MIAMI (AP) — A teenager accused of sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister while aboard a Carnival Cruise ship turned himself in Monday after a federal judge reversed an earlier ruling that had allowed him to remain free before trial, now that he faces charges as an adult.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami confirmed that Timothy Hudson is now in custody. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres issued the order revoking Hudson’s pretrial release the previous Wednesday, though the order remained sealed until Monday afternoon. According to the order, Hudson was directed to surrender to U.S. Marshals at the federal courthouse in Tampa on Monday morning.
Back in February, the judge had permitted the then-16-year-old to reside with an uncle and wear an electronic monitoring device. However, once the case was transferred to adult court in April, prosecutors pushed for Hudson to be jailed.
The judge ultimately concluded that Hudson’s pretrial detention should be handled as though he were an adult, though he will be housed in an approved juvenile facility.
“The Government has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of the community going forward,” Torres wrote in his order.
Hudson has entered a not guilty plea to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in connection with the death of Anna Kepner. His federal public defenders have declined to make any public comment on the case.
It is uncommon for minors to face prosecution in federal court, but this case ended up there because Kepner apparently died in international waters, placing it outside the jurisdiction of any individual state.
Kepner had been traveling aboard the Carnival Horizon in November with her family, which included Hudson. Before the ship was set to return to Florida, her body was discovered hidden beneath a bed in a cabin she shared with Hudson and another teenager, according to a criminal complaint.
The cause of Kepner’s death on November 6 was determined to be mechanical asphyxia — a condition in which an object or physical force prevents a person from breathing.
Attorneys on both sides presented arguments regarding Hudson’s detention at a May 27 hearing, but Torres indicated he wanted to consult with the U.S. Marshals Service about the possibility of holding Hudson in central Florida, closer to his family, rather than in South Florida where the trial will be held. Hudson left the courthouse following that hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Lopez argued at the hearing that the severity of the alleged crimes made it too great a risk to allow Hudson to remain free. Prosecutors said an autopsy found that Kepner had been pinned down and forcibly raped. Lopez also pointed out that it likely took three to five minutes for Hudson to allegedly strangle Kepner to death.
The prosecutor further argued that Hudson posed a significantly higher flight risk now that he faces a possible life sentence as an adult. Under juvenile proceedings, he would have been released at age 21 regardless of the outcome.
Evan Kuhl, with the Federal Public Defender’s office, told the judge during the hearing that Hudson had followed all conditions of his release for months without any problems.
Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, previously issued a statement saying the family was placing “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity.”
“The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family,” Kepner said.
Anna Kepner was a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, roughly 40 miles east of Orlando. At her memorial service in November, those who loved her asked attendees to wear bright colors rather than traditional black, “in honor of Anna’s bright and beautiful soul.”
