16-Year-Old Indicted In Stepsister's Death On Carnival Cruise

A federal grand jury indicted a 16-year-old identified as T.H. on first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse on April 13, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida said.

The charges stem from the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon in international waters on or about Nov. 6 or 7, with the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner ruling the cause as mechanical asphyxiation.

Anna Kepner's parents, Chris and Shauntel Kepner, said the family is devastated and concerned the 16-year-old has not been taken into custody, and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said prosecutors will present evidence in court.

Court records show the teen was originally charged as a juvenile on Feb. 2, was ordered on Feb. 6 to wear an electronic tether that was later amended to allow temporary work, and was released into a guardian's custody.

Judge Beth Bloom ordered the case transferred for adult prosecution and the indictment was unsealed, with experts noting federal court jurisdiction because the alleged offenses occurred in international waters and a conviction could carry life in prison.