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Again in November of 2025, the world was shocked by the brutal homicide of Anna Kepner, the 18-year-old who was discovered lifeless in her cabin aboard a Carnival cruise ship.
In February, Kepner’s stepbrother, 16-year-old Timothy Hudson, was charged together with her homicide.
Prosecutors allege that Hudson raped Kepner earlier than killing her and trying to cover her physique beneath a mattress — circumstances that make at this time’s choice all of the extra stunning.
A federal decide dominated Wednesday that Hudson is not going to be jailed whereas awaiting trial and can as a substitute stay within the custody of a member of the family beneath strict situations as his case strikes ahead.
Hudson has been free because the loss of life of his stepsister after initially being charged as a juvenile and launched to dwell along with his uncle as a result of of his age.
The state of affairs modified dramatically in April, when a federal grand jury indicted Hudson as an grownup, elevating the chance that he may very well be detained behind bars earlier than trial.
U.S. District Decide Edwin Torres acknowledged the gravity of the allegations however in the end determined in opposition to jailing the teenager forward of his trial.
“If it have been a 20-year-old beneath the precise circumstances I in all probability would have detained,” Torres stated throughout Wednesday’s listening to, in line with NBC Information.
“The presumption can be we have been simply not going to take that likelihood. It is a completely different animal,” he added.
The decide defined that he thought of the sensible realities of detention, together with the truth that Hudson’s household lives a number of hundred miles away in Hernando County, making visitation tough if he have been held in Miami-Dade County.
Federal prosecutors strongly objected to at this time’s choice.
Authorities lawyer Alejandra Lopez argued that Hudson represents “a hazard to the neighborhood,” particularly contemplating that two minors reportedly dwell within the uncle’s residence the place he’s at present staying.
“What is required to show a hazard? A second lifeless physique?” Lopez requested in courtroom.
Hudson’s lawyer, public defender Evan Kuhl, pushed again, arguing that the teenager has adopted each situation of his launch for months and has proven no indication he poses a flight danger or hazard to others.
Hudson is barely allowed to go away the home whereas accompanied by his aunt or uncle and is being electronically monitored by authorities.
Anna and Hudson — whose dad and mom married in December 2024 — had reportedly been sharing a cabin through the household trip.
Her physique was found bruised, wrapped in a blanket and hidden beneath a mattress behind life vests. The Miami-Dade medical expert dominated her loss of life a murder brought on by “mechanical asphyxiation.”
On the day Hudson was indicted as an grownup, Anna’s father, Chris Kepner, made his emotions painfully clear.
“Justice must be served,” he stated.
Hudson’s trial might start as early as September. We can have additional updates on this growing story as new data turns into out there,
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