Stepbrother Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Anna Kepner On A Cruise Ship

MIAMI, Florida — The stepbrother of Anna Kepner, who was recovered dormant connected a Carnival cruise vessel past year, has pleaded not blameworthy to national charges successful relationship pinch her death.

The plea was made successful a Tuesday tribunal filing that besides waives nan defendant's quality astatine his arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday successful Miami national court, according to nan filing.

"He will simply beryllium arraigned tomorrow," his defense lawyer said Tuesday via email.

Federal prosecutors besides confirmed nan proceeding was still expected to return place. Since his apprehension successful February, nan suspect has been staying with, and has been successful nan attraction of, an uncle, and he was expected to stay successful custody until trial, prosecutors person said.

An quality successful tribunal Wednesday would person been his first since he was indicted connected national charges successful relationship pinch his stepsister's death earlier this month.

Kepner, 18, died connected nan Carnival Horizon cruise ship connected Nov. 7 while she was connected picnic pinch her family. The cruise returned to nan Port of Miami nan adjacent day, arsenic was planned, Carnival said successful a connection astatine nan time.

Her 16-year-old stepbrother, identified successful tribunal documents arsenic T.H., was indicted April 13 connected national charges, including execution and aggravated intersexual abuse, successful relationship pinch Kepner's death. In a news release, nan U.S. Attorney’s Office for nan Southern District of Florida said T.H. sexually assaulted Kepner earlier sidesplitting her but did not connection specifications astir nan alleged assault.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office wished Kepner’s origin of decease was “mechanical asphyxiation.”

The lawsuit was transferred to big prosecution and unsealed connected April 10.

The FBI has been starring nan investigation into Kepner's decease because it occurred successful world waters.

Officials had been looking into nan 16-year-old successful relationship pinch Kepner's decease since November, according to tribunal documents related to his parents' anterior divorcement and ongoing custody battle, which besides authorities that he and his mother, Shauntel Hudson Kepner, were connected nan cruise pinch Kepner.

Kepner's begetter and astatine slightest 1 one of her biologic siblings, arsenic good arsenic different of Shauntel Hudson Kepner's insignificant children, were connected nan cruise. ABC News reported that Kepner's grandparents were besides connected nan cruise.

Kepner was sharing a room pinch her stepbrother connected nan trip, nan lawyer for nan boy's begetter antecedently said successful court. Her begetter and his mother were joined successful December 2024.

Shauntel Hudson Kepner said successful a anterior tribunal quality related to nan divorcement and custody lawsuit that her boy was hospitalized soon aft nan cruise vessel returned to Miami connected Nov. 8, and that he was successful counseling pursuing his release. It was not instantly clear why he was hospitalized.

On nan time nan indictment was made public, Chris Kepner — Anna Kepner's begetter and T.H.'s stepfather — said "justice needs to beryllium served."

He added "that is wherever nan family stands," erstwhile reached by NBC News, noting that he believes T.H. should beryllium successful custody.

Kepner was remembered successful her obituary arsenic a bubbly, outgoing and reliable precocious schoolhouse elder and cheerleader from cardinal Florida. She had dreams of continuing her cheerleading profession astatine nan University of Georgia and “loved her siblings deeply,” nan obituary said.

"Our daughter's life matters, and we will proceed to speak retired to grant her, to activity accountability, and to guarantee that her lawsuit is not forgotten," Chris Kepner said.