepner was found dead on November 7 in her cabin aboard the Carnival Horizon, which returned to the Port of Miami two days later. Federal authorities boarded the ship on its return and began collecting evidence.

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Authorities said he died of mechanical asphyxia, meaning he was deprived of oxygen. No suspect’s name has been made public in the case.

Text exchanges between Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Kepner, and her ex-husband show conversations that began on the evening of November 8, about a day after Anna’s body was found.

Court records show discussions largely focused on managing information, limiting exposure to social media and addressing the minor teen’s concerns rather than the circumstances of Anna’s death. Court documents show the teen was investigated in connection with Anna’s death but say he was not charged.

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In a message sent around 7:30 pm on November 8, Shauntel asked her ex-husband to call her immediately and described the situation as an emergency. When she later offered to pick up their daughter, Shauntel refused, explaining that the girl had only been told that her brother was emotionally struggling and was being evaluated at a hospital.

In a later interview on November 9, Shauntel described a brief conversation she had with her son while he was at a medical facility. He stated that he repeatedly said he did not remember anything and that a nurse allowed the brief meeting to reassure him that his parents loved him.

The messages also show efforts to prevent the information from spreading on social media, including concerns about posts circulating online and a desire to protect the teen from negative attention. Shauntel emphasized that she was a minor and that the family did not want her name to be disclosed.

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At the hearing on December 5, Shauntel’s lawyer said that the teenager’s father had agreed to have him live with a relative after he was released from the hospital after the ship docked. The attorney said the decision was made to eliminate potential risks to other children in the home, according to FOX 35 Orlando.

Shauntel also testified that the teenager was taking medication for ADHD and insomnia and that he did not take his insomnia medication for two nights during the trip, including the night before Anna’s body was found.

Court documents say Anna’s body was found under a bed in the cabin she shared with her two siblings, including her 16-year-old half-brother.

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(L-R) Chris Kepner, Shauntel Kepner, and Jeffrey Kepner arrive at court in Melbourne, Florida, on Friday, December 5, 2025. The trio is heading to an emergency custody hearing due to an ongoing dispute between Shauntel and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)

Although the FBI has not publicly identified anyone as a suspect and no criminal charges have been filed, records from the ongoing family court dispute between Anna’s father and stepmother, Christopher Kepner and Shauntel Kepner, and Shauntel Kepner’s ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, show that the teenager is being investigated for Anna’s death.

Additional messages addressed the possibility that charges could be filed depending on autopsy results. Shauntel said the family plans to learn more when autopsy findings are available.

Former sheriff’s detective Jamie Copenhaver reviewed the messages and told FOX 35 Orlando they expressed concerns about him. He said the talks appeared focused on controlling public perception rather than addressing the loss of an 18-year-old family member.

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Anna Kepner, her father, stepmother and several siblings in a family photo. (Shauntel Kepner/Facebook)

Copenhaver said the messages were akin to “damage control,” adding that the tone of voice suggested to him that the family knew more than what was being shared publicly.

Messages included in court records show that both parents offered emotional support to their son, emphasizing that he was not alone and that his family was there for him.

In an interview, Hudson told Shauntel that he wanted her son to know that he “didn’t die for everyone,” adding that he “needs his parents right now no matter what” and wanted an opportunity to talk to him as soon as possible.

Kepner, of Titusville, Florida, was a high school senior at Temple Christian School. He is preparing to graduate in spring 2026 and hopes to join the U.S. Navy, his family said.

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The FBI has not released details of the investigation, and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office has not publicly released Anna’s autopsy or toxicology results. The investigation is ongoing and more than six weeks later, no person has been publicly identified as a suspect.

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crimes including missing persons, murders and immigration crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.