MIAMI, FL – The stepbrother of Anna Kepner, the 18-year-old found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship in November, has been charged with homicide, according to court documents filed in a separate custody case. The charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida on February 3, 2026, according to a petition submitted to the court on February 20.
The filing, part of an emergency motion for full custody of a nine-year-old child, was submitted by Thomas Hudson, the ex-husband of Shauntel Hudson, who is married to Christopher Kepner, Anna’s father. The motion cites “social media from the Kepner family” as the source of the information regarding the homicide charge against the teenager, identified only as T.H. In court documents.
Anna Kepner was discovered deceased in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025, during a six-night Caribbean voyage. Authorities found her under a bed, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office determined her time of death to be 11:17 a.m. That day. The FBI initiated an investigation upon the ship’s return to the Port of Miami the following day.
The stepbrother was photographed entering a Miami federal court on February 6, 2026, accompanied by an attorney. He was reportedly seen leaving juvenile court before proceeding to the federal courthouse, concealing his face with a hoodie and baseball cap, according to reports.
The custody petition details concerns about the circumstances surrounding Anna Kepner’s death, alleging a “significant and unanticipated change of circumstances.” It further alleges that Shauntel and Christopher Kepner “expelled” the stepbrother from their home after Anna’s death and have had no contact with him since. The filing also includes allegations of potential underage drinking and a lack of supervision of the children during the cruise.
Members of the Kepner family have reportedly expressed strong feelings regarding the stepbrother, with social media posts indicating a desire for a harsh outcome in the case. The court documents quote social media posts stating the Kepner family wants “the ‘nails in the coffin’” of the stepbrother and that both the Kepner family and Shauntel Hudson “want him buried.”
Christopher Kepner, Anna’s father, alluded to a desire for consequences in a statement to People magazine shortly after his stepdaughter’s death. “I want him to face the consequences… I will be fighting to make sure that does happen,” he said, adding, “I do not stand behind what my stepson has done. Say that he is responsible, but I can’t decline.”
The case remains under investigation and the stepbrother’s next court appearance has not been publicly announced. The emergency custody hearing regarding the nine-year-old child is scheduled to continue.
