Orlando, Fla. — A 16-year-old boy was in federal court late last week under investigation in the death of his 18-year-old half-sister aboard a Carnival cruise ship, but the reasons for his appearance in a South Florida court were unclear because of his age.
What to know about the case of a teenager found dead on a cruise shipUnlike other cases involving adults, there was no explanation for the juvenile’s appearance in the Miami federal court docket, or whether he was charged with a crime, since juvenile cases are closed to the public. Juvenile cases are not common in federal court and are often sent to state courts or the juvenile is tried as an adult.
The death of the teenager’s half-sister, Anna Kepner, was ruled a homicide. His death attracted international attention and sparked intense speculation on social media.
Here’s what we know about the case.
Anna Kepner was a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, about 40 miles east of Orlando on Florida’s Space Coast. His friends described him as someone who loved spending time in the water. At her memorial in November, family members were encouraged to wear bright colors instead of the traditional mourning black “in honor of Anna’s bright and beautiful spirit.”
Kepner was part of a blended family after her father, Chris, married Shontell Hudson, who had three children with ex-husband Thomas Hudson, including a 16-year-old son. Much of what we know about the investigation into Kepner’s death, including the fact that the half-brother was a suspect, comes from court documents that stem from a custody dispute between the jurors.
Kepner was traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship in November with her father, stepmother, her stepmother’s two children and her grandparents. Shantel Hudson’s eldest son is an adult living with her ex-husband. Before the ship was scheduled to return to Florida, Kepner’s body was hidden under a bed in a room he shared with two other teenagers, including a younger half-brother.
The 16-year-old boy was seen last Friday at a federal courthouse in Miami, wearing a ball cap and a camouflage hoodie that was pulled tightly around his face. Whether any charges were filed, and what they were, was unknown due to the closed nature of juvenile cases.
Fritz Scheller, a defense attorney in Orlando, said juvenile cases in federal court are extremely rare, and the only reason Kepner’s case landed there was because he died in international waters.
Sheller said Wednesday that such cases are so rare that he has never seen a juvenile case in the 27 years he has practiced in the federal court system.
“The bottom line is the feed doesn’t really have juvenile benefits. Where do you put them?” Sheller Dr. “The whole theory of juvenile law is that they’re young and you can rehabilitate them.” The federal criminal justice system is not focused on rehabilitation.”
After the teenager’s appearance in Miami federal court, Anna Kepner’s father, Chris, and stepmother, the suspect’s biological mother, Shontel, issued a statement to ABC News saying they were upset “that the person responsible was able to walk free.”
“This fact adds to our sadness and anger,” they said. “It’s devastating to know that while we live with the loss of our child every day, the person responsible has yet to be held fully accountable. It only strengthens our resolve to seek justice for our daughter.”
The couple also said that Anna Kepner deserves justice “and that her life deserves to be honored through a full and fair legal process.”
Anna Kepner’s biological mother, Heather Wright, said on social media that she hoped for a full resolution to the case.
“Pray for justice for my daughter,” he said.
The Associated Press reached out to multiple family members, the FBI and federal prosecutors, but none responded.
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