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

[vls12345]

Madeline Soto search: Mother’s boyfriend performed factory reset on phone, report shows

According to the arrest affidavit, family and friends said it was unusual for Madeline to be dropped off down the street.

www.wftv.com

As for a criminal history, Sterns is not a registered sex offender, according to FDLE’s sexual offenders and predators’ search.

This is the first time he’s been in booked into the Orange County jail. We found no criminal history except a handful of traffic violations.

As for employment, it’s unclear if he was currently employed. We confirmed he’s been a licensed real estate agent since July 2013. However-- the state database stated he is inactive.

His real estate license is registered at an address in North Port in Sarasota County, the same address his parents live at.

 

[vls12345]

Officials: Body of missing Central Florida 13-year-old girl found

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has confirmed the body found belongs to Madeline Soto, the 13-year-old girl who had been missing since Monday.

www.wesh.com

Even though the sheriff’s office didn’t have an organized search on the ground Thursday, it said it was working on investigative leads.

All the agencies working on the case are urging citizens to be watching for Soto.

Kissimmee police confirmed forensic vehicles were at a residence Thursday, and it was related to the investigation into Soto's disappearance but haven't released further details regarding that.

That was at the Venetian Bay Villages just east of US-192 and west of John Young Parkway.

Kissimmee police said forensic units would be wrapping up their investigation Thursday night and turning the home back over to the residents.

They say a detective will be monitoring the home, which is standard practice.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I was confused by what she meant by “got up at 9 am” because she said it right after she said the surveillance showed Maddie hanging out in the church parking lot, almost like she meant that Maddie was sitting in the church lot and then “got up at 9 am and walked towards the school”. The interviewer started by asking “What’s going on with Maddie” and her mom went directly into the timeline of the day. A very odd, confusing interview for sure..

BBM for focus.

That's how I interpreted what she meant.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I became aware of this case only today so perhaps this has already been covered, but did the sheriff say that other security cameras besides the one at the church parking lot picked Maddie up?

That's what I thought I heard on the Nancy Grace thingie.

If that's true, why hasn't any of that video been released as it was in the Hannah Graham case?

 

[Knox]

BBM for focus.

That's how I interpreted what she meant.

Who told her the details of the video? If it was LE I would be more trusting.

Does anyone have a link to the Sheriff’s pressor?

 

[Taffy550]

I really hope this mom is not another Hailey Dunn type mom. Please Jesus let this little girl be found safe.

 

[Mack the Knife]

All from the emergency warrant request:

• Sterns was in custody at the time of the warrant request
• Sterns' home address is on Santa Maria Drive
• <Redacted> was reported missing by their mother 2024-02-26 at approximately 8:00 pm
  • This is presumably Madeline. Where it is not clear, I will say <Redacted>, where I think it can be safely inferred, I'll say <Madeline>. It is possible that all <Redacted> mentions are Madeline, but unknown at this point.
• The mother reportedly said that Sterns picked her daughter up on the morning of 2024-02-26 and dropped her off at school
  • To me, this phrasing implies that the daughter was not residing at Santa Maria Drive
• When the mother went to pick her daughter up at the end of the day, she learned her daughter did not attend school that day
• Sterns reportedly said he dropped <Madeline> off at a church (13502 Town Loop Blvd, Orlando) down the road from the school (13400 Town Loop Blvd, Orlando) at 8:40 am, 50 minutes before school
• Sterns gave consent for his phone to be searched and reportedly said he accidentally performed a factory reset 2024-02-26
• Police canvassing indicates it was unusual for <Madeline> to be dropped off at that location and to be out of contact with friends and family
• Sexual battery and possession of CSAM is alleged to have occurred between 2022-03-20 and 2023-12-30
  • This is likely dates found in metadata from the photos and videos
• Spoiler: Sexual abuse images and videos found on Sterns's phone

  Sterns's phone contained photos and videos that of <redacted's> genitals. There were additional photos and videos depicting penetration of <redacted>
• Spoiler: The perpetrator in the photos and videos has a distinguishing feature

  The perpetrator's genitals have an identifiable feature that is consistent across different photos and videos.
• The detective notes seeing different clothing and bedding in the photos in the videos. There is a long redacted portion after this.
  • It may be that this clothing and bedding allowed the detective to identify the location of the photos, which we know from other reporting has been identified to be the Kissimmee house

 

[iQuill]

The warrant.

<where is the crying emoji?>

 

[bdawk20]

Who told her the details of the video? If it was LE I would be more trusting.

Does anyone have a link to the Sheriff’s pressor?

madeline soto sheriff oress conference - Google Search

ETA. He says they don’t even know that it’s Madeline on the video.

 

[Nattyj1991]

I hate to say it but there was a reason she didn’t leave the house without her phone, it was so her location couldn’t be tracked. MOO.

This is not good…. poor Madeline.

 

[photographer4]

I can't find any criminal record on this guy, at least in Florida. Public records say he also lived in Orange County California, and funny enough, within Orange County Florida. He does have a ton of traffic violations in Florida spanning the past 20 years, and a case in small claims court, but that's the

Close transcript of what mom said happened.

“Monday morning we took her to school, we dropped her off close to school, across the street from a church which is right next to the school. She crossed the street, and (what we thought) walked to school. My boyfriend who drove her to school drove away at that point…”

Suddenly I don’t believe she went missing on the same day she was reported missing.

 

[photographer4]

The "we" comment doesn't necessarily set off alarm bells to me. I think at that point she was just talking about the parental figures dropping a kid off, but then gets more detailed in adding "her boyfriend". For example, when talking to my friends I would say "we have to drop my kid off at practice". Just referring to someone in the family, when really it only it would be one of us. If that makes sense.?

Def weird vibes from the BF lurking behind her in that video, though!

And interesting the police wouldn't show aunt/mom the surveillance video. I bet there is more on it which hasn't been told. IMO

What reason could LE have for not showing mom / aunt the video from the church parking lot? Eg: do they think she was given / sold to someone? Or…?

 

[MassGuy]

Suddenly I don’t believe she went missing on the same day she was reported missing.

It would take more for me to get there at this point. Although some parts of that do trouble me, it's important to remember that everyone behaves differently in situations like this. He was present during that interview, and he could have manipulated her by saying "they're going to accuse me, so I need you to say certain things." It was super weird that she put herself there at the drop off, but ended the recollection by implying that he was the only one there. There are explanations here that are relatively innocent though, so I'm just waiting for more information.

 

[bdawk20]

What reason could LE have for not showing mom / aunt the video from the church parking lot? Eg: do they think she was given / sold to someone? Or…?

I find it especially strange because in the press conference he said the video is of very poor quality and they aren’t even sure it’s Maddie……yet her mother spoke as if it’s definitely her. But she hasn’t seen it. It seems to me that a mother could tell if it’s her child even on crappy video, so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t show it to her unless maybe they don’t trust the answer she’d give? Strange.

 

[MassGuy]

I find it especially strange because in the press conference he said the video is of very poor quality and they aren’t even sure it’s Maddie……yet her mother spoke as if it’s definitely her. But she hasn’t seen it. It seems to me that a mother could tell if it’s her child even on crappy video, so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t show it to her unless maybe they don’t trust the answer she’d give? Strange.

I think perhaps they know for a fact it isn't her.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

I find it especially strange because in the press conference he said the video is of very poor quality and they aren’t even sure it’s Maddie……yet her mother spoke as if it’s definitely her. But she hasn’t seen it. It seems to me that a mother could tell if it’s her child even on crappy video, so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t show it to her unless maybe they don’t trust the answer she’d give? Strange.

Because they don’t want to show their hand to either one of them yet. They (LE) know what that video shows. He’s been labeled the prime suspect for a huge reason! All IMHO

 

[photographer4]

Thanks, it was a FB thing.

Okay. That was really awkward.

Wow!! That’s an incredibly interesting video. Thank you for sharing. I wonder what mom thinks of her life partner now that he’s been arrested? I also wonder as I’m catching up, has she been asked to leave the home by LE as they search for the girl? I find the man in the background to be an imposing presence and noted some jittery hand motions / pacing before he sat there like a stone. I wondered why he didn’t speak or sit beside her to offer comfort or support. Terrible thing for the family to go through. I hope they’re able to bring the kid home as mom said (loosely paraphrasing) whatever capacity or however that is.

 

[photographer4]

MOO... I take his presence behind the mom during the interview as controlling. He only came in after the interview started. It seems to me he wanted her to know he was there listening by walking by her once she was on camera talking. Very strange, but now that he's been arrested it does make sense that he would not be the type to console and support (even by sitting next to her). He was likely spiraling internally trying to hold onto his last shred of control. MOO

Ps interesting that he also did not appear in court. Another attempt at control? MOO

He wanted to know what she was asked, assess her replies and know what she knew that she may not have told him yet. He wanted to know what the interviewer may have known and was prob trying to assess her line of questioning. Very controlling imo.

 

[photographer4]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>
I do wonder about the family dynamic when the child doesn’t tell their mom about what is happening. I have three daughters and we have DRILLED into them the concepts of consent, unwanted touching and always being able to tell anything to a safe adult (ourselves and we asked each kid to name one safe non-parent). I don’t want to come across as victim-blaming the mom, I genuinely wonder, in cases like this, why the child doesn’t go to their mom. Do they see their mom happy and not want to ruin this, is the grooming such that it “sneaks up” - or most horrible - do they say something and it’s gets ignored or brushed under the rug? I also very much appreciate those of you on this thread who have shared about their “unsafe” homes - my heart goes out to each of you. Every child deserves a safe home!

ETA - I guess I am just wondering about the dynamics of THIS family. Did Madeline have siblings, an active bio-dad, grandparents. How long was mom with this “Life-partner” (which gives me the possible ick of trying to make a boyfriend sound more serious). There is so little information to draw from.

Some kids DO tell mom - or dad. The very persons who are supposed to protect them and make them safe. Sadly, sometimes a parent / trusted adult will blow it off and think the kid(s) are attn seeking or embellishing. As a result, some do not believe it and don’t intervene. Some are also controlled into turning a blind eye bye the offender. I am not blaming mom here. Just pointing out sometimes it isn’t just the kids who are victimized and manipulated.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Some kids DO tell mom - or dad. The very persons who are supposed to protect them and make them safe. Sadly, sometimes a parent / trusted adult will blow it off and think the kid(s) are attn seeking or embellishing. As a result, some do not believe it and don’t intervene. Some are also controlled into turning a blind eye bye the offender. I am not blaming mom here. Just pointing out sometimes it isn’t just the kids who are victimized and manipulated.

I think I was in middle school or high school and there was a local story about some sort of familial sexual abuse.

I will never forget my mother, who is not violent, saying, "If I ever found out your dad was doing that to you, I would kill him."

Not that my dad would ever done that.

I'm not blaming the mom here either. It just breaks my heart that insofar as we know--and no doubt there's a lot we don't know--Maddie didn't have anyone she thought had her back the way I knew my mom had my back, else she would have told someone.

MOO of course.