A 16-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship has been ordered to face trial as an adult. Timothy Hudson surrendered to US marshals in Tampa on Monday after a federal judge revoked his pre-trial release.
US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres ruled that Hudson should be held in a juvenile facility pending trial, citing safety concerns. The judge stated that no conditions of release could reasonably assure community safety, reversing his earlier decision to allow Hudson to live with an uncle under electronic monitoring.
Hudson is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of Anna Kepner, whose body was found concealed under a bed on the Carnival Horizon in November. The cause of death was mechanical asphyxia. Prosecutors say Kepner was pinned down and forcibly raped, with the attack lasting three to five minutes.
The case falls under federal jurisdiction because the incident occurred in international waters. Hudson has pleaded not guilty; his public defenders declined to comment. Kepner's father expressed trust in the justice system, describing the situation as deeply painful for the family.
