Indications are it may be a homicide.
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ANNA KEPNER: Teen found dead on Carnival cruise ship *ARREST!* (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter GrandmaBear
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Tresir
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In both pics that have him in she is standing like that - slightly bent forward with hands on or in between her thighs like a defensive pose. I only today realised he was the tallest one in the group pic and this one that looks like it may be at school.
GrandmaBear
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Well I'd hope they wouldn't continue with it being an annual thing. That would be another very hard to understand decision if they did.
He will be convicted imo and I don't think they will go light on him despite his age. Of course, a defense atty will try to make mental illness or some such a part of it, and then there's the fact he immediately claimed he could not remember... I don't buy that for a minute but they will try to use it I imagine...
You know, I wonder what they will find in his search history, etc. on his electronics...
GrandmaBear
Well-known member
I knew it was just by knowing it was a blended family pic and by process of elimination as to who is who in it. In the family pic, my thought with the bending pose is she was doing it to be closer to her little sister maybe and not to block anyone behind her. In the other pic, it is hard to say, she kind of bends towards him but maybe is keeping her body from brushing his in any way? Hard to say. It may just be a typical pose by her too when someone is taking a pic.
I guess it depends on where you live. In Oregon they have them closed to the public because minors are involved.
GrandmaBear
Well-known member
Maybe I'm wrong but don't think so. I am pretty sure anyone could walk into the courtroom to watch but no one does. If something is sensitive, they would likely take it into chambers is all.
Our state though (WI) is very open records and proceedings like FL and that's what was decided in this case, no sealing, so I'm pretty sure I have it right.
Also it's the parents usually on "trial" in a custody case. if a minor has mental issues, or health issues, or school issues, they can try to request those things stay private but the judge would have to decide that and I don't think it would work either as after all, the adults decided to put their children in the middle of a custody fight...
Not sure of the reasoning. I'm interested to actually see this judge's decision in FL on this case to see the reasoning and law relating to his decision.
Tresir
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I see it now as her protecting herself.
Tresir
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One thing they already said was that he had a lot of photos on his phone taken without her knowledge.
GrandmaBear
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Yeah, that he allegedly took at family events, etc...
I'm wondering about more though too, like searches, websites, you name it. Did he have friends or was he a loner? What other things was he into? Was she the only girl he bothered or was obsessed with? We've heard a lot about her personality, now I'm starting to wonder about his...What were these demons Anna's grandmother said he had...? He was 16, did he work at all? Did he say anything to friends relating to her? I don't know why I'm wondering but I am. Did he have other interests or did he just mope around obsessed with her and her only? I'm also wondering if he was jealous of her... Had he had issues/problems with other girls? Other complaints? Trouble at school? Did he move schools once his mom moved in with Anna's dad?
I'm not interested in him so to speak, just I guess his intent and if he meant to hurt or kill her or did he just lose it...?
I also wonder if he sent the brother out of the room or the brother just decided on his own to go take pics on the ship...? Was there planning or did things just blow up...?
Tresir
Well-known member
I copied this link and text from Reddit as i am a bit confused who is who.
Chris Kepner is Anna’s biological dad. He has remained in her life but there are questions as to whether he’s raised her full time or whether she’s primarily resided with her paternal grandparents (Barbara and Jeff Kepner).
Tabitha is step mom 1. Speculation is that she’s the babysitter Chris cheated on Heather with. There’s a court filing from 2008 where Christina Donohue (Tabitha’s mom) is requesting a sexual violence injunction against Chris (Anna’s bio dad). Tabitha later married Chris and “raised” Anna. Chris and Tabitha do have 2 children in common. Again, speculation as to who Anna primarily resided with Chris or his parents.
Christina Donohue is now married to Chris Donohue (Martin Donohue’s brother) and bother were originally mentioned in the first obituary. Step Grandma 1 and Step Grandpa 1.
Martin Donohue was the poster who asked for help and was the first (that I’m aware of) to officially come out and state that Anna was murdered by her step brother. Martin is Step Great Uncle 1.
Kevin Harper is Tabitha’s bio dad. He’s been arrested for attempted kidnapping of a 13yr old child and is a registered sex offender. He is Step Grandfather 1 (Tabitha’s bio father).
Shauntel is Chris Kepner’s current wife as of 12/24. She has 3 children from a previous marriage with Thomas Hudson (marriage officially ended in divorce in Oct 2024). One of the children (Tim) is the suspect in Anna’s death. Shauntel’s oldest son does not reside with her (has supposedly been no contact after an altercation involving oldest son, Shauntel, and Chris Kepner) and only the two younger children were on this cruise. Shauntel is step mom 2.
Thomas Hudson is Shauntel’s ex husband and father of her 3 children. Shauntel and Thomas are going back and forth in a custody dispute - which is where all of these legal documents claiming Tim is being investigated for Anna’s death have come from. Thomas is accusing Shauntel of keeping his two youngest children from him. There are letters previously written by his family members validating that these were ongoing concerns.
Phew! I think I got it all down.
For the sake of who is who… this is the best family “tree” I could come up with…
Heather is Anna’s bio mom. Was married to Chris but allegedly he cheated on her with their then 15 yr old babysitter ending their marriage. Heather has struggled with addiction and hasn’t been appropriately present in Anna’s life. Heather has 2 other sons not mentioned often outside of Anna having other brothers on her bio mom’s side.Chris Kepner is Anna’s biological dad. He has remained in her life but there are questions as to whether he’s raised her full time or whether she’s primarily resided with her paternal grandparents (Barbara and Jeff Kepner).
Tabitha is step mom 1. Speculation is that she’s the babysitter Chris cheated on Heather with. There’s a court filing from 2008 where Christina Donohue (Tabitha’s mom) is requesting a sexual violence injunction against Chris (Anna’s bio dad). Tabitha later married Chris and “raised” Anna. Chris and Tabitha do have 2 children in common. Again, speculation as to who Anna primarily resided with Chris or his parents.
Christina Donohue is now married to Chris Donohue (Martin Donohue’s brother) and bother were originally mentioned in the first obituary. Step Grandma 1 and Step Grandpa 1.
Martin Donohue was the poster who asked for help and was the first (that I’m aware of) to officially come out and state that Anna was murdered by her step brother. Martin is Step Great Uncle 1.
Kevin Harper is Tabitha’s bio dad. He’s been arrested for attempted kidnapping of a 13yr old child and is a registered sex offender. He is Step Grandfather 1 (Tabitha’s bio father).
Shauntel is Chris Kepner’s current wife as of 12/24. She has 3 children from a previous marriage with Thomas Hudson (marriage officially ended in divorce in Oct 2024). One of the children (Tim) is the suspect in Anna’s death. Shauntel’s oldest son does not reside with her (has supposedly been no contact after an altercation involving oldest son, Shauntel, and Chris Kepner) and only the two younger children were on this cruise. Shauntel is step mom 2.
Thomas Hudson is Shauntel’s ex husband and father of her 3 children. Shauntel and Thomas are going back and forth in a custody dispute - which is where all of these legal documents claiming Tim is being investigated for Anna’s death have come from. Thomas is accusing Shauntel of keeping his two youngest children from him. There are letters previously written by his family members validating that these were ongoing concerns.
Phew! I think I got it all down.
GrandmaBear
Well-known member
Wow, I didn't even know the names of the stepgrandparents or the uncle.
The poster did not give the ages of the other children but Shauntel's other two kids besides the one said to have done this are a boy said to be 18 and a girl 9.
Anna's brother (not step) is the 14 year old in the room and her sister is also a 9 year old girl. The two 9 year olds have been said to have been rooming with mom and dad.
This makes it a bit unclear if those two are Tabitha's or Heather's but Tabitha's would be half siblings and I believe they were said to be full siblings of Anna's and so that would make them Heather and Chris's other two kids. That makes sense too since Anna's mom was not always involved in their lives, dad or his parents probably had custody of all of the kids and those are the kids that went on the trip.
The kids Tabitha and Chris had together probably weren't with or couldn't go or mom wouldn't let them or some such.
So they were married in December of last year. I guessed the marriage was less than a year old or about a year (from various facts) and that at most they dated maybe two years. The ex-bf said Anna was not real keen on Shauntel either, not just her son.
I'd stress again kids living together this short of time don't necessarily become instant loving siblings and parents are dumb to think they do or expect them to just because they marry. And that having them share a room was again, WRONG.
I think this case is pretty slam dunk but I can already predict the defense will be fighting to get him treated as a minor, a mental problems defense and that he "blacked out" and can't recall anything.
The poster did not give the ages of the other children but Shauntel's other two kids besides the one said to have done this are a boy said to be 18 and a girl 9.
Anna's brother (not step) is the 14 year old in the room and her sister is also a 9 year old girl. The two 9 year olds have been said to have been rooming with mom and dad.
This makes it a bit unclear if those two are Tabitha's or Heather's but Tabitha's would be half siblings and I believe they were said to be full siblings of Anna's and so that would make them Heather and Chris's other two kids. That makes sense too since Anna's mom was not always involved in their lives, dad or his parents probably had custody of all of the kids and those are the kids that went on the trip.
The kids Tabitha and Chris had together probably weren't with or couldn't go or mom wouldn't let them or some such.
So they were married in December of last year. I guessed the marriage was less than a year old or about a year (from various facts) and that at most they dated maybe two years. The ex-bf said Anna was not real keen on Shauntel either, not just her son.
I'd stress again kids living together this short of time don't necessarily become instant loving siblings and parents are dumb to think they do or expect them to just because they marry. And that having them share a room was again, WRONG.
I think this case is pretty slam dunk but I can already predict the defense will be fighting to get him treated as a minor, a mental problems defense and that he "blacked out" and can't recall anything.
GrandmaBear
Well-known member
There are a few videos/coverage out on the hearing. Here is one.
Judge did not agree with dad that mom endangered kids and need for him to have emergency custody of 9 year old. Remember this is a custody fight between Anna's stepmom and her ex. Ann said no way will they allow the 16 year old back in their home. Her and Chris, Anna's dad. He is with a relative of hers. Seems as if no one wants him as to either parent (just my aside on that).
While I'm not a fan of the cruise ship room decision, I don't disagree that dad (of the perp) was trying to use it to push for immediate emergency custody of the remaining minor child (maybe he did for the boy too but didn't hear that today), and the judge said it did not rise to an emergency thing with the other child. It was a horrible decision but I also feel the dad is trying to use it and who knows if he is any better I guess is where my mind is at. We don't know.
I meant to link this hours ago but things came up, trying to recall if anything else that mattered... Anna's dad did attend his wife's custody hearing.
Anyhow the key points are in this as I'm sure I missed something. Law and Crime has one too. And I saw one headline that stepmom of Anna called the kids the three amigos or some such... Yeah right...
Judge did not agree with dad that mom endangered kids and need for him to have emergency custody of 9 year old. Remember this is a custody fight between Anna's stepmom and her ex. Ann said no way will they allow the 16 year old back in their home. Her and Chris, Anna's dad. He is with a relative of hers. Seems as if no one wants him as to either parent (just my aside on that).
While I'm not a fan of the cruise ship room decision, I don't disagree that dad (of the perp) was trying to use it to push for immediate emergency custody of the remaining minor child (maybe he did for the boy too but didn't hear that today), and the judge said it did not rise to an emergency thing with the other child. It was a horrible decision but I also feel the dad is trying to use it and who knows if he is any better I guess is where my mind is at. We don't know.
I meant to link this hours ago but things came up, trying to recall if anything else that mattered... Anna's dad did attend his wife's custody hearing.
Anyhow the key points are in this as I'm sure I missed something. Law and Crime has one too. And I saw one headline that stepmom of Anna called the kids the three amigos or some such... Yeah right...
GrandmaBear
Well-known member
More here. Stepson didn't get his dose of med two different evenings on the cruise. Parents did never check on him or them that night. Just watching it myself... Mom of perp is on stand.
GrandmaBear
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Anna went back to room about 6:30, stepson at 7. Mom and dad apparently about 7:30. Teens room was directly across the hall from them but she (stepmom) went to sleep never checked on them. In the above Law and Crime one, didn't finish last night so just watching rest now.
GrandmaBear
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Dad also never checked on them. I mean come on. 7 or so and on a cruise ship, and a roomful of teens, one as young as 14 and you leave them to their own devices?
GrandmaBear
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Dad would not agree to passports for his kids but the cruise did not need passports as it turned out. Dad did though after her murder sign an agreement that the teen son (alleged perp) stay with a relative of mom's. So argument is that he was not around the other child, no risky situation in the home to cause emergency custody to go to the dad. Of the 9 year old girl. L & C is showing quite a bit of her on the stand at the custody hearing.
GrandmaBear
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Says kids too young to drink, so no, they were not drinking (the boys). Asked about Anna drinking, she didn't know. Anna was gambling, was 18, other kids were not. Etc., etc.
GrandmaBear
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Teen is on a couple of meds for ADHD that mom hung onto on the cruise. Takes a morning pill of one med and an evening pill for insomnia of another pill.
Mom admitted to drinking three drinks on the entirety of the cruise (herself), all on separate days and none on this day.
Mom admitted to drinking three drinks on the entirety of the cruise (herself), all on separate days and none on this day.
GrandmaBear
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She administered the meds. He never missed a morning pill but missed the nighttime one twice. Chlonadine or Klonadine, not sure of spelling.
GrandmaBear
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She made sure he got his nighttime pill but said both nights he fell asleep so he didn't get it--the two nights he missed. Opposing atty asks about that Thursday night and she says no, he did not get because she fell asleep before he did. She can't KNOW THAT if they never checked on the kids right?
GrandmaBear
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School unenrolled all the kids recently due to media disruption.