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A 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner has been charged with homicide arsenic a insignificant successful the decease of the Florida teen, who was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise vessel during a household abrogation successful November, according to tribunal documents obtained by CBS News, which cited the Kepner family's societal media.
In an exigency filing, dated Feb. 20, attorneys for Thomas Hudson, the stepbrother's father, wrote: "According to societal media from the Kepner family, connected February 3, 2026, the Petitioner/Father's son, TH, was charged by the United States Attorney successful the Southern District of Florida for the [redacted] and homicide of Anna Kepner."
The filing is portion of an ongoing custody quality betwixt Hudson and Shauntel Kepner, the parents of Anna Kepner's stepbrother.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the FBI person not commented connected developments successful the Kepner case.
However, CBS News has learned determination is an ongoing lawsuit against the teen that is presently nether seal and being overseen by Miami national justice Beth Bloom.
The stepbrother, who CBS News is not naming due to the fact that helium is simply a minor, appeared successful national tribunal successful Miami connected Feb. 6, for a proceeding but due to the fact that the lawsuit is nether seal media was not allowed successful the courtroom
"If it's a juvenile you won't cognize until he's charged arsenic an adult," Dave Aronberg, a erstwhile Palm Beach authorities attorney, told CBS News.
According to Aronberg, national charges against a insignificant are typically nether seal due to the fact that determination are immense protections for minors nether national law. An indictment could beryllium unsealed that if the idiosyncratic is aboriginal charged arsenic an adult.
Anna Kepner, 18, was connected a Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother and 3 stepsiblings connected the Carnival Horizon. Law enforcement sources antecedently told CBS News that she died connected Nov. 7 and her assemblage was recovered by a housekeeper nether the furniture successful her stateroom. The vessel returned to Miami connected Nov. 8.According to household members, she had told them the nighttime earlier that she wasn't feeling good and returned to her room. When she didn't amusement up for meal the adjacent morning, a frantic hunt began.
The FBI had been investigating Kepner's 16-year-old stepbrother for imaginable engagement successful her death, CBS News antecedently reported. A instrumentality enforcement root said investigators judge Kepner whitethorn person been strangled during an altercation, and that the fishy whitethorn person been utilizing alcohol.
"There is an unfastened probe regarding [Kepner's] death… and T.H. [a stepbrother] is simply a fishy regarding this decease which occurred precocious connected a cruise ship," Shauntel Hudson said successful a Nov. 18 tribunal filing successful the custody quality successful Brevard County, Florida.
That filing was successful effect to different filing entered by Hudson's ex-husband a time earlier, which besides asserted the 16-year-old is simply a suspect. CBS News reached retired to Hudson and her attorneys.
The FBI had not publically named anyone arsenic a fishy successful this case. The bureau said successful a connection that it does not supply operational updates connected its investigations but successful uncommon circumstances.
Carnival Cruise Line antecedently told CBS News that it's cooperating with the national investigation. The FBI has jurisdiction due to the fact that Kepner is simply a U.S. national and the decease occurred successful planetary waters.
Pat Milton contributed to this report.
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