A Florida teenager charged with sexually assaulting and murdering his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship has been ordered into federal custody ahead of a trial scheduled for June. Timothy Hudson, 16, surrendered to US marshals in Tampa on Monday after a judge revoked his pre-trial release, citing the seriousness of the charges and the risk to the community.
US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres ruled that Hudson must be detained as an adult, though he will be held in an approved juvenile facility. The decision came after prosecutors argued that Hudson posed a flight risk and a danger to others, given that he now faces a possible life sentence if convicted. Hudson had been released in February to live with an uncle under electronic monitoring, but the case was transferred to adult court in April.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of Anna Kepner, 18. Her body was found concealed under a bed in a cabin she shared with Hudson and another teen aboard the Carnival Horizon in November. The cause of death was mechanical asphyxia, and prosecutors allege that Kepner was pinned down and forcibly raped before being strangled.
The case landed in federal court because the incident occurred in international waters. Minors are rarely prosecuted in federal court, and their names are usually withheld, but Hudson’s name was released because he was charged as an adult. His federal public defenders have declined to comment on the charges.
Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, expressed the family’s trust in the justice system, describing the situation as “deeply painful and complex for the entire family.” Anna Kepner was a high school cheerleader from Titusville, Florida, and her memorial service encouraged attendees to wear bright colours in honour of her “bright and beautiful soul.”
