Lead: Federal investigators told attorneys in a recent court filing that criminal charges may be brought against a minor stepsibling after 18-year-old Anna Kepner, a Florida high school cheerleader, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon during a family Caribbean vacation. The ship returned to Miami and docked on Nov. 8, 2025, when crew members and law enforcement discovered Kepner’s body in her stateroom. The disclosure appears in an emergency motion filed in a divorce case involving Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, and the FBI’s Miami office is coordinating the probe with Carnival security.
Key Takeaways
- The body of 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found on Nov. 8, 2025, aboard the Carnival Horizon as it returned to Miami.
- An emergency court filing in a divorce case by stepmother Shauntel Hudson says the FBI told her legal team that “a criminal case may be initiated” against one of her minor children.
- Kepner was traveling with her father, stepmother and three stepsiblings on a family vacation in international waters when she was discovered.
- Ship staff reportedly located Kepner’s body under the bed in her stateroom, according to law enforcement sources cited in media reports.
- Investigators are reviewing ship surveillance, electronic swipe-card logs and Kepner’s cellphone records and have interviewed passengers, crew and family members.
- The FBI has jurisdiction because the victim is a U.S. citizen and the death occurred in international waters; the Miami FBI office is involved.
- Carnival Cruise Line has said it is cooperating with the federal investigation.
Background
Anna Kepner, 18, a Florida high school cheerleader, was part of a multi-generation family group on a Carnival Horizon sailing in early November 2025. Travel with multiple family members, including stepparents and stepsiblings, is common on mainstream cruise lines and raises investigative complexity when allegations involve relatives or minors.
The information about a potential criminal case surfaced not in a criminal proceeding but in an emergency motion filed in an unrelated divorce case involving Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson. The motion sought to postpone a hearing, explaining Hudson could not testify because of an “extremely sensitive and severe circumstance” and noting the FBI’s warning that a minor in the household might face charges.
Cruise-ship deaths in international waters trigger federal jurisdiction when victims are U.S. citizens, which explains the FBI’s role alongside ship security. Historically, investigations at sea combine shipboard evidence — cameras, access logs and crew interviews — with federal investigative tools such as cellphone records and forensic analyses.
Main Event
According to law enforcement sources cited in initial media reports, a housekeeper discovered Kepner’s body under the bed in her stateroom as the Carnival Horizon was nearing Miami. The ship docked on Nov. 8, 2025, and authorities took custody of the scene upon arrival. Family members say Kepner had complained of not feeling well the night before and did not appear for breakfast, prompting a search.
The FBI and Carnival security are collecting surveillance footage from corridors and public areas, and officials are extracting electronic swipe-card data that could show who accessed Kepner’s cabin. Ship security systems and crew logs are focal points because they can establish movements inside the vessel during the relevant overnight period.
Investigators are also reviewing Kepner’s cellphone records to reconstruct communications and location data. Interviews are being conducted with crewmembers, other passengers and relatives on board to establish timelines and identify any witness observations that could clarify what happened the night before Kepner was found.
Analysis & Implications
The emergence of FBI involvement and the mention of a possible criminal case against a minor stepsibling elevates the matter from a death investigation to a potential criminal inquiry, which changes available investigative tools and legal thresholds. If federal prosecutors pursue charges, they will be constrained by juvenile justice procedures and evidentiary standards for cases involving minors.
Evidence central to prosecutions in maritime settings often relies on digital records — surveillance video, electronic access logs and phone metadata — because physical forensic evidence can be compromised at sea and during transfer to shore. The quality and continuity of those digital records will be decisive in whether charges can be sustained.
The fact pattern also raises questions about chain-of-custody for shipboard evidence and the coordination between private cruise security and federal investigators. Cruise lines routinely preserve footage and access logs voluntarily, but litigation over evidence handling can follow if defense counsel disputes integrity or completeness.
Beyond legal outcomes, the case may prompt renewed industry scrutiny of onboard safety protocols for minors and procedures for reporting missing passengers. Public attention on a potential familial suspect could also shape how cruise operators train staff to respond to suspected onboard crimes involving family groups.
Comparison & Data
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Body found aboard Carnival Horizon | Nov. 8, 2025 |
| Court filing revealing possible criminal case | Published in emergency motion (Nov. 2025) |
| Ship docked in Miami | Nov. 8, 2025 |
Maritime death investigations commonly follow a timeline where the onboard discovery leads to preservation of the scene, transfer to local authorities upon docking and a federal takeover when international waters are involved and the victim is a U.S. citizen. The pace of such probes varies with evidence availability; digital logs can accelerate or stall progress depending on their condition and completeness.
Reactions & Quotes
“Carnival Cruise Line is cooperating with the federal investigation,” the company said in a statement acknowledging coordination with investigators.
Carnival Cruise Line (company statement)
“A criminal case may be initiated,” the emergency court filing said, describing information relayed to the stepmother’s attorneys by FBI investigators.
Emergency motion in divorce proceedings (court filing)
Investigators emphasize that review of surveillance, swipe-card logs and cellphone records are core elements in establishing who had access to the cabin and key movements on the ship.
Law enforcement sources (unofficial media briefings)
Unconfirmed
- No public court record yet confirms the identity of the minor stepsibling referenced in the motion.
- The cause and manner of Kepner’s death have not been publicly released by authorities and remain unconfirmed.
- It is not confirmed whether formal criminal charges have been filed or will be filed against any individual.
Bottom Line
The FBI’s disclosure in a family divorce filing that a minor in the household could face criminal charges transforms a tragic onboard death into a potential criminal investigation with sensitive juvenile and maritime law implications. Key evidence under review — surveillance footage, swipe-card logs and cellphone data — will likely determine whether prosecutors pursue charges.
For now, investigators are collecting records and conducting interviews; independent confirmation of the cause of death and any charging decision remains pending. Given federal jurisdiction and the presence of multiple relatives and witnesses aboard, the case is likely to proceed cautiously and could take weeks or months before reaching public prosecutorial decisions.
Sources
- CBS News (U.S. media) — original reporting and court filing details