A 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner has been charged as a juvenile in connection with the Florida teen’s death, according to court documents obtained by CBS News. Kepner, 18, was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship during a family vacation in November.

In an emergency court filing dated Feb. 20, attorneys for Thomas Hudson — the teen’s father — stated that on Feb. 3, 2026, his son was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in relation to Anna Kepner’s death. Portions of the filing were redacted. The document is part of an ongoing custody dispute between Hudson and Shauntel Kepner, the stepbrother’s mother.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI have declined to comment publicly. However, CBS News reports that the case against the teen is currently under seal and is being overseen by U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami.

Because the suspect is a minor, his name has not been released. He appeared in federal court in Miami on Feb. 6, but media were not permitted inside the courtroom due to the sealed nature of the proceedings.

Legal experts note that federal cases involving juveniles are often sealed to protect their identities. According to former Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg, details could become public if the minor is later charged as an adult.

Anna Kepner was traveling on a Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Horizon with her father, stepmother and three stepsiblings when she died on Nov. 7. Her body was discovered under the bed in her cabin by a crew member. The ship returned to Miami the following day.

Family members said Kepner had complained of not feeling well the evening before and returned to her room. When she did not appear for breakfast the next morning, relatives began searching for her.

Law enforcement sources previously told CBS News that investigators were examining the possibility that Kepner was strangled during an altercation and that alcohol may have been involved. In a Nov. 18 court filing related to the custody dispute, Shauntel Hudson stated there was an open investigation into Kepner’s death and identified her son as a suspect.

The FBI has not publicly named a suspect and has said it does not provide updates on ongoing investigations except in rare cases. Carnival Cruise Line has stated that it is cooperating fully with federal authorities. The FBI has jurisdiction because Kepner was a U.S. citizen and her death occurred in international waters