[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A shocking discovery has been made in the tragic case of Anna Kepner.
Last November, the 18-year-old high school senior boarded a Carnival Horizon cruise with her blended family, including father Christopher Kepner, stepmother Shauntel Hudson, grandparents, and two younger stepsiblings, including her 16-year-old stepbrother. The vacation quickly spiraled into a nightmare, though, when Anna was found dead, wrapped in blankets and life vests, and shoved underneath her bed in the room she shared with her stepsiblings.
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Her 16-year-old stepbrother quickly became the leading suspect in her death, which was ultimately ruled a homicide by mechanical asphyxiation by another person, according to her death certificate. For months, there was no word on whether the 16-year-old stepsibling was going to be officially charged with Anna’s murder, but her father Christopher ominously told People in December:
“I do not stand behind what my stepson has done. … I cannot say that he is responsible but I can’t decline.”
The 16-year-old was ultimately sent away by his mother Shauntel and father Thomas to live with a family member in an undisclosed location to ensure the safety of younger children in the house.
In February, the 16-year-old, identified in court documents only as T.H., was officially charged as a juvenile in the death of Anna. The case, which is being overseen by Miami federal judge Beth Bloom, was sealed as the boy is a minor. But the nature of his charges have now been adjusted following another horrific revelation.
On Monday, multiple outlets reported that T.H. has been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury and hit with TWO charges: first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse… In the indictment, the Department of Justice claims T.H. “sexually assaulted and intentionally killed” Anna while aboard the cruise ship in international waters. According to legal docs seen by TMZ, prosecutors say he vaginally penetrated his stepsister with his penis “by the use of force.”
So, so, so unfathomable.
If convicted, TH is facing a maximum of life in prison for his alleged crimes.
Our hearts are with Anna’s loved ones as they continue to attempt to come to grips with this horrid reality. What are your reactions to this latest update? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources
[Images via Anna Kepner/Facebook]
