Found Deceased FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #8

[ChatteringBirds]

So I watch JS here swaying and laughing, and looking so strangely calm and I am at a loss as a mom.

Moms worry. Moms with anxiety? We freak the flip out. From experience.

But maybe she would not seem very anxious, even if tremendously worried about her daughter, if she was under the effects of something, whether a prescription medication or something else? Speculation only.

 

[Vanilletx]

....Exactly.
Heres the thing, too-
Jennifer Sotos mother said that Stephan NEVER took Madeline to school.
She said that Jennifer was just tired this morning, which is why he took her ; for change.

So, not only does this make Stephans comments about; "like she always did" (when getting out of the vehicle/ her attiude/ etc) COMPLETELY FALSE

But- Why would there be a video of Madeline getting ready, anyways? Jennifer was home..

Are you telling me, we are to believe that Stephan just so happened to kill this innocent girl, while Jennifer was home, and he was able to transport her limp body into the car; without being found out?

*****There's too many things pointing to Jennifer knowing about this than there is her not knowing.

It’s not that big of an apartment! If she was really knocking herself out that she would sleep through a murder and clean up, I would argue that is neglect and abuse too! As parents we can’t ever let ourselves go that far !

And remember they had broken up and he had only been back that day? None of this makes sense

 

[Teche]

JS scrolled and scrolled to find a good picture of Maddie. Most of my pictures of grandchildren and children.

 

[Beekarina]

But maybe she would not seem very anxious, even if tremendously worried about her daughter, if she was under the effects of something, whether a prescription medication or something else? Speculation only.

Maybe?

She's cognizant enough to clearly answer questions, scroll through the phone and so on. She could have social or behavioral issues herself we're not aware of, I guess?

What we have seen of JS, she does not behave like anyone I have been around who has anxiety. I realize we're only getting snippets, so it's not a lot to go on,but it's unusual IMO and IME.

 

[Beekarina]

It’s not that big of an apartment! If she was really knocking herself out that she would sleep through a murder and clean up, I would argue that is neglect and abuse too! As parents we can’t ever let ourselves go that far !

And remember they had broken up and he had only been back that day? None of this makes sense

If they were truly broken up, all of the "my partner" and "stepfather" terminology is a million times moe bizarre as well.

It does make me wonder if we might learn SS had a nearby hotel room, and was there to pick up some stuff from storage, this all happened and voila he isagain the "partner"/stepfather?

 

[MollyDDD]

Oh and we learn from the video that Maddie's phone had tracking.

How VERY convenient that she happened to forget it that VERY day she went "missing."

 

[lightofmine99]

I just find it bizarre that apparently SS had been removed from the "family unit" so to speak for a long time and the day Maddie "went missing" was like his first day back after being gone. I believe the grandmother said this on the bodycam? Of course she could've been mistaken and he could've been back for a while without other family knowing. MOO.

I believe that Stephan strangled her to death.

I agree, but:

Not sure if this is mod approved but one of our approved sources got a "tip" or a leak from another reputable source that the C.O.D. was head trauma or blunt force trauma. MOO but I think head trauma could be a contributing factor rather than the official C.O.D. I think she could've experienced the trauma during a struggle, or he attempted to hit her first and it failed. MOO, hidden because slightly NSFW.

 

[Pruddennce]

also of note, going back to the released audio of SS's LE interview, he claims he SLEPT through LE's calls to him. (he's so sowwy). why was LE calling him? makes me wonder if she was unreachable and then they called him. sleeping through phone calls that may relate to a missing child? sure, I understand it didnt matter to HIM, but what about JS? we have not heard JS's interview, only a portion of the written narrative.

also curious as to Madeline's phone communications which Im confident, if relevant, will show up in trial. but I also think that since LE immediately released her text/posting about 'when she turns 13, wanting to live in the woods' as it relates to turmoil in the home, IMO, it cannot be the only communication she would have engaged in....I think she may have reached out to someone. its unclear when she texted/posted that.

the family onsite at gm's place of business were IMO extremely disconnected from JS. JS's own mother didnt stand by her, put her arm around her with a show of support. nor her sister.

 

[MollyDDD]

I really hate that JS continually states that Maddie "didn't make it" to school.

"Didn't make it" is a very common euphemism for someone dying. As in:

"The surgeons worked frantically, but he just didn't make it."

"The accident victim was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, but she didn't make it."

I agree, it gives the connotation of finality. When a parent learns that their child could be in danger, misbelief or denial would be a more natural reaction then to refer to it as “she didn’t make it”.
Especially attending school! The only time your child wouldn’t be in school is when they’re too sick to attend. So the shock of that for a parent would be quite upsetting. In fact, I don’t know if all school districts do this, but unless a parent calls the school to let them know their child won’t be attending that day, the school will call the parents to confirm the child’s absence. I think it’s a good policy to have as it keeps the parent informed and hopefully the child protected.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Exactly. From Hunter's Creek Middle School to the Insurance office it's a 16min walk.

A few things that JS and SS Both Say.... that give me alarm bells:

- I'm a wreck = they BOTH say this
- Maddie doesn't want to ride in Stephan's car cuz it's a phase she's going through... Jenn says it too? Why? What?
- The whole "hibiscus flowered grey backpack" description. It's so much detail. Too much.
- They both seem united in the whole green hoodie/white crocs thing. IF I HAD NOT SEEN my child in the morning.... I would not confidently declare the outfit to law enforcement! Period.

Yes, such things make it difficult not to start to form certain conclusions about this sad case? And this point….. snipped:

“- Maddie doesn't want to ride in Stephan's car cuz it's a phase she's going through... Jenn says it too? Why? What?”

I had not caught before that they both (SS & JS) were stating this about the car as a point of embarrassment or a phase.

Both are saying this?

And yet JS had supposedly called and requested SS to take MS to school that morning?

I best stop here. MOO

 

[DoctorRose]

I agree, it gives the connotation of finality. When a parent learns that their child could be in danger, misbelief or denial would be a more natural reaction then to refer to it as “she didn’t make it”.
Especially attending school! The only time your child wouldn’t be in school is when they’re too sick to attend. So the shock of that for a parent would be quite upsetting. In fact, I don’t know if all school districts do this, but unless a parent calls the school to let them know their child won’t be attending that day, the school will call the parents to confirm the child’s absence. I think it’s a good policy to have as it keeps the parent informed and hopefully the child protected.

Her school did an (automated I think) call in the evening regarding her absence. I think it was meant more as a “make sure you get your kid to school” message than a “make sure you find your kid” message. Iirc this school district has updated their policy on this because of Maddie’s case.

 

[Forest_Wood]

But maybe she would not seem very anxious, even if tremendously worried about her daughter, if she was under the effects of something, whether a prescription medication or something else? Speculation only.

I thought about that possibility too. If she's using medication to calm herself, then she might not display her emotions and her processing may be stunted. However! She's so alert and laser focused on that cop (strong awareness), with quick responses to his questions (strong thinking and processing), able to laugh (emotional affect) and her communication is clear, precise, accurate (articulate, strong listener). She seems very put together - other than her physical presentation of body movements - swaying, hand gestures and looking up to the right into the air on occasion. MOO.

 

[Forest_Wood]

new bodycam:
I noticed that JS's phone's ringer was off. when LE first arrives she is on the phone, then puts it in her pocket. she pulls it out because obviously it vibrated and gave it to SS to talk to whoever called. then when she gets the call from the principal, its in her hand, same thing, obviously just vibrated for incoming calls.

if she called everyone, her friends/parents why would she have her phone on vibrate instead of HIGH RING for incoming calls in the event someone spotted her OR found her?

Good catch! Very odd someone who's waiting to hear about her daughter would have her phone on vibrate and not on the loudest volume so as not to miss a call. MOO.

 

[Vaderman]

I have been trying to give the mom the biggest benefit of the doubt in all this because I can't imagine what it would be like to be in this situation if you are not guilty of something.

However, watching the body cam something jumped out to me as very very very odd.

I feel the same way. The news interviews didn't make me suspicious of the mother. The questionable decisions didn't make me suspicious of the mother. I wasn't just giving her the benefit of the doubt--I was pretty confident that while she may have, at worst, been a horrible or absent-minded mother, she wasn't complicit in her daughter's death.

I no longer feel that confidence after watching the bodycam video. Something seems very, very odd about her behavior, indeed.

 

[JennieM]

I feel the same way. The news interviews didn't make me suspicious of the mother. The questionable decisions didn't make me suspicious of the mother. I wasn't just giving her the benefit of the doubt--I was pretty confident that while she may have, at worst, been a horrible or absent-minded mother, she wasn't complicit in her daughter's death.

I no longer feel that confidence after watching the bodycam video. Something seems very, very odd about her behavior, indeed.

The problem with the bodycam video IMO is that she appears detached and lacks urgency. There is no panic, she does not seem overwhelmed. She does not have any moments of losing control, of emotion taking over. She is weirdly in control. She is almost matter of fact. I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right. It made me feel sad to watch it.

 

[Forest_Wood]

Imo, she didn’t see a video of her daughter getting ready that morning. Not via text or email anyhow. Couldn’t have seen a live video from that morning (eg: FaceTime) either if Ms was dead by 8am. Mooooooo

Where is this idea that JS saw a video of her daughter getting dressed come from and that JS was not at home in the morning? Madeline's grandmother said that JS worked late the day of the party and even SS said that he turned to JS and exclaimed, "What did I just do!" when he "reset" his phone that morning. Even JS herself puts herself at home that night when she said she saw Madeline go to bed and saw her gifts. And JS herself was specific of the time she saw Maddie getting dressed at 08:00 hours. I agree with you that JS was not shown a video of her daughter getting dressed. MOO.

 

[MIG214222]

I agree, it gives the connotation of finality. When a parent learns that their child could be in danger, misbelief or denial would be a more natural reaction then to refer to it as “she didn’t make it”. Especially attending school! The only time your child wouldn’t be in school is when they’re too sick to attend. So the shock of that for a parent would be quite upsetting.

Exactly @MollyDDD - this ^
& there's more 'phrases' JS & OR SS use that are (imo) jarring: "Time to kill", "...that was it"

& I'm sure there's more, this case makes me want to commit violence & vomit OR vomit & commit violence - I don't think the order actually matters - I'm still gobsmacked that she consented to her child sleeping with that disgusting-pile-of-excrement.

I've got *no* proof but my gut tells me, at some stage, when the SA started, when Maddie was SO young, she told her mother & was shutdown: "NO! Don't be silly, he wouldn't; he doesn't mean THAT! It's YOUR ADHD, don't forget you're on the spectrum, it's because you haven't had enough sleep - it's in your imagination................... ETC!"

Justice for Maddie - so F - - King SORRY this was your life Maddie.
You need to know now, there's a world of people who know about you, who *hear* you & who are invested in making things right for you.

All MOO

Sheesh, edit: bolding & colouring of text in copy of MollyDDD's post done for emphasis

 

[Forest_Wood]

It's never been confirmed if SS was at the party, where jenn was, if she worked , how late she worked or when she came home.
jenn did not say she watched her get into bed.
SS was allegedly there at the condo according to him.
g- ma said " he was here for I dont for what" no dates mentioned
No ideas as to when maddi passed, where she was when she passed or who was there or involved.
One thing we do know for sure is that they didnt have unicorns and rainbows at her birthday party.

LE originally said they believe Maddie was deceased "in the early morning hours" of that Monday.

 

[friendlysleuther]

I really hate that JS continually states that Maddie "didn't make it" to school.

"Didn't make it" is a very common euphemism for someone dying. As in:

"The surgeons worked frantically, but he just didn't make it."

"The accident victim was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, but she didn't make it."

Yes ! I highlighted this in both of the transcripts I posted

 

[friendlysleuther]

LE originally said they believe Maddie was deceased "in the early morning hours" of that Monday.

Yes, especially because of SS stating - “She was asleep most of the way” (to school)