Anna Kepner's Mother Speaks Out After Teen's Cruise Death Ruled Homicide

Tragic Discovery on Carnival Cruise

• 💔 An 18-year-old Florida cheerleader, Anna Kepner, was found dead under a bed on a Carnival Horizon cruise ship in early November.
• 🚢 The teen, nicknamed 'Anna Banana', was on a 6-day Caribbean cruise with her blended family, including her father, stepmother, siblings, and step-siblings.
• 🔍 Her body was discovered wrapped in a blanket and covered in life jackets, crammed beneath a bed in a cabin she shared with two other teens, including her 16-year-old stepbrother.

Homicide Ruling and Suspect Identification

• ⚖️ Authorities have formally ruled Anna's death a homicide, confirming she was mechanically asphyxiated by other persons, with a previous report indicating asphyxiation from an arm across her neck.
• 🚨 The FBI is investigating the case, and Anna's 16-year-old stepbrother has been identified as a suspect in court documents.
• 📄 A legal brief submitted by Shantel Hudson, Anna's stepmother, mentioned an "extremely sensitive and severe circumstance" that could lead to a criminal case against her son, identified as TH.

Mother's Concerns and Accusations

• 🗣️ Anna's biological mother, Heather Wright, who had been estranged from her daughter, is speaking out against Anna's father, Christopher Kepner.
• 😠 Wright questions why her daughter was sharing a cabin with her stepbrother and accuses her ex of painting her as a villain.
• 🚫 She also alleged that she was threatened with arrest for unpaid child support and told not to attend her daughter's memorial service.

Stepbrother's Alleged Obsession

• 😨 Reports from the ex-boyfriend's father suggest the 16-year-old suspect was obsessed with Anna and had a history of unwanted advances.
• 🔪 The stepbrother was reportedly caught climbing on Anna while she slept and allegedly carried a large knife, expressing a desire to date her.
• ⚠️ Despite attempts to warn Anna's parents, they reportedly did not believe the concerns.