Defendant Pleads Not Guilty in Carnival Cruise Death Case
Anna Kepner’s brother-in-law has entered a not guilty plea to federal charges connected to her death aboard a Carnival cruise ship last year. This plea was filed in court on Tuesday and allows the defendant to skip an arraignment scheduled for Wednesday in Miami federal court.
According to his defense attorney, the defendant will simply be arraigned the following day. Federal prosecutors confirmed that hearings related to the case will continue as planned. Reports indicate the defendant has been living with his uncle since his arrest in February.
In court documents filed earlier this week, attorneys for the 16-year-old defendant, referred to as TH, opposed the government’s request to revoke his pretrial release. Wednesday’s appearance marks his first since being indicted on federal charges associated with his sister-in-law’s death.
Kepner, aged 18, died on November 7 while vacationing with her family aboard the Carnival Horizon. The cruise line stated the ship returned to the Port of Miami the next day as scheduled.
TH was indicted on April 13 on serious federal charges, including murder and aggravated sexual abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida disclosed that TH allegedly sexually assaulted Kepner before her death, although specific details surrounding the alleged assault have not been made public.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Kepner’s cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation. Following the indictment, the case was transferred to the adult prosecutor’s office and unsealed on April 10 as part of ongoing investigations. The FBI is leading the inquiry due to the incident occurring in international waters.
Investigators have been looking into TH’s involvement since November, as evidenced by court documents related to his parents’ divorce and current custody disputes. It was noted that both Kepner and her mother, Shontel Hudson Kepner, were present on the cruise, alongside other family members, including Kepner’s father and at least one sibling.
Kepner reportedly shared a room with her brother-in-law during the trip, and her parents married in December 2024. Following the cruise’s return to Miami, Kepner was hospitalized on November 8; the specifics of her hospitalization have not been disclosed.
The day the indictment was announced, Chris Kepner, Anna’s father and TH’s stepfather, expressed the family’s desire for justice, asserting that TH should remain detained. Ms. Kepner is remembered in her obituary as a vibrant and dependable high school senior who aspired to continue her cheerleading career at the University of Georgia while cherishing her deep bonds with her brothers. Her father emphasized the significance of her life and the family’s commitment to ensuring her story is not forgotten.
