MIAMI (Court TV) — The stepbrother of a Florida teen found dead on a cruise ship appeared in court on Friday.
16-year-old T.H. was seen at the federal courthouse in Miami, where he appeared for sealed juvenile proceedings in connection with Anna Kepner’s murder, reported WSVN. The exact charges he faces are unknown since the case is reportedly sealed.
Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother is seen outside the federal courthouse in Miami on Feb. 6, 2026. (Courtesy of WSVN via Court TV)
Kepner’s death was ruled a homicide by asphyxia after she was found inside the cabin room she was sharing with her stepbrother and younger brother on board the Carnival Horizon in November. A court filing reviewed by Court TV reveals Kepner was “found asphyxiated under the bed.”
The parents of the 16-year-old stepbrother, identified as T.H. in court documents, have acknowledged that the FBI has identified him as the sole suspect in Kepner’s death.
Since Kepner’s death, details of the investigation surfaced in a separate custody case involving Kepner’s stepmother. Thomas Hudson, T.H.’s biological father, had filed an emergency petition asking for custody of the 9-year-old daughter he shares with Shauntel Kepner, T.H.’s mother, who took him on the cruise. Shauntel is Anna’s stepmother and was on the cruise with Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner, and their other children. The petition claimed the 9-year-old was in danger due to the circumstances surrounding Anna’s death.
In December, Judge Michelle Pruitt Studstill refused to grant the petition, noting that the 16-year-old suspect has been removed from Shauntel’s home and has been staying with a maternal relative since leaving the cruise.
Following Friday’s proceedings, Anna’s father and stepmother released a statement to ABC News, which read in part:
“The loss of our daughter is a pain that will never fully heal. She was taken from us in a violent and senseless way, and our family has been permanently changed. Our grief is overwhelming, and her absence is felt in every part of our lives. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and no words can fully express the depth of our loss.
We believe in accountability and in the importance of justice being carried out. Our daughter deserves justice, and her life deserves to be honored through a full and fair legal process. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who have worked to uncover the truth and to ensure that this crime is treated with the seriousness it warrants.
At this time, it is deeply painful and disturbing to our family that the person responsible is able to walk freely. This reality adds to our grief and outrage. It is devastating to know that while we live every day with the loss of our child, the individual responsible has not yet been fully held accountable. This only strengthens our resolve to continue seeking justice for our daughter.”
