Found Deceased FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #5

[Pizza_Lovah]

I don't think he killed her *intentionally*. Why would he when she was such an (and I hate to say this but) easy access victim for him? He had no reason to that we know of. I could believe that he and or mom (and or someone else) could have drugged her and it ended in an accidental death by overdose or adverse reaction but I'm not sure that I could see him killing her out of rage intentionally. It makes no sense. He had easy easy access to her whenever he felt like it and mom was never going to turn him in. He was making his photos and videos and possibly selling those for profit. There'd be no sense in ending that cashline and killing her on purpose. It would place him at risk of discovery for SA, and end his access, and in the event he wasn't caught, he'd have to find a new cashline / victim.

We heard horrible things from his friends about CSAM interests, drugs, that he missed Madeline etc. We didn't hear anything to suggest that he was into hurting animals or that he fantasized ab out killing people (or if we did, I missed that).

I don't know enough about mum's history to say if I think she may have just lost her mind and killed the girl somehow. I don't know if they scuffled and Maddie lost or what may have even prompted that if that is what happened. But I just don't think that

I firmly believe someone drugged this kid and that ended badly. Very badly. And it left SS and mom in a frantic state trying to hide the facts and get rid of evidence.

MOOOOOO

I share this opinion - that it was unintentional and perhaps an accidental overdose. Maybe a lot of the sa involved drugging her unconscious, and that's why it often happened on school vacations (when she'd be able to sleep in without it being noticed). Or maybe part of of the SA was escalating violent acts that ended up leading to death.

If it were intentional, something would have had to change recently (versus in the many years that he horrifically abused her) to make him want to kill her...the threat of being caught would be an obvious one. But still, if she had threatened to tell, wouldn't he have been less scared of covering himself up/defending that accusation than defending an entire murder? If it was intentional, it clearly wasn't well planned out in advance as he "reset his phone" that very same day.

<modsnip: Off limits speculation not based on any known fact>

 

[Forest_Wood]

I snicker every time I see SS turn away from the camera during his perp walk.

The irony of the creep trying to turn his face from the camera so people wouldn't recognize him.

 

[Observant-ADHD-ENFP-BSc]

I hate writing this… especially knowing we all grieve differently.
Watching the interviews, I never got a sense of the mother who cared on a deeper level. As if there was that special connection component missing.
She at times came off as annoyed at Maddie.

I’m cognizant that mother/daughter relationships can be complicated, complex and, at times, even competitive.

I don’t know if there was some disassociation present, or she’s the type of parent that isn’t “warm and fuzzy”, but regardless of what ot was, my heart and soul hurt for Maddie.
If anyone deserved to be held in a safe embrace, it was that child.

It could be she was mentally holding back from going to anywhere more than just missing.
I have had posts deleted for irrelevancy before so if this is deemed irrelevant then go for it, but when my daughter was born at 28 weeks gestation (severe pre-eclampsia) and only 1lb 10oz, they made it clear the next couple of days would be touch and go and literally came out and said there is a good chance she wouldn't survive. I remember feeling very numb emotionally, I was very sick myself and dosed up but there was a level of dissonance, like I was holding back feelings. Once she had drastically improved and the doctors seemed happy, it was almost like a floodgate of emotions came running out.
Point being, sometimes dissonance can subconsciously be protecting your mental health.

 

[johnlair]

I share this opinion - that it was unintentional and perhaps an accidental overdose. Maybe a lot of the sa involved drugging her unconscious, and that's why it often happened on school vacations (when she'd be able to sleep in without it being noticed). Or maybe part of of the SA was escalating violent acts that ended up leading to death.

If it were intentional, something would have had to change recently (versus in the many years that he horrifically abused her) to make him want to kill her...the threat of being caught would be an obvious one. But still, if she had threatened to tell, wouldn't he have been less scared of covering himself up/defending that accusation than defending an entire murder? If it was intentional, it clearly wasn't well planned out in advance as he "reset his phone" that very same day.

<modsnip: off limits speculation not based on any known fact>

The drug he was prescribed was certainly enough to kill a girl of her age. I have occasionally been prescribed the British version Zopiclone for times I can't sleep.. I get bad sciatica pain when going through a flare up... And they are very strong I'm generally asleep in half an hour after that regardless of pain... And that's a low strength apparently the one he was on are 30 times the strength of the strongest Zopiclone...I can't even imagine that.. they can cause total blackouts or amnesia too..
Could easily cause respiratory failure in a child...

I think this is a very likely scenario especially with her saying she had trouble sleeping...The pervert probably acted like he was helping her giving her some of his knockout pills

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

Hey y’all, apparently Gray Hughes claims Maddie’s father has made a statement? Are we allowed to post that video?

 

[Jo in Calif]

Hey y’all, apparently Gray Hughes claims Maddie’s father has made a statement? Are we allowed to post that video?

Yes, he is approved.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

<modsnip: Family social media is off limits>

 

[CuriousCricket]

Yes, reading from a script is so much easier than speaking off-the-cuff. And yet she continually couldn't get the words out right from her script. You mentioned above she is new in that role for a year. She just seemed inexperienced and unprepared imo.

Sort of agree with that. She wasn't at her best yesterday. At any time, hers would be a difficult position. Haven't we seen mention of 4 pedophiles (SS, father and suicided son, and some other case), all this month, in that one small area? in her county, not necessarily under her watch? All in less than a month, plus, she may have children she's worried about, or there may be something major in her personal life in addition to these jarring horrors of cases. BTW, when I looked up statistics, Kissimmee and Osceolo are low in sexual abuse offenders.

I would think Maddy's case, just by itself, would be difficult for most LEO to work even if everyone was being very helpful. I wonder if there are people not really cooperating or being helpful because of their personal dislike of LE and not because they might be involved in Maddy's case.

 

[lightofmine99]

I find it weird that lots of people were aware of SS's sexual preferences, history, and various "kinks." Aside from like, an occasional dirty joke, this topic rarely ever comes up when I'm talking to a friend or with friends. I know very little about my friends' sex lives, and what I do know is superficial or something I just picked up on. However FWIW I am at least a decade younger than him.

Is SS's friends knowing all this stuff normal? Or is it only normal for the type of circles he probably roamed around in? Maybe my group is just super private? I don't know, I just find that weird.

Some have suggested she was pregnant with his chld but an autopsy of a body/fetus would have incriminated him in that.

Who knows, maybe it has and they just haven't announced that yet.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

I find it weird that lots of people were aware of SS's sexual preferences, history, and various "kinks." Aside from like, an occasional dirty joke, this topic rarely ever comes up when I'm talking to a friend or with friends. I know very little about my friends' sex lives, and what I do know is superficial or something I just picked up on. However FWIW I am at least a decade younger than him.

Is SS's friends knowing all this stuff normal? Or is it only normal for the type of circles he probably roamed around in? Maybe my group is just super private? I don't know, I just find that weird.

Who knows, maybe it has and they just haven't announced that yet.

Some people like to overshare regarding their personal lives. Sometimes that extends to in person and social media. It’s plausible SS’s friends didn’t at all ask for any of that info, but had it foisted upon them and/or saw allusions to it on social media.

The things I’ll see people putting in their Facebook and IG captions makes me cringe with second hand embarassment. IG stories too!!

 

[Universecalling]

It was offensive that she made that mistake in getting Madeline's birth day wrong.

I agree. With her long and varied experience, she should be equipped with more than enough communication skills to address the public sufficiently, particularly since she is leading this police department. It came across as very sloppy work for a planned media event and therefore looks bad on the entire department. I'm sure the detectives are doing everything they can to solve these crimes against Madeline, yet her providing incorrect information (birthday) and her seemingly ill preparation at simply reading from a script left a poor impression overall. Hopefully she puts more effort into the next update. 5P's. Proper preparation prevents poor performance. MOO.

When she was first introduced on 3/1 she mispronounced Maddie’s name and that bothered me.

 

[Mack the Knife]

Step Mom has also posted publicly on her Facebook page. Heartbreaking photo of Maddie accompanying the statement that looks so similar to a photoshoot style I just had for my daughter.

Here's the same statement, screenshotted from the FB page for those who don't want to watch the video. It's the same info that is being posted in the approved source, so I hope that's okay.

 

[Beekarina]

I find it pretty weird, although on a handful of occasions people have shared things with me. NOTHING approaching the sorts of stuff we learned about SS, but sometimes things totally out of context where I was left feeling mildly uncomfortable around them and felt I really did not know what to say or do....i.e. I think some people share as a way of testing what you may be open to, and others just share EVERYTHING about themselves, and don't really think before they do so.

 

[Universecalling]

Definitely was strange, unemotional, detached interview. I don't understand it.I know we can react differently but as a mother it's hard to comprehend. I lose my breath at the thought of my child going missing.

We were given clues that something isn’t right here, right away.
Wouldn’t you hold your child’s photo next to you in those interviews? Wouldn’t you plead 80% of the time if that interview?
Shouldn’t YOU be the one comforted?

And the biggest clue that something wasn’t sitting well with the cops was — no presser by Tuesday morning, with the family behind the LE pleading for Maddie’s safe return.
There was none of that. And now we know why. But, even after his arrest there were no signals from LE that the family was victim to his heinous acts.

 

[Simply Southern]

It was offensive that she made that mistake in getting Madeline's birth day wrong.

I agree. With her long and varied experience, she should be equipped with more than enough communication skills to address the public sufficiently, particularly since she is leading this police department. It came across as very sloppy work for a planned media event and therefore looks bad on the entire department. I'm sure the detectives are doing everything they can to solve these crimes against Madeline, yet her providing incorrect information (birthday) and her seemingly ill preparation at simply reading from a script left a poor impression overall. Hopefully she puts more effort into the next update. 5P's. Proper preparation prevents poor performance. MOO.

Totally agree. She should have been well prepared, SHE called the presser and she alone was the presenter. She OWNS this.

Not a good look or confidence builder.

Moo

 

[Universecalling]

Here's the same statement, screenshotted from the FB page for those who don't want to watch the video. It's the same info that is being posted in the approved source, so I hope that's okay.
View attachment 492321

Key signature. “The Wallace Family”.

 

[Mack the Knife]

Key signature. “The Wallace Family”.

Ah yes, I cut it off because I didn't see it in the video, but that must have been the video frame. Figured I'd play on the safe side anyway since the poster is not a sleuthable person, and I don't think we've named MS's father or stepmother anywhere?

 

[photoprose1122]

Ah yes, I cut it off because I didn't see it in the video, but that must have been the video frame. Figured I'd play on the safe side anyway since the poster is not a sleuthable person, and I don't think we've named MS's father or stepmother anywhere?

I assumed you cut it off for that reason - the name is known but still good practice to protect their privacy since we’re not sleuthing that family.

 

[Simply Southern]

I am confident LE has most, if not all of the answers, just holding back until the case is ready for charges.

as far as the 911 call, it wasnt released. we dont know what, if any, sense of urgency there was when she called. was it simply 'my daughter isnt here'? did she advise she didnt go into school to check at pickup? what were SS and JS doing from the moment after she made that call? did she email the school while on site via her phone when she returned from riding around or go back home and do that?

did investigators show up after 3 hours because JS never reconnected with them until a later time because she was busy doing her own riding around making calls and emailing?

all in hindsight, but if she had chosen to enter the school to check if Madeline was hung up with something, and found not to be in school that day, that would have changed the entire landscape of the 'missing' event. for me, there was no sense of urgency, almost as if she didnt want to make that call to LE while inside the school with someone else present. IMO of course.

Regardless of the mothers actions, I expect LE to respond to any request promptly. LE confirmed, to reporters, she called at 4:45 and the officer responded at 8 pm. If LE didn't show up promptly, I'd be calling my Board of Supervisor rep, no matter the time, then the media. I'd be furious, as a tax payer.

Slow response to a missing child report, "fake" presser, reds flags in my opinion. We shall see ....
Moo ...

 

[Mimimom]

I share this opinion - that it was unintentional and perhaps an accidental overdose. Maybe a lot of the sa involved drugging her unconscious, and that's why it often happened on school vacations (when she'd be able to sleep in without it being noticed). Or maybe part of of the SA was escalating violent acts that ended up leading to death.

If it were intentional, something would have had to change recently (versus in the many years that he horrifically abused her) to make him want to kill her...the threat of being caught would be an obvious one. But still, if she had threatened to tell, wouldn't he have been less scared of covering himself up/defending that accusation than defending an entire murder? If it was intentional, it clearly wasn't well planned out in advance as he "reset his phone" that very same day.

There could be a valid reason where his abuse would have been disclosed, no way out of it for him aside from dumping her body and it not being found. There are many missing children that are never found and no one is charged.