Florida teen charged with rape, murder of Anna Kepner pleads not guilty to charges: Records

Timothy Hudson, the 16-year-old boy accused of raping and killing his stepsister, Anna Kepner, during a family cruise vacation, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, according to court records.

Hudson has been federally charged as an adult with aggravated sexual abuse and first-degree murder in the November 2025 death of Kepner, who was found dead in a cabin aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner ruled that Kepner died from manual asphyxiation, meaning her airway was physically blocked.

Hudson also waived his appearance for his arraignment hearing on Wednesday, April 22, in federal court in Miami, meaning that he would not attend, but his attorneys would on his behalf. His attorneys will also formally enter a not guilty plea to the charges on his behalf. 

Hudson was originally charged as a juvenile in February and released into the custody of an uncle, part of a release agreement. Since the case was transferred to adult court, prosecutors are asking for Hudson to be held in custody pending his trial, writing in court records that he is considered a danger to himself and others.

Because Kepner was found dead in international waters as the cruise ship was headed back to PortMiami, it is being prosecuted in federal court.

What happened to Anna?

Anna Kepner, 18, was found dead in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on November 7, 2025. Records in an unrelated case said she was found wrapped in a blanket under the bed.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner said the 18-year-old high school student died from mechanical asphyxiation, which is when physical force or an object is used to prevent someone from breathing. 

She was on the cruise with her grandparents, dad, stepmother, her stepbrother and half-brother, FOX 35 has learned. Anna, Timothy, and her 14-year-old half-brother all stayed in the same cabin, while her dad, stepmom, and grandparents were in other cabins.

Kepner – known as "Anna Banana" – was a high school senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida. She was remembered as bubbly, funny, and outgoing in an online obituary.

"She filled the world with laughter, love, and light that reached everyone around her," it read, noting that she wanted to join the U.S. Navy after graduation and eventually become a K9 police officer. 

Who is Timothy Hudson?

Timothy Hudson is Anna Kepner's stepbrother and accused of raping and killing her.

According to court records in an unrelated case, Hudson's mom told a judge that her son took medication for ADHD and insomnia. She said he told her that he did not take it for two days while on the cruise, including the day before Anna's body was found. 

After the ship returned to PortMiami, Hudson was transferred to a medical facility.

In text messages included in that unrelated case, Timothy's mom said her son kept repeating that he could not remember anything about what had happened.

Hudson was charged as a juvenile in February, though case records were sealed at the time. He was not held in pre-detention and instead was released to another family member, an uncle, records state.

Under the conditions, he is allowed to leave the home in his uncle's custody and can't be alone with anyone younger than 18 years old. Timothy is also supervised under GPS monitoring. 

Since he is being charged as an adult, the U.S. Attorney's Office has asked the judge to revoke those release conditions and to have a bond hearing, claiming the teenager is a danger to himself and others.

Not a death penalty case

According to unsealed court records, if convicted, Timothy Hudson would not face the death penalty due to his age. The maximum penalty for either charge would be life in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.