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

[MissMalowe]

I find it interesting that mom seemed to purposely avoid interaction particularly direct in-person contact and/or direct communication when she had the ability to avoid it or pass the buck to someone else on day 1.

It's a school day for Madeline but mom, who according to Gma, always drives her, can't drop off Madeline this morning- Too tired.

Madeline doesn't come out at school dismissal as expected. (Which SS was apparently supposed to accompany mom to do, so she had to go alone) Mom doesn't immediately go in to the school to speak to the front office personnel, speak to the principal or to speak to the teacher directly. She instead opts to.... send an e-mail.

When it's time to get police involved, other family members make the initial calls. 3 calls were placed to 911, and at least 2 were placed by a woman "calling on behalf of Madeline's mother"

Mom waits at her mother's place of business along with SS, other family members, etc. It's apparently a long period of time between the first call to 911 and when an officer actually arrives. At no point does mom opt to go to the police station to speak with anyone there directly instead.

Once police do finally arrive, Mom of course *has* to speak to LE directly, and she also has to speak to the principal on the phone because it was an incoming call- but shes anything but alone at this point - SS is there & also answering questions and a lot of family members are also still there waiting for word too. Her own mother is also there.

I'm wondering if this means absolutely nothing and is just the way things went that day? Or if it's perhaps mom's anxiety or ineptness that drives this and is something she often tries to avoid? Or was she purposely avoiding seeing/speaking to anyone directly about Madeline that particular day? And if so, why?

 

[Pruddennce]

Just MOO and my own thoughts in this post. Thinking about how possessive SS revealed himself to be in regards to Madeline. When the officer is asking questions about Maddie, asking things a parent should be answering, SS talks over Jen to answer some personal ones about Maddie. Why would a sometimes-around-and not-around-lately know how much she weights? If she had body scars under her clothes?

He had been allowed to take on a role of pseudo stepfather, even though he was actually a pedophile in parent's clothing. He's answers the officer like Madeline is his child or his possession. In his mind that bond gave him rights. He was her person.

In essence, and this is uncomfortable to bring up, so brace yourself against the overwhelming anger that may wash over you, SS infiltrated Madeline's world when she was an 8 yr. old child and from there he groomed her. He said she would come to him to talk when she had arguments with her mother. Not sure if I got the wording right, but he claimed-- "I was that person for her." "I was her person."

MOO now. She went to him to talk when on the outs with her mother. It's not like she had much choice, she was forced into a intimate relationship with this creepy dude her mother brought into their bed and for some reason mom was all for the closeness she saddled Maddie with. I don't think I'm assuming this, but going by facts gathered.

He wants to tell others he's a stepfather, takes credit, and he's not even there as a real partner. MOO, it's just an on and off weird relationship, and I don't understand how it was okay with Jen. Unfortunately, it was pretty much forced on Maddie as a young child and this dude kept coming back.

More of my own thoughts and MOO-- (In his mind) their special bond, him being the pseudo stepfather came with kind of ownership of personhood. "I was her person", and she was mine to apparently rule over. I am "The Stepfather". I can take liberties, make her earn freedoms, I come bearing Tamagotchis, teach her video games and other things, I provide nightly soothing before bedtime, we have special secrets. To the point he, the sometimes-there-boyfriend, takes on the role of needing consoling in front of cameras when Maddie goes missing.

JS wanted a stepfather for her daughter and a partner to share the responsibilities with, and maybe she didn't realize what was going on under her nose. I can only conclude that right up until the end JS was okay with this arrangement, saw it as innocent parental caring, she wasn't against it or suspicious of it if she was the one to actually call SS back into their lives to "take care" of Maddie that night and oversee her nightly routine. I feel sorry for her poor decisions. What happened that night? What are the real details and what really happened? This is all MOO.​

respectful thoughtful post. yes, many missing pieces. we KNOW now what was happening in her life for years, but as you asked, what happened after her birthday party, that nite, into the morning hours..... a HUGE piece is missing ---->JS's movements.

hoping they release her LE audio interview and the rest of the body cams and when LE went to the home. saw just a snippet.

 

[Seattle1]

Wait a minute, I thought at one time JS said that Maddie would not have known how to get to her grandmother's office?

MOO.

I believe JS said that MS would not have gone to the home of any of her friends because she did not know where they lived or how to get there.

 

[Seattle1]

I can't even imagine at 13 yrs old that she didn't know where she lived or how to get to/from school. Even if she didn't know the street names to/from the school, she would know how to get there. My kid (who is now 35) knew where she was going in kindergarten if we were in the car, headed to grandma's house, etc. She certainly knew her address by the time she was 6 or 7.

Believe it or not -- this is not the first time I've heard this! We heard the same from Hialeah, FLA's Dereck Rosa, 13, charged with murdering his mother last October as she slept. When he called 911, he told the dispatch operator that he did not know his address but asked them to hold while he looked for a piece of incoming USPS mail with their home address.

13-year-old who allegedly stabbed mother to death in front of new baby to be charged as an adult

In Derek Rosa's call to 911 he told dispatch: “Miss, I took pictures, and I told my friend about it. Is that bad?”

www.nbcnews.com

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Did SS have access to either MS's phone or JS's phone at any time? Did he do some extra deleting?

Jen said she went through Madeline's messages. I don't think SS was the only one deleting stuff. MOO

 

[Curious Me]

I can't believe it, that Maddie stayed in the care of this woman. Where were authorities, when they were needed??

Who reported any sexual abuse of a child going on in that household that was ignored by authorities? Not sure Madeline told anyone outside of the household. What could authorities do with no clue something was happening? Did any family member report it to CPS? I don't think so. That's on their conscious now if they knew and did nothing. ​

bbm last paragraph
No mother, who is able to hold down a job and drive a car, can be so stupid as to not understand, what has been going on for years. She is not mentally impaired.
I agree with all, what you said before the last paragraph!

Oh, dear @FromGermany1, I certainly agree with your observations of JS. My post was to look at what I know was going on and present it in a way to help examine how it makes us feel. Anger for sure, and such sorrow for that little girl. Madeline, could not have been that happy-happy of a young girl, in reality, having to put up with things that make us shudder.

Watching JS in these latest body cams revealed someone who was not hindered by whatever mental conditions she may have or meds she may take. She is perfectly capable of being extremely aware, even multi-tasking, can communicate well, and she's able to take control of situations. I know she can feel empathy enough to console poor pitiful pedophile SS. So, no more excuses that she's so limited by anything that she couldn't notice what was going on with her child in her home for years. Yes, she failed to protect her child big time, or maybe even worse.

My last paragraph was to present it without actual accusation. People can make up their own minds. I have no evidence only emotion at this point. Sure, I'm more there now than I was before-- waiting to see if JS will be charged. What part did she play in the abuse? The coverup? The death? I'm sure LE is still investigating and gathering evidence, but it's gotten harder to excuse JS and not want charges filed. I suspect over half of us want and are waiting to see charges slammed on her. This is in the hands of law enforcement now.​

 

[Beekarina]

RSBM. Maybe MS did spontaneously go to her grandmother's office sometimes, when she was afraid of who might be at her home.

Yes, she certainly may have.

My point is the way the adults all spoke about MS, and how none of their actions seem to fit with the descriptions of MS--at least to me.

I feel they're all lying, to some degree. I'm just not always sure when, and what about. So in terms of something like spontaneously walking to grandmother's office vs not knowing her own address or where any of her friends live, that just seems a pretty weird combination to me. Hope this clarifies!

 

[Curious Me]

Murder of Madeline Soto: Analyzing Newly Released Bodycam Footage

Newly released bodycam footage of Stephan Sterns and Jenn Soto offer insight into the first minutes of the search for Madeline Soto.

www.courttv.com

 

[Curious Me]

Myself not being from the area, and many of us aren't from the area, it would help to see a map, or hear the mileage, showing how far the grandmother's office is from the school and how far the condo is from the school?

I heard the Gma's office was closeby where she might walk there after school. Why would she? And how often did she? I think the condo complex was quite far from the school, so MS would probably never be able to walk to school.

She, at least, should've known her own address though! I guess living in a gated community meant MS never got to walk to the store for a popsicle. Did she have friends in the complex she played outside with? Did she have play dates after school? Please, I want to know she didn't live in a vacuum. MS would be eligible to drive soon. It'd help if she knew her own neighborhood streets.

Gee, if Jen drove her & picked her up from school on a regular basis you'd think they'd talk about the surroundings, maybe Maddie would point out roughly the area where her friend lived. Say her friend's whole name so JS would've known it to give them a call looking for Maddie. ​

 

[Megnut]

Might SS have returned to the house that morning with intention to undumpster her backpack and laptop? Realized it might get discovered there but by the time he got there, there was too much activity. Re-hide it, make sure it was off, disable or destroy it... and didn’t ultimately get a chance?

Jmo

 

[MollyDDD]

Believe it or not -- this is not the first time I've heard this! We heard the same from Hialeah, FLA's Dereck Rosa, 13, charged with murdering his mother last October as she slept. When he called 911, he told the dispatch operator that he did not know his address but asked them to hold while he looked for a piece of incoming USPS mail with their home address.

13-year-old who allegedly stabbed mother to death in front of new baby to be charged as an adult

In Derek Rosa's call to 911 he told dispatch: “Miss, I took pictures, and I told my friend about it. Is that bad?”

www.nbcnews.com

I can still remember, when I was in elementary school, one of the first assignments was to be able to recite our address and phone number.
That’s like first or second grade!

 

[Megnut]

That she didn't like to sleep makes me shudder.

I don't believe it.

I certainly don't believe she chose the sleeping arrangements in her home.

If however when she was elsewhere, she didn't eat to sleep alone, I get it; she was groomed for it.

Makes me wonder though -- didn't more her address, didn't know her friends' addresses (ridiculous assertion because her friends certainly would know their own addresses so if she were in their company, she'd be able to reach their homes) -- but I wonder if we'd hear -- does MS spend time with friends? She doesn't know where they live. But she's a happy girl. And she's happy at home. She doesn’t like being not at home.

I hate what they turned into her normal.

And she never got the chance even to grow up and learn her worth the long, hard, but possible way. SS stole all of it from her.

Prison is too good for him.

JMO

 

[grannygates]

During the FEB27 LE interview with SS, SS says that gma was watching MS the prior week while JS was working. JS said that she went to gmas office after school because MS sometimes walked there after school. i mapped it and the office is an approx 16 min walk from the school (It is the next block up from the vape shop)

If the office is that close to the school, it does make sense (to me) to make that the “central command post” for the family if they think she went missing in that neighbourhood.

ETA: The business name is clearly visible in the bodycam footage so I’ll link the map for those who would like to see.

Hunter's Creek Middle School to ADVANCE INSURANCE GROUP AND TAX SERVICES

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[ttjo]

That she didn't like to sleep makes me shudder.

I don't believe it.

I certainly don't believe she chose the sleeping arrangements in her home.

If however when she was elsewhere, she didn't eat to sleep alone, I get it; she was groomed for it.

Makes me wonder though -- didn't more her address, didn't know her friends' addresses (ridiculous assertion because her friends certainly would know their own addresses so if she were in their company, she'd be able to reach their homes) -- but I wonder if we'd hear -- does MS spend time with friends? She doesn't know where they live. But she's a happy girl. And she's happy at home. She doesn’t like being not at home.

I hate what they turned into her normal.

And she never got the chance even to grow up and learn her worth the long, hard, but possible way. SS stole all of it from her.

Prison is too good for him.

JMO

Most of the friends you have at that age you meet at school, if maddie went to a neighborhood school, she would have friends close by, maybe even in the complex, but going to a school far away means she likely needed a drive to see friends. Jenn was tired all the time, how often do you think she would drive her to play with friends?
why did she go to that school anyway? was it b/c it was close to G ma? who she probably depended on? It kind of flies in the face of what SS says he does around there.

 

[MollyDDD]

That she didn't like to sleep makes me shudder.

I don't believe it.

I certainly don't believe she chose the sleeping arrangements in her home.

If however when she was elsewhere, she didn't eat to sleep alone, I get it; she was groomed for it.

Makes me wonder though -- didn't more her address, didn't know her friends' addresses (ridiculous assertion because her friends certainly would know their own addresses so if she were in their company, she'd be able to reach their homes) -- but I wonder if we'd hear -- does MS spend time with friends? She doesn't know where they live. But she's a happy girl. And she's happy at home. She doesn’t like being not at home.

I hate what they turned into her normal.

And she never got the chance even to grow up and learn her worth the long, hard, but possible way. SS stole all of it from her.

Prison is too good for him.

JMO

It’s so heartbreaking to think that this young girl’s existence was so abnormal, and then she was murdered. Just stunning that no one came to her rescue.

 

[ttjo]

It’s so heartbreaking to think that this young girl’s existence was so abnormal, and then she was murdered. Just stunning that no one came to her rescue.

it's awful, but you can't help but think about why she didn't want to sleep alone. What was her anxiety from? if anything you would think Jenn would recognize that part? did she ever ask? Maddi saw a therapist, did Jenn tell the therapist about it?
Maddi wasn't 3 or 4 she was 13, that's not exactly age-appropriate behavior, surely Jenn could see that?
I also wonder about how much of that (couldn't sleep alone) was directed by SS.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I just want to say that I was previously of the mind that it was inconceivable that Maddie never told anyone about the abuse and/or that JS never suspected it.

I was thoughtfully corrected here by people who had unfortunately experienced similar situations.

I believe them.

As inconceivable as either situation seems, they do happen.

 

[Teche]

Jen said she went through Madeline's messages. I don't think SS was the only one deleting stuff. MOO

Was Maddie allowed and E encouraged to be involved in school activities and age-appropriate social activities? Children can learn and grow with positive activities.

My daughter’s 15-year-old son is in high school and is allowed to have a cell phone? He can call, text, and use the internet. So far, he doesn't have any social media accounts yet. My daughter can read his texts and view his searches. He keeps busy with scouting, cross-country, and clubs.

 

[ttjo]

I just want to say that I was previously of the mind that it was inconceivable that Maddie never told anyone about the abuse and/or that JS never suspected it.

I was thoughtfully corrected here by people who had unfortunately experienced similar situations.

I believe them.

As inconceivable as either situation seems, they do happen.

they do happen, probably more often than not, but what makes it harder to believe here is that it was excessive ( 1700 photos/ videos) and there were signs of something going on with Maddie not being able to sleep alone.
Most moms would worry about that as if some trauma happened.
I'd feel better knowing she at least tried to get to the bottom of that.

 

[Anika]

The videos on SS phone of him abusing Maddie would all be time and date stamped. ...

One of them was specifically on her 11th birthday, according to the Osceola clerk's site. That one is closed because it was rolled into the rest of the charges, but date of offense was 2/22/22. That made me so sad to read that.