(Orange County jail )
Authorities have revealed harrowing details in the case of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, whose mother, Jennifer Soto, allegedly confessed to police that her boyfriend had been “grooming and abusing” the teenager before ultimately taking her life.
According to a newly released supplemental report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Jennifer made this shocking admission after police presented her with incriminating photos found on her boyfriend Stephan Sterns’ phone. “He’s been grooming and abusing my child,” Jennifer allegedly told officers, as reported by FOX 35.
Madeline was reported missing from her Kissimmee, Florida, home on February 26, sparking a search that led to the arrest of 37-year-old Sterns on unrelated charges of possessing child sexual abuse material. Tragically, Madeline’s body was discovered in a wooded area on March 1.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities claim Jennifer admitted to believing Sterns was “guilty” of sexually abusing her daughter. While she allegedly described Sterns’ abuse as not being “evil,” she acknowledged that her daughter’s killing certainly was, according to the Click Orlando.
Disturbingly, the report also alleges that on the night before Madeline disappeared, Jennifer sent her daughter to sleep in the same room as Sterns, explaining to police that she had had a long day at work and needed to rest. The next morning, Sterns was captured on video discarding items into a trashcan on the property he shared with Jennifer and Madeline. Among the discarded items, police later recovered Madeline’s backpack and laptop, Orange County Sheriff John Mina confirmed, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
A medical examiner ruled that Madeline died from strangulation. In April, Sterns was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Madeline’s death, based on Osceola County, Florida court records. It remains unclear whether Sterns has entered a plea for the murder charge, but he has pleaded not guilty to 60 counts of sexual abuse charges, as reported by the Osceola News-Gazette.
This tragic case underscores the dire consequences of unaddressed abuse and the importance of early intervention to prevent such devastating outcomes. As the legal process continues, the community remains haunted by the loss of a young life and the pain that could have been prevented.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
