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Teen charged with killing stepsister on Carnival Cruise ship surrenders
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Timothy Hudson, a teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister Anna Kepner on a Carnival Cruise ship, surrendered after a federal judge revoked his pretrial release following his transfer to adult court.
- Hudson faces first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse charges related to Kepner's death, which occurred in international waters and involved mechanical asphyxia caused by strangulation.
- The judge ruled Hudson must be detained pretrial due to the severity of the charges and flight risk, despite his prior compliance with release conditions as a juvenile.
- The case is rare in federal court because minors are seldom prosecuted federally, but jurisdiction applies since the crime happened outside state waters.
- Kepner’s family has expressed trust in the justice system while mourning her loss; she was a high school cheerleader remembered for her bright spirit.
