Madeline Soto case: No murder charges filed yet in Florida teen’s death investigation
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Kissimmee Police Department discussed the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto in a news conference Thursday.
Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said detectives are “working tirelessly” to pour over evidence and follow through on every lead.
‘Prime suspect’ in Madeline Soto murder case gets spring trial date, court records say
Everyone close to the teenager is considered a suspect, Holland said. Stephan Sterns, 37, the man Orange County deputies called “the prime suspect” of the case, is in jail awaiting trial for 60 alleged child sex crimes.
Holland said Sterns is not cooperating with the investigation, but other adults in her life -including her mother, who is dating Sterns – have cooperated.
Officials are still waiting for the Medical Examiner’s report to determine how Madeline died. Holland said there likely won’t be new developments in the case until they receive the report.
The police department was expected to announce an update to the case, but Holland said she doesn’t “want to rush her detectives.” No charges have been filed against Sterns in connection to Madeline’s death.
“Mr. Sterns is not going anywhere. He’s in jail and he’s going to be there for a while,” Holland said. “I want my detectives to be looking at every single detail to be make sure.”
The police department declined to disclose their timeline for the investigation.
What happened to Madeline Soto?
Madeline Soto was last seen alive on Feb. 26. Stephan Sterns, who lived with Soto and is dating her mother, was supposed to drop her off at school. Police said she didn’t make it.
Sterns is considered the “prime suspect” in her disappearance and death.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Sterns was caught on camera throwing items into a dumpster around 7:35 a.m. the day she disappeared. Officials found the child’s backpack and school laptop in the dumpster.
Sterns was spotted again at 8:19 a.m. returning to their apartment complex with Soto in the car, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives believe she was already dead at that time.
Madeline Soto’s body was discovered in the woods off Old Hickory Tree Road in Osceola County. Officials claim Sterns was spotted in the area that afternoon, changing a tire.
Shortly after the teenager’s disappearance, “disturbing” images and video discovered on Sterns’ phone led to 60 new charges, including sexual battery of a child, lewd and lascivious molestation, and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to Kissimmee police.
Madeline Soto case: 60 new charges filed against mother’s boyfriend
Sterns has not been charged with Soto’s murder, but detectives said they found evidence of Sterns sexually abusing a child dating back to 2019, when she would have been 8 years old.
He is scheduled to appear in court this spring to stand trial for the child sex crime charges. If convicted, Sterns faces the death penalty or life in prison.
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