New information has emerged in the death of 18-year-old Florida teen Anna Kepner, whose body was found on 7 November inside her cruise ship cabin during a family vacation in international waters.
According to reports, Kepner's former boyfriend has alleged that her 16-year-old stepbrother, now identified in filings as a 'suspect,' had previously acted inappropriately toward her and may have been involved in a disturbance the night before she died.
Josh Tew, 15, who dated Kepner until six months ago, claimed he witnessed an incident approximately nine months earlier in which the stepbrother attempted to 'get on top of' Anna at her home in Titusville, Florida. Tew said the teen entered Anna's room while she was on a late-night FaceTime call and fled when confronted.
Tew stated that Anna later expressed fear and discomfort about her stepbrother and the new blended family arrangement, telling him she avoided sleeping at home and often stayed with friends because she felt unsafe. He said she feared retaliation if she spoke up about the alleged incident.
Tew also relayed information allegedly shared by Anna's younger brother, who he said heard yelling and loud noises, including what sounded like chairs being thrown, from the cabin Anna shared with her 14-year-old brother and 16-year-old stepbrother the night before she died.
According to Tew, the younger sibling reported that the stepbrother blocked him from entering the room and that Anna could be heard yelling. Tew said the brother stopped talking about the incident after being cautioned by investigators.
The ex-boyfriend stated he reported what he knew to the FBI, who told him they appreciated the information.
According to reports, Kepner had been on a six-day Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother, and step- and half-siblings. During the trip, she left dinner early on 6 November, saying she felt unwell and later returned alone to the cabin.
Sources told the media that one brother briefly returned to change clothes before going back out, later assuming Anna was elsewhere on the ship.
@fl.anna18 I wanna go back😒 #carnival #cruise #fyp #viral ♬ Blue Strips - Jessie Murph
Her absence was discovered the following morning. During a search for the teen, a medical emergency was reportedly announced on board. Her father rushed to her cabin, where a cleaning crew had just found her body wrapped in a blanket and placed beneath a bed.
FBI agents reportedly boarded the ship upon its return to Miami, though no details regarding cause or manner of death have been released. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner listed the time of death as 11:17am on 7 November.
Concurrent court filings connected to a custody dispute involving Anna's stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, name the 16-year-old as a suspect in the teen's death.
The documents, filed by the boy's father, state that the stepbrother was released from custody after the voyage but is currently living with a third party while the investigation continues. The filings argue that decisions made by the boy's mother placed him and another minor child at risk.
Hudson denied allegations of neglect and acknowledged in her own filing that an 'open investigation' is underway and that her son is considered a suspect. She stated he is staying with a relative and receiving counselling.
Meanwhile, a man identifying himself as Anna's uncle, Martin Donohue, also posted unverified allegations on X, claiming the stepbrother and stepmother were involved and that Anna's father 'remained silent.' However, none of these assertions has been substantiated by law enforcement.
The FBI continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding her final hours.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
