Context:

A 16-year-old, Timothy Hudson, pleaded not guilty and waived his appearance in a Miami federal court after being charged as an adult with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his 18-year-old stepsister, Anna Kepner, on a Carnival Horizon cruise in November. Kepner’s body was found under a bed in the shared cabin during a family trip; authorities determined the cause as mechanical asphyxia. Hudson has been free in the custody of an uncle since his February arrest, but prosecutors seek detention as the case proceeds. The indictment was unsealed in April after Judge Beth Bloom allowed adult prosecution, despite initial minor status. The proceedings reflect ongoing questions about custody and the path to trial in this high-profile cruise-ship death case.

Dive Deeper:

• Timothy Hudson, 16, is charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his stepsister, 18-year-old Anna Kepner, during a family trip aboard Carnival Horizon.

• Hudson waived his appearance and entered a not-guilty plea in a Miami federal court after receiving the indictment; the arraignment was scheduled for the next day but his appearance was waived.

• Kepner’s body was discovered under a bed in the cabin she shared with Hudson and another teen; authorities ruled the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia.

• Prosecutors previously sought to prosecute Hudson as an adult, a request granted by U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom, leading to the unsealing of the case in April.

• Since his arrest in February, Hudson has been in the care of an uncle, with ongoing questions about whether he will be detained pending trial.

• The case centers on the events aboard the cruise and the legal transition from alleged minor status to adult prosecution, with the next hearings addressing detention and trial timing.