Mother Questions Circumstances Surrounding Daughter’s Death

Heather Wright, the biological mother of Anna Kepner, the Florida cheerleader who tragically passed away on a Carnival cruise ship, has expressed her concerns regarding why her daughter was sharing a cabin with her stepbrother, who is currently under suspicion in the case.

Wright, who had been estranged from Anna for several years, spoke out after authorities confirmed the death as a homicide.

In a conversation with Fox News, she shared her struggle to come to terms with the devastating news. She also directed blame at her ex-husband, calling him responsible for portraying Anna in a negative light.

“Why am I the bad guy?” Wright questioned, lamenting the arrangement that had put them together in the same room.

Details about the incident remain scarce, but Anna’s body was found concealed under a bed in the cabin she shared with her stepbrother on November 6.

As the investigation unfolds, federal authorities are reportedly focusing on the 16-year-old stepbrother as a person of interest.

At the time of the tragedy, Anna, a high school senior, was on the cruise with her blended family, which included her grandparents and several other relatives.

Wright, who separated from her husband Christopher Kepner when Anna was very young, accused him of keeping details of her daughter’s death away from her.

She also alleged that her ex initially excluded her from Anna’s online obituary, attempted to prevent her from attending the memorial service, and forced her to do so in secrecy.

“They said I’d never been there, but I did,” Wright recalled, emphasizing her determination to be present despite the obstacles.

Living in Oklahoma, Wright stated that her attempts to maintain contact with Anna over the years were thwarted.

“She was my daughter. I loved her with all my heart and soul,” Wright remarked, adding that a song by Jelly Roll resonates deeply with her feelings during this time.