The stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who tragically died aboard a Carnival cruise ship, is set to appear in a federal court in Miami this Wednesday. Prosecutors are aiming to have him detained until his trial begins.
Timothy Hudson faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse following the discovery of Kepner’s body in a cruise cabin in November 2025. The ship was en route to Miami when the incident occurred, as per federal court records.
Authorities report that Kepner’s body was found in the cabin she shared with Hudson and another sibling. At the time of the alleged crime, Hudson was just 16 years old. He is currently out on a prior release order.
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Hudson, now accused of both sexually assaulting and deliberately killing his stepsister aboard the Carnival Horizon ship, faces serious charges. The case has garnered considerable attention due to its shocking nature.
Florida-based criminal defense attorney Tim Jansen expressed surprise to Fox News Digital that such a severe case would see the accused released before trial, given the gravity of the allegations.
“I don’t know how they got released into the custody of someone with these charges. I find that alarming,” Jansen said.
Federal prosecutors say Hudson was previously released to a family member while the case was still being handled under the Juvenile Delinquency Act. But after the case was transferred to adult prosecution and a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment, the government asked the court to revisit that release decision.
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In the filing, prosecutors argued that under adult bail standards, Hudson “is a danger to others and should be held in pretrial detention.”
On Wednesday, the court will weigh Hudson’s release under the federal Bail Reform Act, which judges use to determine whether a defendant should be detained, released or placed under bond conditions while awaiting trial.
Jansen said the allegations, if proven, would give prosecutors a compelling public-safety argument.
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“He’s 16 years old, looking at the spending the rest of his life in prison,” Jansen said. “I would argue as a prosecutor, he is both a flight risk and a danger to the community. He’s already [allegedly] sexually assaulted and killed one person. He’s demonstrated his ability not to conform. And I believe the court will detain.”
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Prosecutors argued that the alleged crimes were among “the most serious, egregious, and violative crimes one person can inflict upon another” and said no combination of conditions could assure the court that Hudson would not be a danger to others. They also noted that he currently lives in a home where minors reside.
The government’s motion says Hudson was not released on bond, but rather under a release order with conditions.
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Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother walks outside a federal court building in Miami, Florida, with his attorney on Feb. 6, 2026. He was charged in connection with the death of his stepsister on a Carnival Cruise in November 2025. (Fox News)
Defense counsel has not agreed to immediate detention. According to the filing, Hudson’s attorneys said the matter should be referred to the judge who handled the original release order, and that he should remain free pending a decision on release.
If the judge orders detention Wednesday, Jansen said Hudson could be taken into custody immediately.
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“Immediately, U.S. Marshals Service will take him into custody, and then they will have to make arrangements to detain him separate from all the other adult inmates,” Jansen said.
FATHER OF TEEN ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY STEPBROTHER ON CRUISE SAYS HE CAN’T ‘RELIVE’ TRAUMA AT MURDER TRIAL
Jeffrey Kepner and Shauntel Kepner leave court in Melbourne, Fla., on Dec. 5, 2025. The couple, who lost their daughter Anna Kepner on a Carnival Cruise the previous month, attended an emergency custody hearing amid an ongoing dispute between Shauntel and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)
Kepner’s parents have voiced their outrage that Hudson is back into the community – despite being federally charged as an adult.
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“We’re upset that he’s still out. We’re six months in, and he should already have been arrested, and yet he’s free to do whatever he wants right now,” Christopher Kepner told the Daily Mail. “That’s our problem. He’s been able to do whatever he wants and go where he wants, but the family’s been sitting here unable to do anything.”
If convicted, the teen could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
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“I want to see him in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. He does not need to be free. He does not need to be in the general public, around any kids or women in general,” Christopher Kepner said.
Anna Kepner was identified as the passenger who died onboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. (Instagram/AnnaKepner)
The unfolding legal battle comes months after come months after Anna, affectionately called “Anna banana,” was found dead onboard the cruise ship during a family vacation with her father, stepmother, grandparents and several siblings.
Authorities later ruled her death a homicide caused by “mechanical asphyxiation,” according to documents previously reviewed by Fox News Digital.
According to investigators, she was found under the bed in her cabin, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets. The cabin was shared with her stepbrother.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hudson’s attorney for comment.
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