Found Deceased FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #7

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You should probably prepare yourself for that. I've said this before but she's a prime candidate for one, including but not limited to the fact she is female. MOO.
Help me understand why you think she's a prime candidate for a deal in this case?
What does she have to offer that the state doesn't already have from his phone & google drive accounts (and likely other evidence the public isn't even aware of yet)?
 
Help me understand why you think she's a prime candidate for a deal in this case?
What does she have to offer that the state doesn't already have from his phone & google drive accounts (and likely other evidence the public isn't even aware of yet)?

They have plenty of evidence from his phone and google drive accounts to convict him on the CSAM charges, without JS's help.

We don't know what evidence they have on the murder charge. If that evidence isn't as strong, they may well need JS's assistance.
 
May I ask what you think are other plausible theories?
I’m not saying strangulation can’t be the manner of death, simply that a rage killing doesn’t line up with premeditation for me. In order for the prosecution to apply that, they have to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder was premeditated, and I just don’t think they would be able to prove that if it was an in the moment rage killing due to him losing it because she rebuffed him or something. If that were the case, I would think they’d charge him with felony murder. The fact that they added premeditation tells me that there is some compelling evidence that he in fact thought about killing her and then carried that act out. I just think there was a clear motive to kill her and they have some evidence that they believe will hold up in court. MOO. I am certainly aware that strangulation takes long enough that he had time to think about his actions; my hang up is on in the moment rage being the motive — I don’t think prosecution could prove premeditation under those circumstances.

ETA: it’s just my opinion that they aren’t going to apply charges beyond what they’re confident they can prove, otherwise they risk losing the case or a lesser punishment than he deserves, and then he can’t be charged again because of double jeopardy.
 
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They have plenty of evidence from his phone and google drive accounts to convict him on the CSAM charges, without JS's help.

We don't know what evidence they have on the murder charge. If that evidence isn't as strong, they may well need JS's assistance.
Any kind of deal for JS on the murder charge would imply she has something quite valuable to offer, such as direct knowledge of him killing MS and/or covering it up.
In which case, would they really allow her to skate on the criminal activity of knowingly covering up her own kid's murder, just so they can get a murder conviction on only one of the adults in MS's life?
It seems more logical that they'd just charge them both.

jmo
 
Respectfully, and I hate to be a broken record, but IMO an in the moment rage killing just doesn’t line up with premeditation for me. I know premeditation can be minutes before, but there are a lot of factors to establish premeditation that a rage killing disqualifies, MOO.
I'm with whoever brought up the use of a different car as perhaps being a signal of premeditation. He was driving the car his dad usually drove, according to the interview with his friend. So, why was he driving a different car?
 
"(Jennifer Soto) stated if she needed a good night sleep due to her anxiety, she would ask them (Stephen and Madeline) to sleep in a different bedroom."
Police: Madeline Soto’s mom said it was normal for teen to sleep in stepfather’s bed

I am livid. Of all the self involved, excuse me but what in the . . .

I'm gonna need to step away because the things that want to fly out of my fingertips right now would surely get me banned or at least TO'd for a really really long time.
 
I know, most 8 year olds would get after you clean up your room or do your homework you can play on the phone. But that, he makes me want to puke.

'In one of those video's Sterns said to Madeline (then 8 years old!) that she could not play with the phone unless she performed a sex act.'

This is beyond shocking.
 
I was horrified to learn that Maddie slept in the same bed with Jennifer and Stephan. It's so much worse. I cannot wait until she is charged.

"(Jennifer Soto) stated while they were together they… (Jennifer, Stephen and Madeline)… would either all sleep in the same bed or (Madeline) would sleep with her when Stephan was not there," one statement reads.

When asked if it was normal that Stephan and (Madeline) would sleep together without her being there, and she said yes, statements say.

"(Jennifer Soto) stated if she needed a good night sleep due to her anxiety, she would ask them (Stephen and Madeline) to sleep in a different bedroom."


Another statement reads, "Stephan stated (Madeline) always needed human contact when going to sleep. Stephan referred to it as "snuggling."

The conversations with Sterns came to an abrupt end when detectives revealed images allegedly found on Sterns' phone, depicting sex with the 13-year-old-girl.

Um yikes.
 
I was commenting as I listened.

Am surprised in a way by having confirmation of the sleeping arrangements, but sadly also not.

It does "fit" with what we already knew of the clothing being in certain rooms, etc from earlier info, and also JS' mom saying MS didn't sleep alone.

It's one thing for MS to have had an anxious night or something and once in awhile sought comfort with her mom, but at 12, 13, even that is really a red flag if it is happening so often people know about it. Poor MS NEVER EVER should have been sharing a bed with her mother's boyfriend. Just WTF. :(
A loved one of mine as an anxious teen slept on the floor in their parents’ room. I agree there were def other possible arrangements here that Jen should have been able to think of. It sounds like she prioritized her own sleep.
 
IMG_4151.jpeg

New docs available on the docket. Looks like statements and more search warrants including one for his Fitbit account and something for Holiday Inn. Also a DNA warrant and storage unit it looks like. The certified records are just the same google items we saw before - 20 pages of file names.
 
I wonder if going to McDonald’s was ever used as a reward.

I would not be shocked if Jen is and has been inpatient for some sort of mental breakdown.

No boundaries were in place. Even if you think your husband is a true father figure to your daughter, you make reasonable boundaries. If Maddie couldn’t sleep alone at 13 she should have been getting treatment and encouraged to sleep in her own room. Mom should say to her partner “you know, Maddie’s growing up and cuddling in bed isn’t appropriate”. It’s just common sense.

I also wonder where Maddie slept at her dad’s house and whether he knew of her sleeping arrangements at home. Most dads would be disturbed by that and say something to their kid’s mom.
 
I think Maddie didn't want to sleep alone because of SS. She probably felt safer with JS in the bed, until JS told them both to sleep in another room. How I wish she could have told someone...

It's entirely possible IMO that she told her mom but her mom either didn't believe her or told her not to tell anyone else.
 
And that’s how I think this went down. I don’t believe any blood was found in the house, or there were any items missing (bloody blankets, etc).

That would rule out blunt force trauma, stabbing, shooting, etc, which would open the door to a heat of the moment event.

I don’t believe he arrived at the house that night planning on killing Madeline. It’s possible, but I don’t think the crime would look like this.

Sloppy and panicked.

Asphyxiation all the way. First degree premeditated murder.

I also think it quite likely she died of suffocation. Here's MS, newly 13, on her birthday once again being assaulted by her 'stepfather' but this time she fights back. If she's face down on the bed, that 200 pounds of horror could easily push her face into the pillow or mattress to stop her from yelling or biting him. I'm not sure if he manually strangled her because that would show intent whereas, suffocation could be explained away to mom who would believe a mouse crawled into her windpipe if that's what he told her.
 
I wonder if going to McDonald’s was ever used as a reward.

I would not be shocked if Jen is and has been inpatient for some sort of mental breakdown.

No boundaries were in place. Even if you think your husband is a true father figure to your daughter, you make reasonable boundaries. If Maddie couldn’t sleep alone at 13 she should have been getting treatment and encouraged to sleep in her own room. Mom should say to her partner “you know, Maddie’s growing up and cuddling in bed isn’t appropriate”. It’s just common sense.

I also wonder where Maddie slept at her dad’s house and whether he knew of her sleeping arrangements at home. Most dads would be disturbed by that and say something to their kid’s mom.
I would also suggest that 'going to McDonald's' and SS offering to drive her places and pick her up could have been a cover, too.

A child can be raped in a car just as easily as in a home. All you need is a place to park that's secluded enough. Woods, alleys, lover's lanes, empty parking lots after dark.

I have a private theory that Madeline may have been killed on the way home from her party, rather than later in the house, but I am waiting to see if anything emerges to support that hypothesis. Not enough data, yet, to know one way or the other.

MOO
 
"(Jennifer Soto) stated if she needed a good night sleep due to her anxiety, she would ask them (Stephen and Madeline) to sleep in a different bedroom."
Police: Madeline Soto’s mom said it was normal for teen to sleep in stepfather’s bed

I am livid. Of all the self involved, excuse me but what in the . . .

I'm gonna need to step away because the things that want to fly out of my fingertips right now would surely get me banned or at least TO'd for a really really long time.
wow. :eek: well, this is confirmation as to what grandmom (if translation is accurate) said in one of her interviews....Madeline didnt like to sleep alone, she had alot of fears. now the big question is, for me, who in this family or friends of JS KNEW she was allowing her daughter to sleep in the same bed on occasion with SS ALONE, and were not comfortable with knowing that and suspected something???????

I reflect back on this: it appears from Chief H's statement during the presser stating 'suspicions' can be reported, and stressing that communication is vital with kids, etc.....IMO, it appears she was referencing, thru interviews in Madeline's circle, there WERE suspicions not acted on.

another question I have: grandmom's interview....one statement of interest to me was it was stated that SS did not live there anymore but came to the party. I cannot get past the fact that JS did not attend her daughter's party which obviously was not a last minute celebration.

where was JS all day sunday, (working onsite or home?), overnite into monday morning, all day monday up until she got in her car and drove to her school.
 
Any kind of deal for JS on the murder charge would imply she has something quite valuable to offer, such as direct knowledge of him killing MS and/or covering it up.
In which case, would they really allow her to skate on the criminal activity of knowingly covering up her own kid's murder, just so they can get a murder conviction on only one of the adults in MS's life?
It seems more logical that they'd just charge them both.

jmo

A plea deal doesn't necessarily involve "skating." Not saying that's what's happening here, but an example, it's not uncommon for a perpetrator to plead guilty in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table.

Or to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence.
 
Why the heck would anyone have had to help her with her evening routine at all? She was not a baby! This is such bollocks!!

Some younger teens still need this, if they lack executive functioning skills. As in reminders to brush teeth, asking if backpack/lunch is ready for tomorrow, another reminder to brush teeth and get into bed...

If Maddie couldn’t sleep alone at 13 she should have been getting treatment and encouraged to sleep in her own room.
RSBM.

That is cultural and a matter of opinion, IMO.

You would also be surprised how many preteens want to fall asleep near their biological parents sometimes. So if she still wanted closeness to her mom at bedtime, I think that's fine.

But it's totally disgusting that her mother would think it's okay for her boyfriend to share a bed with her daughter. No child/teen wants to sleep near their mother's boyfriend. I really can't imagine how JS doesn't remember being a child and how no child would ever actually want that. Poor child.
 
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