The teen accused of taking Anna Kepner's life aboard a Caribbean cruise ship will now remain free as he awaits trial in connection with his stepsister's death.
16-year-old Timothy Hudson was labeled by prosecutors as a danger to others, but the judge decided not to place him behind bars.
Hudson was seen sharing a cabin with Kepner during a family cruise aboard the Carnival Horizon last November.
The girl's body was found beneath a bed in their room, concealed with a blanket and life vests. Kepner had gone to bed early the night of the crime, telling her family at dinner that her braces were hurting. Inside the cabin, she was left alone with Hudson.
A third occupant of the cabin shared how Kepner's half-brother returned later that same evening and did not realize that his sister's body was hidden beneath her bed. The family noticed that Kepner was missing the next day when she did not join them for breakfast.