{"id":49667,"date":"2026-04-13T16:32:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=49667"},"modified":"2026-04-13T16:32:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:32:04","slug":"stepbrother-charged-with-murder-sex-abuse-in-teen-girls-cruise-ship-death-doj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=49667","title":{"rendered":"Stepbrother charged with murder, sex abuse in teen girl’s cruise ship death: DOJ"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his stepsister during a family cruise vacation<\/a>, the Department of Justice announced Monday.<\/p>\n

Anna Kepner, 18, died on the Carnival Cruise ship Horizon<\/a> in November while the ship was in international waters and heading to Miami, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n

The DOJ alleged the stepbrother “sexually assaulted and intentionally killed” Kepner. The Florida high school senior died from mechanical asphyxiation, officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Carnival Horizon cruise ship sits docked in the Caribbean Sea at the Aruba Cruise Terminal, November 11, 2025, in Oranjestad, Aruba.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gary Hershorn\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The boy was initially charged as a juvenile, prosecutors said. He’s now been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse.<\/p>\n

Kepner\u2019s family said in a statement last year that the 18-year-old “loved being around people\u201d and \u201cdrew you in with her smile and the way she carried herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was set to graduate from high school this May and was interested in joining the military, her family said.<\/p>\n

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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