Found Deceased FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #12

[MollyDDD]

I think JS should be worried about getting a lawyer herself!

Letting a grown man sleep with a young girl, a child no less, is child endangerment that ended up causing great bodily harm...... We all know how men wake up in the morning, ready to roll. Yet, JS allowed this for years??

I wonder what Maddie's grandparents are thinking about now.

A lot of new information is coming out. People that abuse animals and children are the worse, imo. I have NO sympathy for them. NONE.

Including the elderly and disabled.

 

[ttjo]

dbm

 

[ttjo]

He had 1700 pictures on his phone alone. how long does that take? and she says maddi was always with her, well obviously she wasnt.
She claims to not know about anything that was going on, is that why they cant charge her? because by not knowing about SA she is not willfully negligent? does negligence require knowledge of the risk? (in Florida)

 

[IzzyBlanche]

One thing I can't figure out--what was LE seeking during that proffer interview?

There's ample evidence against SS for both the CSAM and the murder. It doesn't seem to me as if they need JS as a witness against SS.

They're experienced professionals who know what they are doing. They compelled this interview for what had to be very good reasons.

But what were they?

 

[ttjo]

dbm

 

[Poedelini]

There is never only one thing. One odd thing can be explained away by multiple different options. The whole point with JS. It is a big cluster of things happening. Statements, reactions, emotions. Or rather missing statements, reactions and emotions.

Im really beginning to think if she is just playing dumb.
Jmo

 

[FromGermany1]

Madeline Soto, 13, Allegedly Shared Bed with Mom's Boyfriend, Who'd 'Snuggle' Her, Mom Told Police in Interview

Stephan Sterns was charged with murder weeks after Madeline Soto disappeared, per police

people.com

During the interview with an Orange County officer, Jennifer is seen saying that she, her daughter and Sterns often slept in the same bed at night, and that on many of these occasions, Sterns would allegedly be in his boxers. Jennifer alleges in the video that sometimes she would wake up in the morning to see her boyfriend “snuggling” her daughter.

When the officer asks her if she ever thought that was “weird,” she says no.

Madeline would be in the “nook of his arm,’” she says in the interview, during which she breaks down several times.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Can anyone remember JS ever saying that she loves/loved Maddie? Even once?

I can't.

No I don't, and that is the most telling thing of all to me. She had no real emotional reactions to the horrors of what happened to her daughter. Total disconnect IMO.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I agree 100%. I only wish they’d send him to a regular prison, and not one just for pedophiles like himself.

Are they sending him to a mental health type of prison vs regular prison? I hadn't heard that.

I was hoping they could seek the DP in this case, especially since they have actual video evidence of what SS did to Madeline over the years.

I'm not usually a proponent of the DP, but if there was ever a case that qualifies, this is it.

JMO

 

[Pruddennce]

I agree that she would make a poor witness. And I don't think the state needs her to prosecute SS. If anything, her credibility issues could raise doubt over whether she or SS killed Maddie, which I am sure is going to be SS's defense.

"She killed her, I just tried to help her cover it up."

I agree....what can she testify to other than timeframes? JS claims she didnt see or hear anything the nite or early morning hours of her murder. but that doesnt mean he doesnt have another 'story' to be presented that points to her involvement, coverup or otherwise.

the CSAM: her claim she had zero knowledge/suspicion about him while in their lives, most notably all of the dates the SA was captured on video and stills. SS owns that, if, that is, there isnt any evidence SS may have with even the slightest inference she knew.

 

[Wishbone]

I agree....what can she testify to other than timeframes? JS claims she didnt see or hear anything the nite or early morning hours of her murder. but that doesnt mean he doesnt have another 'story' to be presented that points to her involvement, coverup or otherwise.

the CSAM: her claim she had zero knowledge/suspicion about him while in their lives, most notably all of the dates the SA was captured on video and stills. SS owns that, if, that is, there isnt any evidence SS may have with even the slightest inference she knew.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't JS say in her police interrogation that she only sent MS and SS to sleep together 4 or 5 times? If I heard right, then that is an out and out lie as the multitude of photos on SS phone weren't taken in that limited time frame. So sick.

 

[ShadyLady]

He had 1700 pictures on his phone alone. how long does that take? and she says maddi was always with her, well obviously she wasnt.
She claims to not know about anything that was going on, is that why they cant charge her? because by not knowing about SA she is not willfully negligent? does negligence require knowledge of the risk? (in Florida)

Well, we wont get a confession from her. JS is in self preservation mode. She will continue to lie. And play the part of poor disabled person that was fooled....she did not fool the detectives.

 

[ShadyLady]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't JS say in her police interrogation that she only sent MS and SS to sleep together 4 or 5 times? If I heard right, then that is an out and out lie as the multitude of photos on SS phone weren't taken in that limited time frame. So sick.

AND, JS did not work so she was home when Maddie was.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

does negligence require knowledge of the risk? (in Florida)

To be honest, I could see it interpreted either way.
F.S. 827.03(1)(e)2 states [child negligence can be defined as] “A caregiver’s failure to make a reasonable effort to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person”.
So the question becomes, what is reasonable effort. I could see a defense lawyer arguing that JS would need to know about the abuse in order to prevent it.
IMO MOO IANAL.

Edit: missed a word

 

[ttjo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't JS say in her police interrogation that she only sent MS and SS to sleep together 4 or 5 times? If I heard right, then that is an out and out lie as the multitude of photos on SS phone weren't taken in that limited time frame. So sick.

yes she said "less than she can count on one hand" so unless he took 1700 pictures in 4 -5 nights, her guessing is way off the mark.

 

[Pruddennce]

I agree. I can’t help but think that JS stayed with SS out of stubbornness. Her mother straight up says she doesn’t like him, her father kicks him out after he stopped paying rent, he was not invited to the birthday party and in police cam video you can clearly feel the tension between the family and JS after SS shows up while she speaks to the police about Maddie missing. JS roommates don’t seem to like him that much either or at least are uncomfortable when he is around. Her ex-husband seems to find SS distasteful too and SS didn’t bring money to the table, he ate their food despite not paying for it and he could be really mean to Maddie according to Maddie’s friend. JS didn’t even like it when he talked down to her daughter or tried to speak/discipline her. So why stay? Why trust him? What makes him worthy of being anywhere near your daughter and why did she prefer him over her mother and sister?

According to JS and her ex-husband she and her family didn’t get along and she seems to have let her cling onto SS even at the expense of Maddie and all the alarm bells that were ringing in her head. When it comes to family It is one thing to try to prove a point out of pride or to distance yourself but that should only be acceptable when it applies to your own life and not when it comes to compromising the safety, health and well-being of your child or anybody else.

If she was that concerned about Maddie’s well-being and safety in terms of being sexually assaulted or groomed by a predator why not prevent that by never letting Maddie sleep alone with SS in the first place? Why not speak to Maddie and her providers about these things so that she can be screened and properly cared for if she was a victim or targeted by someone? Did she ever talk to Maddie about reproductive health, IPV, child predators, rape, sexual assault, dating or any of those things? I know she knew Maddie had a crush on someone so did she ever give her now teenage daughter the “talk” knowing she might start dating or hanging out with boys soon?

but but but.....she was so proactive, employing preventive measures for Madeline's 'safety' by not allowing her to go to sleepovers with friends, because JS says she doesnt know who is in the house, something could happen to her....<---great mom /s

JS claims in her LE interview Madeline told SS about the crush, "I was like why didnt she tell me, maybe because I told her she couldnt date until she was 16'. AND: she states this conversation between SS and Madeline happened WITHIN A WEEK of last sunday. she's not sure if Madeline told SS via phone or google meet chat (like facetime), but most likely, she says, because they google meet chat ALL THE TIME. <----all of this 'crush' talk attributed to Madeline IMO, was not a 'nice nice guess what, I like a boy conversation'. SS freaked out on saturday.

IMO: Madeline's murder all relates to this:

in the interview, right after they talk of her missed period JS was asked about pregnancy tests:

Q but you haven't seen any used ones in the trash?
A no (low voice)
Q their relationship (Madeline and SS) hasn't changed?
A (PAUSE).... low voice n.n.no

FGS, Madeline did not want to return to her home from gm's.

IMO, lots happened the week before her birthday party between JS, SS and Madeline. Madeline stopped taking her medication on Feb 14. Wish we knew the results of her toxicology.

 

[dawnraks]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't JS say in her police interrogation that she only sent MS and SS to sleep together 4 or 5 times? If I heard right, then that is an out and out lie as the multitude of photos on SS phone weren't taken in that limited time frame. So sick.

That is what I heard as well. I wish the police would have had a collection of the dates and times from the photos to ask JS where she was at during the time. I am also curious what time of day the majority of these photos were taken.

 

[Wishbone]

That is what I heard as well. I wish the police would have had a collection of the dates and times from the photos to ask JS where she was at during the time. I am also curious what time of day the majority of these photos were taken.

I have seen enough to know that JS lies and plays dumb. Dates and times aren't necessary to see that JS gave SS every opportunity to have private access to MS. And I would bet it wasn't just so she could get her beauty sleep. JMOO

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

To be honest, I could see it interpreted either way.
F.S. 827.03(1)(e)2 states [child negligence can be defined as] “A caregiver’s failure to make a reasonable effort to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person”.
So the question becomes, what is reasonable effort. I could see a defense lawyer arguing that JS would need to know about the abuse in order to prevent it.
IMO MOO IANAL.

Edit: missed a word

Yes @kuromiiiilove …. and thanks for compiling that Florida statute!

IANAL. On that ‘reasonable effort’….. it isn’t clear how many times JS allowed, suggested, encouraged ….. SS and MS to be alone in that separate room - for her convenience. However…… as @ttjo notes in post # 515 above with 1700 images….. now reasonable becomes IMO differently defined. And with IIRC JS having stated in given statements that on more than one occasion she had expressed to SS that she didn’t want a ‘Woody Allen’ scenario….. that IMO redefines reasonable again in this case with JS. And IMO leaves little room for what seems reasonable here.

Lastly….. as @IzzyBlanche notes in post # 504 above I too wonder greatly why investigators offered JS a proffer. I would hope that prosecutors don’t really need anything much from JS in the prosecution of the cases / charges against SS. So exactly what was that proffer to obtain and what were investigators seeking? We might have to wait to learn that.

As noted through this thread with IIUC a possible DP case against SS this would seem to be one for it. Yet, if SS were to ‘turn the tables’ or provide evidence of JS in this might that change the dynamics? MOO

 

[ShadyLady]

To be honest, I could see it interpreted either way.
F.S. 827.03(1)(e)2 states [child negligence can be defined as] “A caregiver’s failure to make a reasonable effort to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person”.
So the question becomes, what is reasonable effort. I could see a defense lawyer arguing that JS would need to know about the abuse in order to prevent it.
IMO MOO IANAL.

Edit: missed a word

Reasonable effort does not jive with letting preteen sleep with your boyfriend. No protection at all.