A family vacation turned into a legal nightmare after a federal grand jury indicted a 16-year-old Titusville boy as an adult for the murder and sexual assault of his stepsister aboard a Carnival cruise ship.
The charges stem from a November 2025 voyage on the Carnival Horizon. According to court documents, the boy, identified as T.H., was traveling with his stepsister, Anna Kepner, and other family members when the ship was in international waters heading toward Miami.
Prosecutors allege that between November 6 and 7, the teenager sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. A later examination by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Kepner died from mechanical asphyxiation.
While the case began in juvenile court back in February, it was kept under seal until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom recently ordered the matter transferred to adult prosecution.
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This move allows the teen to face significantly harsher penalties for the crimes he is accused of committing on the open sea.
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated following the indictment. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care.”
Reding Quiñones was joined by Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI’s Miami Field Office in announcing the charges. The FBI has been lead on the investigation, as the incident occurred outside of state jurisdiction.
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As it stands, the 16-year-old faces counts of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. Under federal law, a conviction on these charges carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Despite the severity of the indictment, officials reminded the public that T.H. is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. No trial date has been set as the case moves forward in the federal system.
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