Stepbrother accused of killing Florida teen on cruise ship pleads not guilty, waives appearance

Anna Kepner’s stepbrother, charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse, was scheduled to appear in federal court in Miami on Wednesday morning. Instead, he waived his appearance and pleaded not guilty. The federal public defender for the 16-year-old has also responded to the government’s motion to review and revoke his order of release. The new filing notes that the teen has complied with the terms of his release for more than two months. Court records show he has been living with an uncle in Hernando County. The teen’s lawyers are asking for a detention hearing before the same federal judge who approved his release in February. Last week, the Department of Justice announced the teen will be prosecuted as an adult for aggravated sexual abuse and the murder of Kepner on a Carnival cruise ship in November.What happened?Nov. 6, 2025:Anna Kepner dies from mechanical asphyxia aboard the Carnival Horizon in international waters. She was on the cruise with her family.Nov. 7-8, 2025:Kepner’s body is discovered by a housekeeper, concealed under a bed in the cabin she was sharing with two other teens, including her stepbrother, T.H.Mid-November, 2025:Kepner’s death draws international attention, sparking intense speculation after a court filing in a dissolution of marriage case involving T.H.’s mother said the FBI is investigating and a minor child may be implicated.Nov. 20, 2025:The Associated Press reports that T.H. is identified as a suspect in her death according to court documents filed by his parents in an ongoing custody dispute. He is identified only as “T.H.” in the court documents.Feb. 2, 2026:T.H. is charged as a juvenile with murder and sexual abuse in federal court, but the court file is sealed because of his age.Feb. 3:T.H. is arrested and pleads not guilty to the charges. The hearing is not open to the public.Feb. 6:U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres says T.H. can remain free pending trial, but he must live with an uncle and be electronically monitored.>> Stepbrother accused in Anna Kepner cruise death at center of custody disputeFeb. 24:Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. Lopez requests that T.H. be prosecuted as an adult, and T.H.’s defense attorneys do not object.March 10:Federal prosecuting attorneys file a superseding indictment but ask the court to keep it sealed.April 10:The entire court file is unsealed.April 13:The U.S. Department of Justice announces that murder and sexual abuse charges have been brought against T.H. in connection with Kepner’s death.April 14:DOJ asks T.H.’s release to be reviewed or revokedApril 20:The federal public defender for the 16-year-old has responded to the government’s motion to review and revoke his order of release.April 21:The 16-year-old waived his appearance and pleaded not guilty.>> The Associated Press contributed to this timelineWho was Anna Kepner?Kepner was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida.She was a cheerleader and described as a “bright, kind-hearted young woman whose presence brought warmth and energy into the classroom,” Temple Christian School posted on Facebook.Kepner’s birth mother, Heather Wright, described her daughter as a great girl who never got into trouble.”She always wanted to make people laugh. She loved the water; we were constantly going to the lake here where I live so she could go swimming,” Wright said.