The parents of Anna Kepner’s accused stepbrother are fighting in family court over child support just weeks before their 16-year-old son is scheduled to stand trial in Kepner’s death.
Shauntel Hudson claims her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, failed to make all of his court-ordered support payments and is asking for the amount to be reevaluated, according to TMZ. Thomas disputes key parts of her account, including her description of his relationship with their children and her claim that he earns significantly more than she does.
Their son Timothy Hudson is being prosecuted as an adult in federal court on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in connection with the November 2025 death of his 18-year-old stepsister aboard the Carnival Horizon. He has pleaded not guilty.
The child-support case is separate from that prosecution. Still, tensions within the family have already surfaced in Timothy’s criminal case, where his defense cited a “unique and very unfortunate family dynamic” while explaining why attorneys needed additional time before trial.
Shauntel Hudson Says Thomas Fell Behind on Child Support
Shauntel’s filing says Thomas originally agreed to pay $2,129 per month in support for their three children. According to TMZ’s review of the documents, that obligation later fell to $1,732 after support ended for one child and then to $1,092 once only one child remained covered by the order.
She claims there were several months when Thomas paid nothing. Shauntel also argues that his current income is substantially higher than hers and wants the court to reconsider how much support he should be paying.
The filing describes Thomas as having a “strained relationship” with the children. Shauntel says their eldest child turned 18 in October 2025 and maintains that the younger children have primarily been in her care, although Timothy himself has been in federal custody since June 15.
Thomas Hudson Disputes His Ex-Wife’s Account
Thomas denies that he has the strained relationship with the children that Shauntel describes and disputes her assertion that he earns substantially more than she does.
In April, Thomas separately asked the family court to reduce or redirect support connected to Timothy, arguing that his son was then living with an uncle. At the time, Thomas argued that payments intended to support Timothy should not continue going to Shauntel if she was no longer providing his day-to-day housing.
He asked that future support associated with his son instead be directed to the relative caring for him. That request came before Timothy was taken into federal custody in June.
The Murder Trial Has Been Moved to November
Timothy’s federal trial had been scheduled to begin Sept. 8, but his attorneys asked U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom for additional preparation time in August.
As PEOPLE reported, the defense cited the seriousness of the charges, Timothy’s age and difficulty obtaining sufficient access to certain family members needed for its investigation.
His attorneys said they were deliberately being vague because of the intense publicity surrounding the case but described the circumstances as involving a “unique and very unfortunate family dynamic.”
Prosecutors did not oppose the continuance. Bloom granted the request and moved the case to a two-week trial period beginning Nov. 2 in Miami. The deadline for any plea agreement is now Oct. 23.
Timothy has remained in custody since June 15, when his pretrial release was revoked and he surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service.
His Age Creates Additional Sentencing Work for the Defense
The defense has said access to relatives could matter beyond simply preparing witnesses for trial. Because Timothy was a juvenile at the time of the alleged offenses, his attorneys are also investigating his background and family circumstances as potential mitigation evidence.
That material could become relevant to a proceeding under Miller v. Alabama if Timothy is convicted and a life-without-parole sentence is under consideration. The Supreme Court’s juvenile-sentencing precedent requires individualized consideration of youth and its attendant circumstances before such a sentence can be imposed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida says Timothy was initially charged as a juvenile before the case was transferred for adult prosecution. Prosecutors allege that he sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner while the Carnival Horizon was in international waters on Nov. 6-7, 2025. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined that Kepner died from mechanical asphyxiation.
The Justice Department emphasizes that the indictment is an allegation and Timothy remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.