Stepbrother May Testify in Custody Hearing After Florida Teen Found Dead on Carnival Cruise, Attorney Says

Lead

A 16-year-old who authorities are reviewing in connection with the death of his 18-year-old stepsister aboard the Carnival Horizon may be called to testify in a Florida custody dispute, attorneys said at a Nov. 21, 2025 hearing. Anna Kepner’s body was found under a bed on the ship as it returned to Port Miami on Nov. 8. The potential testimony would arise in a custody fight between the girl’s father, Thomas Hudson, and her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, and the judge set an in-person hearing for Dec. 5. Law enforcement sources say the teen is under investigation, but several details remain unconfirmed.

Key Takeaways

• The victim, 18-year-old Anna Kepner, was discovered on Nov. 8 aboard the Carnival Horizon as the ship was returning to Port Miami.
• A 16-year-old stepsibling is being investigated for possible involvement; sources and court filings identify him by initials “T.H.” but the FBI has not confirmed suspect status.
• Thomas Hudson’s attorney, Scott Smith, said on Nov. 21 he may call the teen to testify in the parents’ custody dispute, though he expressed reluctance to place the minor at the center of the fight.
• The minor was hospitalized after the ship returned and is now staying with a relative on Florida’s west coast, court testimony said.
• Investigators are reviewing surveillance video, electronic cabin-swipe records, cellphone data and interviewing passengers, crew and family members.
• Judge Michelle Studstill warned a pretestimony hearing is necessary and noted the minor may invoke his Fifth Amendment rights; an in-person hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5.

Background

The Kreapner family was on a Caribbean vacation when Anna Kepner, 18, shared a cabin with her father, stepmother, grandparents and two stepsiblings. The family reported she had been feeling unwell the night before and did not appear at breakfast the following morning, Nov. 8, when a housekeeper later found her under a bed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Custody tensions between Thomas Hudson and Shauntel Hudson predate the cruise; the two are contesting care of three children, including the 16-year-old now under investigation. That domestic dispute now intersects with a criminal inquiry, creating overlapping civil and potential criminal proceedings that could affect access to witness testimony and family custody determinations.

Main Event

At a Brevard County custody hearing on Nov. 21, Scott Smith, attorney for Thomas Hudson, acknowledged the uncomfortable possibility of calling the 16-year-old to testify about circumstances surrounding Kepner’s death. Smith said he and his client would prefer not to put the minor in the middle of the dispute but may have to do so to support Thomas Hudson’s custody claim.

Opposing counsel Millicent Athanason, representing Shauntel Hudson, said she would resist any move that could further incriminate the teen. Athanason told the court she would find it difficult to place the 16-year-old on the stand in a way that risks self-incrimination, and indicated she could subpoena investigators from the FBI and Florida’s Department of Children and Families.

Judge Michelle Studstill said the court must hold a hearing before deciding whether the minor may testify and predicted the child might invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The judge set a hearing for Dec. 5 to address those procedural questions and potential subpoenas.

Law enforcement sources told reporters that investigators are analyzing surveillance footage and electronic swipe-card records for the cabin door, reviewing Kepner’s cellphone records and interviewing passengers, crew and family members. One source said there may have been an altercation between Kepner and the stepsibling, but that detail has not been confirmed publicly by investigators.

Analysis & Implications

The convergence of a criminal probe and an active custody battle complicates both processes. Civil courts and criminal investigators operate under different standards of proof and rules governing testimony; a juvenile’s compelled testimony in family court could touch on constitutional protections central to any subsequent criminal case. Defense counsel will likely use constitutional safeguards to shield the minor from testimony that could be used in criminal proceedings.

For the family, the overlap raises immediate practical questions about where the children will live and who controls access to evidence or witnesses. If the 16-year-old is called in custody proceedings, the resulting record could shape perceptions in both courts and among investigators, potentially influencing decisions about charges, juvenile detention, or placement.

For investigators, the presence of an ongoing family law dispute increases the sensitivity of witness interviews and evidence custody. Agencies will need to coordinate carefully to avoid prejudicing either process; prosecutors and federal investigators often insist on preserving the integrity of criminal inquiries before parties disclose witness testimony in civil matters.

Finally, the broader public reaction—given the high-profile setting of a cruise ship and the involvement of federal agencies—may put pressure on authorities to disclose limited, carefully vetted updates while protecting minors’ rights and the integrity of the probe.

Comparison & Data

The table above places the legal and investigative milestones in sequence to show how a single criminal inquiry has created immediate civil-law consequences. The Dec. 5 hearing will determine whether family-court testimony proceeds before or after any formal criminal charging decisions are made, a timing issue that can materially affect both outcomes.

Reactions & Quotes

“We don’t really want to put the boy in the middle of this, but I may have to call him,”

Scott Smith, attorney for Thomas Hudson (court hearing)

Smith framed the move as a reluctant tactical choice tied to the custody fight rather than a prosecutorial step. His remarks signal an intent to use the civil process to develop factual records that could influence custody determinations.

“I would have difficulty putting the 16-year-old on the stand because I don’t want anything done that would incriminate the young man,”

Millicent Athanason, attorney for Shauntel Hudson (court hearing)

Athanason’s statement underscores defense counsel’s priority to invoke protections for the minor and to avoid procedures that could undermine his constitutional rights in any criminal context.

“I would anticipate that the child will choose not to testify and invoke his Fifth Amendment right,”

Judge Michelle Studstill (Brevard County court)

The judge’s comment sets expectations for the upcoming hearing and highlights the practical challenge courts face when juvenile witnesses are central to overlapping civil and criminal matters.

Unconfirmed

• Whether the 16-year-old will ultimately be charged in connection with Anna Kepner’s death remains unconfirmed by law enforcement and the FBI.
• The precise nature and timing of any alleged altercation between Kepner and the stepsibling reported by one source has not been independently corroborated.
• It is not publicly confirmed whether surveillance and swipe data show the 16-year-old entering the cabin at relevant times.

Bottom Line

The case combines a criminal investigation into an 18-year-old’s death aboard the Carnival Horizon with a separate, contentious custody dispute, creating legal and ethical friction points about testimony and the rights of a minor. The Dec. 5 hearing will be pivotal in deciding whether a juvenile will be required to give in-person testimony in family court and how that testimony may affect parallel criminal inquiries.

Investigators continue to review video, swipe-card records and electronic data while attorneys prepare for courtroom fights over access to testimony and evidence. Readers should watch for official updates from law enforcement and court filings after the Dec. 5 hearing; until then key details remain under review and several claims are unconfirmed.

Sources

• CBS News (national news organization; original reporting and court hearing coverage)
• Carnival Corporation – Carnival Horizon (corporate/ship information)