MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) — A new court filing has revealed more about the death of an 18-year-old Florida girl aboard a Carnival cruise ship and the ongoing investigation.
The emergency motion filed Monday suggests federal authorities may be investigating one of Anna Kepner’s stepsiblings in relation to her death, according to a report by the New York Post.
Kepner was found dead on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Nov. 7. Officials have not confirmed her cause of death, and few other details have been released.
However, the emergency motion, in which Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, asked for a delay in an unrelated custody hearing, sheds more light on the case.
The document states that the FBI is conducting an investigation arising out of the 18-year-old’s sudden death and says Hudson was informed that one of her children could face criminal charges, according to reports.
Hudson requested that her custody hearing be delayed until the criminal investigation has concluded.
A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed last week investigators had responded to the scene but did not provide any further information. Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement it is cooperating with the FBI.
In a social media post, Temple Christian School described Kepner as a “bright, kind-hearted young woman whose presence brought warmth and energy into the classroom.”