FBI weighing state or federal charges against 16-year-old in Anna Kepner cruise ship homicide case: lawyer

MELBOURNE, Fla. — The lawyer for Anna Kepner's stepmother acknowledged that her 16-year-old stepson whitethorn soon look charges astatine the authorities oregon national level successful transportation with the 18-year-old cheerleader's decease aboard a Carnival cruise vessel past month.

"We're not definite what the FBI is going to do," said Millicent Athanason, lawyer for Shauntel Kepner. "Whether he's going to beryllium charged federally oregon whether they're going to crook it implicit to the state."

The FBI's Miami bureau is starring the probe and has not publically identified immoderate suspects oregon announced immoderate charges.

The remarks came during an exigency custody proceeding successful an ongoing quality betwixt Anna's stepmom and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson. Both parents, successful tribunal filings, person referred to their 16-year-old son, Anna's stepbrother, arsenic a fishy successful her decease and the taxable of an FBI probe.

FBI INVESTIGATES CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP DEATH IN MARITIME MYSTERY THAT CAN BE ‘VERY COMPLEX,’ FORMER AGENT SAYS

Anna Kepner was identified by her household arsenic the rider who died onboard the Carnival Horizon. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)

Shauntel testified that aft the cheerleader's death, she and Anna's father, Chris Kepner, had information concerns successful allowing her 16-year-old lad to enactment with their different children. So helium has been placed successful the attraction of 1 of Shauntel's relatives arsenic the probe plays out.

Anna was recovered dormant nether the furniture successful her compartment connected the cruise ship. She had shared the country with her 14-year-old member and the 16-year-old stepbrother. Her origin and mode of decease were reportedly a homicide by mechanical asphyxiation.

(L-R) Chris Kepner, Shauntel Kepner and Jeffrey Kepner get to tribunal successful Melbourne, Florida, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)

"They're besides waiting connected immoderate investigating results," Athanason told the court. "They've done a clump of intelligence investigating and psychiatric testing, truthful they're besides waiting to perceive astir that. And truthful they don't cognize astatine this clip however agelong that that kid is going to beryllium astatine her relative's house."

The FBI declined to remark connected Athanason's remarks.

CHEERLEADER WHO DIED ABOARD CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP CREMATED, DEATH CERTIFICATE REVEALS

Anna Kepner, her father, stepmother and respective siblings successful a household photo. (Shauntel Kepner/Facebook)

Shauntel said the 16-year-old had been diagnosed with ADHD aft she separated from his father. He was besides connected medicine to assistance with insomnia astatine night, which she said helium had skipped for 2 days aboard the cruise.

The proceeding kicked disconnected soon aft 9 a.m. Friday. Shauntel had tried and failed to person it postponed, citing Fifth Amendment concerns.

Despite the circumstances, Shauntel testified that Anna, her 14-year-old biologic member and her 16-year-old stepson got on similar "Three Amigos" and were "best friends." She said they were each successful the aforesaid country connected the cruise upon the proposal of a question agent.

FBI INVESTIGATING PASSENGER DEATH ABOARD CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP AFTER RETURN TO MIAMI

Shauntel Kepner loads her groceries astatine the section Publix supermarket successful Titusville, Florida, connected Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Her stepdaughter, Anna Kepner, was recovered dormant connected a Carnival cruise connected Nov. 7. (SM for Fox News Digital)

Shauntel's older son, 18-year-old Andrew Hudson, lives with his father. He followed his parent connected the witnesser basal and told the tribunal he's had scant interactions with his siblings owed to the bitter divided betwixt his parents.

He besides revealed a convulsive incidental involving himself, Shauntel and Chris Kepner that took spot earlier helium began surviving with his dada afloat time.

"They came and took maine from schoolhouse and took maine to Titusville," helium testified.

LIFE JACKETS MEANT TO SAVE LIVES COULD EXPOSE A KILLER IN FLORIDA TEEN’S CRUISE SHIP MYSTERY

Christopher Kepner (center, reddish hat) arrives to a memorial work for his daughter, Anna Kepner, astatine the Grove Church successful Titusville, Florida, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. The 18-year-old cheerleader was recovered dormant nether a furniture connected a Carnival Cruise connected Nov. 7. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)

His ma asked for his phone, helium said, took it and past unopen it off. An statement broke out. He didn't privation to spell with them to Titusville and preferred to enactment with his begetter successful Hernando County.

So helium tried to get retired of the car, helium said, but was restrained by some his parent and stepfather.

"I was enactment successful a chokehold and held it against the seat," helium testified.

FATHER OF CHEERLEADER WHO DIED ON CARNIVAL CRUISE SUBPOENAED TO TESTIFY IN CUSTODY CASE

Anna Kepner's household said she had dreams of joining the military. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)

Under cross-examination, helium denied assertions from Shauntel's lawyer that helium tried to leap retired of the conveyance erstwhile it was moving.

"The conveyance was not moving," helium said. He besides denied that the crushed helium wanted to enactment successful Hernando County was due to the fact that of a girlfriend.

He had visited the Kepner location regularly earlier that, wherever helium said helium was allowed to portion intoxicant arsenic a teenager.

ANNA KEPNER'S FATHER WANTS STEPSON TO 'FACE THE CONSEQUENCES' IN CRUISE SHIP DEATH CASE

A inactive representation shows 18-year-old Anna Kepner's cryptic last TikTok post, posted 8 days earlier she was recovered dormant connected a cruise ship. (@fl.anna18/TikTok)

Next connected the basal was Thomas Hudson, Shauntel's ex-husband, who called for the exigency hearing, arguing that his 9-year-old girl whitethorn beryllium astatine hazard nether his ex-wife's supervision pursuing Anna's decease connected the cruise.

The softspoken Hudson, wearing a achromatic play shirt, said Chris Kepner had interfered with kid custody exchanges, physically blocking him from picking up his youngest girl earlier Thanksgiving erstwhile she refused to get retired of the car.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Based connected that grounds that's been presented today, I don't find that determination is an exigency and that [the younger daughter] is successful immoderate imminent hazard of harm," Judge Michelle Pruitt-Studstill ruled astatine the extremity of the hearing. "I recognize that determination whitethorn beryllium immoderate issues with respect to contempt."

A proceeding connected the contempt substance is scheduled for Dec. 17.