A federal investigation into the death of 18-year-old cheerleader Anna Kepner during a family holiday has culminated in a harrowing indictment. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally charged her 16-year-old stepbrother in connection with the murder that occurred on a cruise ship.
This legal development provides the first official confirmation of the specific violence alleged to have taken place behind closed doors. The official charges against the teenage suspect came five months after the incident made headlines.
Federal Indictment Details Violent Allegations Against Minor
Anna Kepner's younger stepbrother, identified by the government as TH, has been charged as an adult, authorities announced on Monday, 13 April. Anna was found dead under the bed in a cabin she shared with her teenage stepbrother. Her death was ruled a homicide.
The stepbrother 'sexually assaulted and intentionally killed' her, according to the indictment, as reported by the New York Post.
Since the crime occurred on a vessel in international waters, the case falls under federal jurisdiction. Federal authorities have charged the teenager as an adult.
'Our hearts go out to the victim's family during this unimaginable loss,' US Attorney Jason A Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release. 'A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offences that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care.'
The indictment outlines a sequence of events that transformed a celebratory trip into a crime scene. Prosecutors allege that the defendant engaged in a premeditated act of violence against his stepsister.
The case remained under seal following TH's initial juvenile charges in February, only becoming public after US District Judge Beth Bloom ordered the matter transferred for adult prosecution.
A 16-year-old has been indicted in the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, whose body was found aboard a Carnival cruise ship in November 2025. https://t.co/vyBlJT5xSw
— 10TV (@10TV) April 13, 2026
History of Obsessive and Predatory Behaviour
Steven Westin, the father of Anna's boyfriend, Josh Tew, claimed that she was afraid of her stepbrother, based on a conversation he had with Josh.
'She was scared of him because he always carried around a big knife,' Westin told 'Inside Edition.' 'He's like infatuated, attracted to her like crazy. He always wanted to date her.'
Westin also claimed that Josh 'saw her stepbrother come into the room when she was sleeping and get on top of her' during a FaceTime call.
Josh detailed the incident in a separate interview. According to him, she was lying down when 'he walked in there and tried to get on top of her.' However, since the then-couple was on a video call, he told TH, 'What the hell are you doing in her room', and Anna's stepbrother 'got scared and ran away.'
According to Josh, Anna was 'too scared to tell anybody' because TH had allegedly threatened that he would 'do something to her' if she did so. Anna also told Josh that 'she was uncomfortable with them [step relatives]' being around their house because 'she didn't fully know who they are.'
TH was the son of her dad's partner, Shauntel Hudson. Anna did not like Shauntel, Josh said, because 'she has an attitude' and was 'very controlling over her.' According to Josh, Anna slept in her friend's bed because she was 'uncomfortable' with TH at their house.
Family Holiday Ends in Death on High Seas
The tragedy unfolded in November 2025, while the family was on holiday aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. Anna Kepner was discovered dead in her cabin. She was wrapped in a blanket, hidden under a bed.
Early reports from the scene were vague. Family members initially provided conflicting accounts of the atmosphere on the ship in the days leading up to the discovery.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office determined that Anna died by mechanical asphyxiation, according to People. Her father and T.H.'s stepfather, Christopher Kepner, told NBC News that 'justice needs to be served.'
'That is where the family stands,' he added.
