Anna Kepner’s stepmother appeared in court in an unrelated custody hearing nearly a month after the teen was found dead on a cruise.
The 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner is a “suspect” in her killing, a Florida judge said in court on Friday, Dec. 5 — nearly a month since the beloved cheerleader was found dead aboard a Carnival Horizon cruise in the Caribbean.
The Brevard County, Fla., judge made the statement during a court hearing pertaining to custody issues between Anna’s stepmother Shauntel Hudson and the woman’s ex-husband, Thomas Hudson.
“The 16-year-old child is now a suspect of the death of the stepchild during the cruise,” the judge said.
Kepner was found dead under a bed on Nov. 7 while aboard the Carnival Horizon with her father, grandparents, stepmother, siblings and stepsiblings.
She had been “mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s),” her death certificate said. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Authorities have not publicly named a suspect in the case, but the Hudsons’ 16-year-old son, who is Anna’s stepbrother, became the subject of a criminal investigation soon after her death, according to court records in the custody issue previously obtained by PEOPLE.
As Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother remains under heavy scrutiny, her family has been vocal about their shock.
“He was a normal kid,” Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner, previously told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview about his stepson. “And I would’ve never thought that any of this would’ve happened.”
Anna’s grandparents expressed similar sentiments in an interview with ABC News, with Barbara Kepner claiming the teens were like “two peas in a pod.”
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When asked specifically if he believes the stepbrother killed Anna, Christopher said, “I cannot say that he is responsible but I can’t decline.”
Christopher added, “He was the only one that was in the room and the FBI has an ongoing investigation in which they will have to provide the evidence to say that he did do it or did not do this.”
“I want him to face the consequences,” Christopher added. “I will be fighting to make sure that does happen.”
