Your Florida Daily: Body of missing teen Madeline Soto found, thousands of travelers delayed at MCO

ORLANDO, Fla. – Authorities found the body of 13-year-old Orange County student Madeline Soto Friday afternoon, just four days after she was reported missing by her mother.

She was found in a remote area of Osceola County near Pearl Lake.

The big question is what will come next for her mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, the prime suspect in her death.

Investigators say they found videos of child sex abuse on his phone and that Sterns has not been cooperating after his arrest.

Sterns was a no show in court Saturday morning— hours after Madeline’s body was found.

“Stephan Sterns was transported from the Orange County Jail to the Osceola County Jail where he is being held on capital sexual battery charges filed by the Kissimmee police detectives,” Kissimmee police Chief Betty Holland said.

Investigators say Sterns was the last person to see Madeline alive and say he never dropped her off near her school in Hunters Creek.

“We believe she was already dead at the time and the Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said.

The case sent shockwaves especially among parents of Central Florida students.

“I’m a dad of a 15-year-old, it’s heartbreaking and saddening to see this happening,” parent Kevin Rickson told News 6 at a vigil for Madeline. “Children are supposed to be protected. Unfortunately in this case, she was exposed.”

Weather, staffing issues delay flights at Orlando International Airport, FAA says

Operations are returning to normal at Orlando International Airport after a day filled with major delays.

Airport officials blame weather and staffing issues for a ground stop on Sunday.

Thousands of passengers had to wait with many delays lasting hours.

It’s a busy time at the airport, with the official spring break travel season running through April 7.

The 44-day period is expected to set records with a projected 11% increase in passengers year-to-year.

Final week of Florida’s legislation focuses on $115 billion state budget

Monday starts the last week of this year’s legislative session.

If it’s going to end on time, lawmakers have to pass a budget by Tuesday. Then, there’s a mandatory 72-hour cooling off period before a final vote on Friday.

We’ll also be watching to see if lawmakers try to revise a controversial bill banning anyone under 16 from social media.

Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the proposal on Friday after raising questions about parents being shut out and over concerns it won’t survive legal challenges.

The Senate president says she expects to take up possible changes as early as Monday.

“We hold in our hands the opportunity to facilitate a potential solution to make sure this critical issue is addressed before the end of session,” said State Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R- Senate president.

The House would also have to sign off of any changes before the measure would potentially go back to the governor.

Random Florida Fact

Along a service road just outside Jacksonville sits a remnant of the U.S. Space Shuttle program.

A test fuel tank that was built in 1977 and used for stress testing before any shuttles took flight is sitting in an industrial park.

For years, this tank stood on display at the Kennedy Space Center.

But after the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA announced that they would remove the test fuel tank and was auctioned off and sold to the Wings of Dreams Aviation Museum, which later closed.

It’s been sitting there ever since.

If you type in “Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank” into Google Maps, you’ll find its exact location in Green Cove Springs.