The mother of slain Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner has questioned why her daughter shared a cabin with the 16-year-old stepbrother now being eyed as a person of interest in the teen’s homicide case.
The 18-year-old cheerleader lost her life on a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month, with investigators finding her body under a bed in the room the two teens shared.
Highlights
- Heather Wright, Anna Kepner’s mother, has questioned why she ended up sharing a cruise cabin with a stepbrother who is now under scrutiny.
- Wright claimed that Kepner’s father kept her away from the family even after the tragedy.
- Wright’s concerns came amidst a controversial time for the case, considering previous reports about the 16-year-old stepbrother’s behavior.
After authorities ruled Anna's passing a case of homicide by “mechanical asphyxiation,” Heather Wright has spoken out and stated that several family decisions left her alarmed and heartbroken.
Heather Wright questioned the decision to have Anne share a cabin with her stepbrother
Image credits: Instagram/anna.kepner16
According to the New York Post, authorities have released only a few details about Anna’s demise, though they have announced that her body was found stashed under a bed on the morning of November 7.
Anna had been on a six-day Carnival cruise with her extended family before she passed away. Among those on the trip were her father, stepmother, siblings, grandparents, and stepsiblings.
Image credits: Instagram/anna.kepner16
In comments to Fox News, Wright admitted that she was not coping very well with her daughter’s tragic passing. She also criticized her ex-husband, Christopher Kepner, for painting her as a villain while putting her in the same room as her stepbrother.
“Why am I the bad guy? He put them in the same room together,” she said.
Image credits: ABC News
Wright also claimed that she attended her daughter’s funeral in Titusville, Florida, on November 20, though she did so in secret because Kepner had forbidden her attendance.
“They said I never went, but I did. I didn’t want to be seen, so I made sure no one seen me,” she said. “Plus, they can’t stop me from going anyway, even though Chris said he would have me arrested for back child support."
Image credits: TikTok/justmom1984
While Wright stated that she was prevented from contacting her daughter, she maintained that she still tried her best to stay in touch with Anna.
“She was my daughter, and I loved her with all of my heart and soul,” Wright said. “The song I Am Not Okay by Jelly Roll is exactly how I feel.”
Wright’s comments about Anna’s stepbrother came at a controversial time for the case
Image credits: ABC News
Josh Tew, Anna’s ex-boyfriend, shared some disturbing details about the slain 18-year-old’s experiences with her 16-year-old stepsibling, who reportedly carried around a big knife frequently.
According to Josh, Anna did not like her stepmother, nor was she fond of her stepsiblings.
“Their dad had just met this woman, not even like a year ago, and she doesn’t really like her. She has an attitude most of the time and was very controlling over her,” Josh said.
This reportedly resulted in Anna either sleeping in the dining room or in her friends’ homes because she was uncomfortable around her stepbrother.
Image credits: FOX 35
Josh claimed that he actually caught the 16-year-old climbing on top of Anna while she was sleeping. The 16-year-old was reportedly caught off guard, so he ran away.
“He walked in there and tried to get on top of her… but he got caught by me in the process of it. I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing in her room?’ Then he got scared and ran away. And I heard his footsteps running through the house because he got caught,” Josh said.
Image credits: FOX 35
Josh stated that Anna did not share the incident with anyone as she was scared about what might happen to her. “She was too scared to tell anybody,” he said.
While Josh and Anna had since broken up, they remained on friendly terms and continued to communicate regularly. “I last talked to her three weeks ago. I was meant to go on that cruise," Josh said.
Image credits: Instagram/anna.kepner16
Josh was not the only one who alleged that Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother was suspicious. Josh’s father, Steven Westin, also told Inside Edition that the 16-year-old seemed oddly attracted to the cheerleader.
“He’s infatuated, attracted to her like crazy. He always wanted to date her,” Westin said. “She was scared of him because he always carried around a big knife.”
Anna’s obituary painted a picture of an outgoing teen with her life ahead of her
Image credits: Facebook/Thomas Hudson
Wright noted that Anna has always had a gift for lifting others’ spirits. She also described the slain cheerleader as an “extremely happy child.”
Prior to her passing, Anna was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida. She was expected to graduate in Spring 2026.
Image credits: Facebook/Shauntel Kepner
According to her family and her obituary, Anna was planning on joining the US Navy and later becoming a K-9 police officer.
“Anna was pure energy: bubbly, funny, outgoing, and completely herself. She never had a filter, and that was part of her charm. Whether she was practicing new makeup looks (even if she had nowhere to go), making TikToks in front of the mirror, or blasting a perfectly curated playlist on the boat, Anna lived every day with her whole heart.”
Image credits: Instagram/anna.kepner16
“She loved the sun, the water, boat days, island days, and beach days, anything that let her soak in the light she so easily radiated to others,” the obituary read.
Netizens shared their thoughts about Anna Kepner’s case on social media
