Anna Kepner's 16-year-old stepbrother, identified in charging documents as TH, has been charged as an adult in connection with her death aboard a Carnival cruise ship.
Federal prosecutors filed charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse after the investigation into Kepner's death on the Carnival Horizon, where she was found dead in her stateroom last November. Kepner was 18 and traveling with family members when she died aboard the ship on Nov. 7, 2025.
Investigators believe the alleged assault and killing happened in the cabin shared by family members, and the case includes allegations of sexual abuse as well as homicide. Court records and earlier filings indicated that investigators had focused on a stepsibling for months before adult charges were brought, according to the New York Post.
The cause of death was reported as asphyxiation, and some reports linked that finding to a bar hold. Other reports said Kepner was found under a bed in the family cabin and covered with a blanket and life vests, though those details came from earlier investigative accounts rather than a public charging document.
According to the family's account, Kepner had told relatives she was not feeling well the night before her body was discovered. She was later found by a family member after she failed to appear as expected, prompting the alarm that led to the discovery.
Anna Kepner's grandparents said she and her stepbrother were very close, describing them as "two peas in a pod," and said he was visibly shaken after her body was found. Barbara Kepner said he "couldn't even speak" when questioned by the FBI and that he told her he did not remember what happened, People reported.
The grandparents also said the FBI told the family Anna died from asphyxiation and that investigators were looking at a possible bar hold as the cause. They said the stepbrother was the only person seen going in and out of Anna's room on the cruise, based on security footage that investigators discussed with the family.
The FBI's Miami office has been working with Carnival Cruise Line and other authorities because the death occurred in international waters aboard a U.S.-linked vessel. Carnival has said it cooperated with the investigation, and further court proceedings are expected as the federal case continues.
His parents have cut off contact with him following their daughter's death, as per Yahoo News.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
