Overview
- Messages filed in court show the boy’s parents discussing how to shield him as the case went viral and recounting his repeated claims of memory loss.
- Anna Kepner’s death aboard the Carnival Horizon was ruled a homicide by mechanical asphyxia on a death certificate obtained by ABC News.
- Kepner, 18, was found concealed under a cabin bed, a detail the medical examiner said supports the homicide determination.
- Court records identify the 16-year-old stepbrother as a suspect or person of interest, and the FBI’s Miami office continues the maritime investigation with no arrests announced.
- Preliminary information relayed to the family indicated no signs of sexual assault and no drugs or alcohol detected, while full autopsy, toxicology and psychological evaluations remain pending.