BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A Brevard County judge kept tight control over a child custody hearing on Wednesday involving the stepmother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, whose death aboard a Carnival cruise ship remains under federal investigation.
From the outset, the judge made clear that Kepner’s death on the Carnival Horizon would not be discussed in the courtroom. The hearing instead focused strictly on custody issues involving children from the stepmother’s previous marriage.
Kepner was found dead Nov. 7 in her stateroom on the cruise ship. Her family has publicly alleged that her 16-year-old stepbrother “is a suspect” in her death.
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The FBI, which is investigating the case, has not confirmed that the teen is a suspect. The agency has also not corroborated the family’s claims that Kepner was asphyxiated and then placed under a bed in her cabin.
So far, there has been no indication whether the 16-year-old stepbrother will face criminal charges or whether any potential prosecution would occur in federal or state court.
Kepner’s father attended Wednesday’s custody hearing, but neither he nor his wife testified in the dispute between her and her ex-husband. Both left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.
Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother is reportedly living with a relative in Hernando County as the FBI probe is underway. He was mentioned only briefly during the child custody proceeding.