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Madeline Soto search: Mother’s boyfriend performed factory reset on phone, report shows
According to the arrest affidavit, family and friends said it was unusual for Madeline to be dropped off down the street.
Video in link:
On February 26, 2023, at approximately 1948 hours, I, Deputy Joseph (10644), responded to [redacted] Village Park Drive, Orlando, Orange County, Florida, regarding a Missing Juvenile. While on the scene, the step-parent stated he dropped his daughter off at school, and when the mother went to the school, the daughter was not there. The parents searched within the neighborhood and places where the daughter may have gone. The parents could provide a location where the daughter may have been but yielded negative results when deputies checked the area. The juvenile was entered into FCIC/NCIC and EMEResouce as missing disabled.
My investigation revealed the following:
When I arrived on the scene, I spoke with the mother, Jennifer Lissette Soto, who gave me verbal and sworn written testimony. On February 26, 2023, at approximately 0800 hours Jennifer observed (missing) Madeline Soto getting dressed for school, (step-father) Stephan Sterns took Madeline to school dropping her off near the intersection of Town Loop Bivd and Hunter's Park lane at approximately 0830 hours. Jennifer went to Hunter's Creek Middle School in an attempt to pick up Madeline at approximately 1600 hours when she discovered Madeline did not make it to school. In an effort to find Madeline, Jennifer looked through the neighborhoods near Madeline's school and went to her mother's business office located at [redacted] Village Park Drive.
I later spoke with Stephan Stern who stated in a verbal and sworn written statement the following:
At approximately 0825 - 0840 hours Stephan dropped Madeline off approximately one block away from her school. Stephan watched Madeline leave his vehicle and walk toward the direction of her school. As Stephan was driving away he could see what appeared to be Madeline searching through her book bag he did not think anything of it due to Madeline usually looked through her bag to find headphones so she could put them in before going to school. Stephan began heading home when he attempted to stop for a vape juice at a nearby vape shop but determined it was closed, so Stephan went home to Kissimmee. Once Stephan was home for about an hour he went back out to retrieve a vape juice and then run errands. Stephan stated he returned home and stayed home at approximately 1430 hours.
While on the scene, I had Deputy Diaz go to [redacted] Los Palmas Vista Drive (grandmother's home) due to the close proximity to both the school and the grandmother's business that Madeline would frequently visit. Deputy Moony was able to establish an attempt to contact [redacted] Santa Maria Drive to see if Madeline made her way back to her mother's home. Both addresses yielded negative results.
[obscured] provide me with the phone number of Madeline's best friend
*starts about 2:00 mark
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Breaking Down The Jenn Soto & Stephan Sterns Interviews While Maddie Soto Went Missing-WEEK IN REVIEW - Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary | iHeart
<div>Welcome to the 'Week in Review,' where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the...www.iheart.com
*In the episode of "Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski," Jennifer Coffindaffer, a retired FBI special agent, discusses the heart-wrenching case of Maddie Soto, a 13-year-old girl murdered shortly after her birthday. The conversation focuses on the suspicions surrounding Stefan Stern, the live-in boyfriend of Maddie's mother, Jen Soto, due to the discovery of sexual material involving Maddie on his device. The dialogue sheds light on Jen Soto's questionable reactions during interviews, her contradictory statements, and the lack of emotional response, drawing parallels to other cases and pointing out the improbability of her ignorance regarding the abuse.
This case has been closed and encompassed into 2024 CF 000632.
Case: 2024 CF 000643
Stephan Michael Sterns
DOB 4/25/1986
SEXUAL BATTERY VICTIM UNDER 12 YEAR (FAMILIAL)
This is the case that sets the time frame of under age 12 and falls under the new law for the death penalty.
View attachment 489926
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 | ||
The State of Florida - 2024 CF 000632 | Earliest dated possession of a CSAM image by SS. | |
The State of Florida - 2024 CF 000632 | Earliest dated count of sexual battery against SS. | |
Friday, June 23, 2023 | ||
The State of Florida - 2024 CF 000632 | Latest date of first possession of a CSAM image by SS. (That is, some of the images are described as having been possessed during a window of time which concludes on 2/26/2023, the date the images were discovered on SS's phone and likely begins on the date the image was produced, if the image was produced by SS. 6/23/2023 is the latest date in the charges that SS can be inferrred to have produced or received a CSAM image.) | |
Thursday, June 29, 2023 | ||
The State of Florida - 2024 CF 000632 | Latest dated count of sexual battery against SS. | |
Sunday, February 25, 2024 | ||
JS interview 2/26/2024 - Fox35 (5:43) | MS had a 13th birthday party with JS's whole family | |
evening | JS interview 2/26/2024 - Fox35 (6:09) | MS got home from party and went straight to bed. At no point did she have her phone or laptop. JS says she didn't see MS having conversations or making plans with anyone. |
Monday, February 26, 2024 | ||
Kissimee PD - Affidavit for arrest warrant for SS | SS says he accidentally performed a factory reset this day | |
early morning hours | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 3/1/2024 press conference (3:04) | LE believes MS was dead and SS moved her body |
7:35 | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 3/1/2024 press conference (3:04) | Video evidence shows SS discarding items in a dumpster at their apartment complex. MS's backpack and school-issued laptop were later recovered from the dumpster. |
8:00 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | JS says she "observed" MS getting ready for school |
8:10 | Kissimee PD - Affidavit for arrest warrant for SS | A license plate reader captured SS's vehicle driving away from Hunters Creek Middle School |
8:19 | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 3/1/2024 press conference (3:04) | Unspecified evidence shows SS returning to the apartment complex with MS visible in his vehicle. LE believes she was already dead at this time. A later comment says video evidence leads them to believe she was already dead. Some media is reporting that her body was "propped up" in the vehicle, but I have not seen any media claiming to have a source for this, and the Sheriff does not say it in this press conference. |
8:25 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | Between 8:25 and 8:40, SS says he dropped MS off about one block from her school. He says he watched her leave his vehicle and walk toward the school. |
8:30 | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 2/28/2024 press conference (4:00) | SS dropped MS off in front of Peace United Methodist church |
8:30 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | JS says SS took MS to school and dropped her off at the intersection of Town Loop Bivd and Hunter's Park Lane |
8:40 | Kissimee PD - Affidavit for arrest warrant for SS | SS says he dropped MS in front of Peace United Methodist church |
morning | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 2/28/2024 press conference (10:33) | Grainy surveillance footage shows a person in front of Peace United Methodist Church that could not be confirmed or refuted as MS |
8:40 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | SS says after dropping MS off, he went to a nearby vape shop which was closed, then home |
9:00 | JS interview 2/26/2024 - Fox35 (0:41) | JS says this is when MS "got up". It is not clear exactly what this means, but this directly follows JS mentioning surveillance footage showing MS walking from Peace United Methodist Church toward the school |
9:30 | Kissimee PD - Affidavit for arrest warrant for SS | Hunters Creek Middle School class begins |
10:00 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | SS says he stayed for about an hour after getting home, then went out to run errands |
13:00 | PD Chief Holland - 3/1/2024 press conference (5:48) | Between 13:00 and 14:30, SS was seen driving his siver Lincoln MKZ with a flat tire near Old Hickory Tree Road |
14:30 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | SS says he returned from running errands and did not leave the house after |
16:00 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | JS says she attempted to pick MS up from school and learned that MS did not make it to school, so she then went to look for her at MS's grandmother's office at [redacted] Village Park Drive |
16:04 | Hunters Creek Middle School | Hunters Creek Middle School final bell |
school pick up time | JS interview 2/26/2024 - Fox35 (1:11) | JS did not see MS at school, so she drove toward MS's grandmother's office in case she had walked there, and did not see her so drove back to the school. The school was then closed so she reached out to MS's friends and teacher and confirmed they hadn't heard from her, at which point she called 911. |
16:43 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | "Reported Time" of missing person |
19:48 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - incident report, shared by WFTV | Sheriff's Deputies arrived at [redacted] Village Park Drive, Orlando, Orange County, Florida (note: this is not the address of Hunters Creek Middle School, but is proximal) |
20:00 | Kissimee PD - Affidavit for arrest warrant for SS | MS was reported missing by JS |
20:00 | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 2/28/2024 press conference (5:01) | OC patrol deputies arrived at Hunters Creek Middle School to take JS's report |
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 | ||
15:33 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - Sheriff FB | Press conference is held |
evening | Orange County Sheriff's Office - Sheriff FB | SS is arrested for sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material and named as the prime suspect in MS's disappearance |
Thursday, February 29, 2024 | ||
night | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 3/1/2024 press conference (3:04) | Detectives from Kissimmee PD informs JS that they are "confident" MS is dead |
Friday, March 1, 2024 | ||
13:00 | Orange County Sheriff's Office and Kissimmee Police Department - Sheriff FB | Press conference is held, including the announcement that Kissimmee PD is taking over the investigation |
13:05 | Orange County Sheriff John Mina - 3/1/2024 press conference (8:16) | Says "to my knowledge she's not a suspect in this case right now." He later says JS had "the reaction any parent would have". |
16:30 | Orange County Sheriff's Office - per Fox35 Orlando | The body of MS was discovered off Hickory Tree Road in Osceola County, wearing clothing similar to what maddie was last wearing. |
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | ||
9:19 | Kissimmee Police Department - PD FB | Reports no new information can be released |
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 | ||
Osceola County Clerk (c/o PayrollNerd) | Original case (2024 CF 000643) for SS closed and encompassed into 2024 CF 000632 | |
Osceola County Clerk (c/o PayrollNerd) | SS charged with 8 counts SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2), 5 counts SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b), 7 counts LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b), 40 counts UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ). See also press bulletin issued by Kissimmee PD at 11:16. |
So here's the full list with the Degree Column and the Plea Column.
Do you know what each letter means? I Googled them but couldn't find anything that helped me understand.
C = Capital
F = Felony?
L =
T =
S =
Charges List:
Level Degree Plea 1 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 2 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 3 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 4 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 5 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 6 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 7 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 8 SEXUAL BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 12 (794.011 2) F C 9 SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b) F F 10 SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b) F F 11 SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b) F F 12 SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b) F F 13 SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A CHILD 12-18 (FAMILIAL/CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY) (794.011 8b) F F 14 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 15 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 16 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 17 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 18 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 19 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 20 LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION (800.04 5b) F L 21 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5) F T 22 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 23 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 24 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 25 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 26 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 27 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 28 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 29 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 30 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 31 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 32 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 33 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 34 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 35 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 36 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 37 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 38 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 39 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 40 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 41 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 42 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 43 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 44 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 45 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 46 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 47 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 48 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 49 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 50 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 51 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 52 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 53 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 54 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 55 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 56 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 57 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 58 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 59 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S 60 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF MATERIALS DEPICTING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD TEN OR MORE IMAGES (827.071 5 ) F S
I’m fluent in Spanish and learned it as a first language along with English, but by no means am I a translator so please keep that in mind.
This seems to have been filmed around the 30 hour mark of when Madeline was reported missing. JS says on Monday morning “my boyfriend drove her to school, and dropped her off by the church that’s over there by the middle school and left her there. And she continued to walk towards the school so he drove away and left.”
in the second part, JS says “They had dogs to see if they could pick up her scent in the woods near the middle school. I think now they’re investigating videos from the street (CCTV footage). There’s a video from the church near her school that is believed may show my daughter.”
Then they ask JS what her mother’s instinct tells her and she says “That somebody took my daughter. In my heart I feel somebody took my daughter. It’s just not normal for her to leave like this. (in english: To run away). She’s not the type to just do something like this.”
Lastly, she says “Please just let her come back to me, healthy and well. I just want her returned home.”