Orange County Sheriff’s Office officials in Florida announced Friday that Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old missing Kissimmee girl, is likely dead.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Madeline, a student at Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando, vanished after her mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, took her to school Monday morning. Madeline never arrived at school and Sterns was subsequently arrested on unrelated child pornography charges after police searched his phone.
“Last night, detectives from the Kissimmee Police Department met with Madeline’s mother and they had to tell her the very devastating news that although we have not found Madeline, we are now confident that she is dead,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Friday afternoon.
Throughout the unfolding events, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, alongside other local law enforcement agencies, has been actively searching for Madeline, and comprising a timeline to reflect the days leading up to her presumed death.
A day before she vanished, Madeline celebrated her 13th birthday with family members on February 25.
“She was so happy, she showed us all her gifts. She’s just a happy girl and she showed it on Sunday. When she went to bed she was so happy,” Jenn Soto told FOX 35.
The following day, Stearns took her to school at around 8:30 a.m. He told police he left her a few blocks from the school, near Peace United Methodist Church on Town Loop Boulevard, about half a mile from Hunter’s Creek Middle School. It’s unclear why he didn’t drop her directly at the school.
However, police now say that she was never dropped off, and instead, was already deceased early Monday morning.
“Instead, we believe she was already dead at the time and that Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day,” Mina said. “We have video evidence that shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in that apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:35.”
Police say they found the victim’s backpack and a school-issued laptop inside the dumpster.
“We have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time,” Mina added.
“As a result of that, although the initial missing persons investigation started in Orange County, the Kissimmee Police Department will now be taking over the investigation and will become the lead agency.”
According to Kissimmee police Chief Betty Holland, Sterns was spotted Monday afternoon, between 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., driving a 2010 Lincoln MKC with the Florida license plate, “IYLL82,” around State Road 192 and Old Hickory Tree Road, and Old Hickory Tree Road and Nolte Road.
During the time frame of his travel, Sterns may have gotten a flat tire and stopped to change “the tire in this area,” Holland said.
She’s asking anyone who may have seen the vehicle to contact Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS or 800-423-8477.
Meanwhile, Sterns remains behind bars after police found “disturbing” photos on his phone, including information that suggested he tried to delete the evidence before detectives confiscated the phone. Evidence also suggests that the sexually explicit images and videos may have taken place at the family’s Kissimmee home.
On Friday, he was transferred from Orange County to the Osceola County jail.
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[Feature Photo via via Orange County Sheriff’s Office]
