Anna Kepner's Father Disappears Before Court Date — Raising New Questions in Case of 18-Year-Old Cheerleader Strangled on Carnival Cruise Ship
Amid the turmoil surrounding the Kepner family, a shocking development has shaken the public even further: the father of Anna Kepner — the 18-year-old girl who was found strangled on the Carnival Horizon — has “disappeared” just in time to appear in court in a custody battle.
The mysterious disappearance, just weeks after Anna’s death entered the federal investigation phase, has raised questions not only from authorities but also from the public:
What is he trying to hide? Or is someone deliberately hiding him?
Court Records: A Family Broken, Full of Suspicion and Dispute
According to data from the Brevard County (Florida) District Court, the father was required to appear at the December 5 hearing, but records show he did not appear, did not contact, and did not have any valid documents explaining the reason for his absence.
The case immediately became the focus, as the Kepner family was already mired in:
Long-running legal battles
A bitter custody battle
The unresolved pain of Anna’s death
A series of allegations and conflicting testimony from both sides
Now, the father’s timely disappearance highlights a long-standing rift between:
Anna’s stepmother, who is said to want custody to “preserve the family structure”
Her ex-husband, who is suspected of using the cruise ship tragedy to tilt the legal balance
Both sides accuse each other of “dishonesty”, “withholding information”, and even “manipulating the children’s emotions”.
Anna's Death: Murder at Sea and a New Suspect
Anna Kepner — 18 — was found dead on November 7, 2025, in a cabin on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship while the ship was operating in international waters. The initial autopsy report concluded:
She died from mechanical asphyxiation — consistent with strangulation.
The case has now been transferred to a federal investigation because it occurred outside U.S. territorial waters.
Court documents and investigative reports indicate that the current prime suspect is her 16-year-old half-brother, who:
Was in the same cabin with Anna on the night of the incident
Has a history of conflict with her according to some statements
Has been accused of being “obsessed” with Anna by family members
Was the last person to see Anna alive
Although no formal charges have been filed, the investigation’s focus on the teenager is creating a wave of debate about his motives, psychology, and the truth or falsity of the family’s statements.
Child custody case: Second battleground amid ongoing tragedy
As the December 5 trial draws near, the parties involved are caught in a legal tug-of-war:
Anna’s stepmother wants to prove that her family is currently the only stable environment for her young children.
Her ex-husband — who is also the father of one of the children — accused the Kepner family of being “unstable, dangerous, and withholding vital information.”
The father’s disappearance is the piece that makes things even more confusing:
Did he disappear because he was afraid of facing questions about his own daughter’s death?
Or was it because of legal pressure from the battle over the child?
Or was there some force that did not want him to appear and say something in court?
A source close to the case said:
“He knew more than he ever said.”
Disappearance – coincidence or key to the case?
What is troubling investigators is the timing of this disappearance:
Just as Anna's case entered the depth of the investigation
On the day she was due to appear in court
And as media pressure mounted on the family
Currently, local police are trying to verify the father's location but have not revealed details, while the FBI has refused to comment on the possibility of his involvement in the murder.
A legal expert commented:
“This unusual absence could open up a completely new line of investigation, or push one side of the custody case to the brink of failure.”
The Kepner family – how many secrets are still hidden?
From a murder at sea to a serious family dispute, now the appearance – or lack of appearance – of the father has made the public continue to question:
Who is telling the truth?
Who is hiding something?
And is there a deeper cause for Anna's death than what has been announced? Until the court and the investigation agency give an official conclusion, public opinion is still caught up in a story with too many dark corners – where each character can be the key to solving the tragedy, or someone who is trying to hide the truth.