MIAMI, Fla. – Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother has been charged with first-degree murder after the 18-year-old Florida teenager was found dead aboard Carnival’s Horizon cruise ship during a family vacation in November 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Kepner’s stepbrother, identified by prosecutors as T.H., was indicted as an adult on felony charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse, prosecutors said. Court documents show that the case against T.H. was moved from juvenile court to adult court last week.
Prosecutors allege that Anna Kepner’s stepbrother attacked her and killed her. She died from mechanical asphyxiation, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office said.
What we know:
Now, five months after Kepner’s death, her stepbrother, 16 – known in court documents as T.H. – was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the killing of his stepsister, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida said in an April 13 press release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida said the stepbrother allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed his stepsister, 18, while they traveled over international waters on the way to Miami.
Read more: Anna Kepner update: Stepbrother of teen found dead on Carnival cruise ship appears in federal court
A teen suspect in Anna Kepner’s death was in federal adult court with his attorney in Miami on Feb. 6, 2026.
What we know about the murder suspect, T.H.
In an unrelated custody case between the stepbrother’s parents, the case confirmed the 16-year-old was reportedly admitted into a medical facility when the family returned to PortMiami and that he’s also no longer living with his family in their Titusville home.
“I was able to talk to him last night for under two minutes briefly. He just keeps repeating over and over he can’t remember anything,” the boy’s mom, Shauntel Hudson-Kepner, said in text messages released in the child custody case.
The son took medication for ADHD and insomnia, Hudson-Kepner said during the Dec. 5 court hearing. He had not taken the insomnia medication for two nights on the cruise, including the night before Anna’s body was found, his mom confirmed before a judge in court.
Read more: Anna Kepner update: Teen ‘suspect’ said ‘he ‘can’t remember anything’ about girl’s cruise ship death, mom says
The teen’s mother also confirmed that Kepner and her stepbrother shared a room during the cruise. The adults slept in another room, she confirmed.
Who is Anna Kepner?
Nicknamed “Anna Bananna,” Kepner has been described as someone who filled the world with laughter, love, and light that reached everyone around her, according to her online obituary.
Born on June 13, 2007, she was described as being fun, outgoing, and bubbly. She was a cheerleader and loved animals – particularly dolphins and butterflies – and heavy metal music, her obituary said. She was also a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, who she also dreamed of becoming a cheerleader for. She was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville – and was preparing to graduate. Kepner reportedly had dreams of joining the U.S. Navy.
Documents in the child custody case shared that Kepner’s body was found under one of the beds in the same room that she shared with T.H.
What they’re saying:
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The stepbrother, who was charged as a juvenile on Feb. 2, is charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual abuse of his stepsister, Kepner. The case is sealed until transferred for adult prosecution.
As of April 10, a U.S. magistrate judge ordered the stepbrother’s case to be moved to adult court – in which filings and records will be unsealed.
If convicted, the stepbrother could face a maximum penalty of life in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
What’s next:
FBI Miami continues to investigate the case.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from a United States Southern District of Florida press release.
