TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The 16-year-old stepbrother of the Florida high school senior who died this month on a Carnival cruise ship has been identified as a suspect in her death, according to sworn statements filed by his parents in court documents.
The disclosures — contained in affidavits and motions filed in an ongoing custody dispute — offer the clearest public indication that federal investigators are scrutinizing a member of the victim’s own blended family.
The documents show both parents acknowledging that their middle child, identified in court only by his initials “T.H.,” is under FBI investigation in connection with the death of Anna Kepner, a high school cheerleader from Florida’s Space Coast whose death aboard the ship has drawn international attention and remains shrouded in uncertainty. A memorial service for Kepner was scheduled for Thursday evening.
Neither the FBI nor Carnival has said publicly how Kepner died, whether a crime occurred, or what led agents to focus on the teen. A spokesperson for the FBI has declined to comment, saying the agency “does not provide operational updates about ongoing investigations.”
A final autopsy report detailing the cause and manner of death is still pending, according to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s office.
“T.H.” is
Teenage stepbrother of 18-year-old who died on Carnival cruise now a suspect, say court papers
