Tragedy Strikes 13-Year-Old Florida Girl Found Dead, Boyfriend of Mother Suspected
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a heart-wrenching discovery on Friday afternoon as the body of missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto was found in a wooded area, bringing a tragic end to a search that gripped the community.
Hours earlier, Sheriff John Mina held a somber news conference, revealing that Madeline’s mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, is suspected of moving her body. The case has now transitioned into a homicide investigation, sending shockwaves through the local area.
Madeline’s body was located around 4:30 p.m. by search teams from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in a wooded area off Hickory Tree Road. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a statement, expressing condolences to Madeline’s family and affirming that the investigation, now led by the Kissimmee Police Department, is ongoing.
The tragic turn of events unfolded after Madeline was last seen on Monday morning, supposedly dropped off by Sterns a few blocks from Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando. However, evidence presented during the investigation revealed that Madeline was never actually dropped off near her school that morning.
Sterns, described by authorities as the “prime suspect,” was arrested on Wednesday night on separate charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. Detectives uncovered disturbing images and videos during a forensic examination of his phone, raising concerns about his potential involvement in Madeline’s disappearance.
Authorities believe that Madeline was killed in Kissimmee, where her family resided, and that Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours of Monday. Surveillance footage showed Sterns returning to the apartment complex with Madeline’s body visible in his vehicle, indicating that she was already deceased at that time.
Further evidence came to light when video footage captured Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex on Monday morning. Among the discarded items were Madeline’s backpack and her school-issued laptop, later recovered by detectives.
Madeline’s mother was informed of her suspected death on Thursday night and is not considered a suspect in the investigation. The Kissimmee Police Department has taken over the case, urging the public to provide any relevant tips or information.
As the investigation unfolds, Sterns remains in custody on capital sexual battery charges filed by Kissimmee police. His alleged involvement in Madeline’s death has left the community reeling, grappling with the loss of a young life and seeking answers in the face of tragedy.
