OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly two months after the body of missing Florida 13-year-old Madeline Soto was officially recovered, Stephan Sterns — the man considered the prime suspect in the case — was charged with first-degree murder.
Plenty of questions still surround Soto’s disappearance. As the investigation continues, below is a timeline of events stemming back to her initial disappearance.
FEBRUARY 26
Madeline Soto was reported missing around 8 p.m. after Stephan Sterns — her mother’s boyfriend — reportedly dropped her off near Hunter’s Creek Middle School.
Soto’s mother went to the school around 4:30 p.m. to pick her up, but she was told that Soto had never come to school that day, according to investigators. In addition, Soto’s phone was left at home.
FEBRUARY 27
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued a release to the public about Soto’s disappearance, asking for information about her whereabouts.
FEBRUARY 28
A massive search was conducted by the sheriff’s office on Feb. 28.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said that deputies accessed Soto’s phone, finding information that indicated she wanted to live in the woods when she turned 13 years old on Feb. 22.
He also said that deputies searched the area where she was last seen, areas where they’d received tips, and any areas where their investigative leads took them. Ultimately, the search came up empty.
However, the sheriff’s office announced that Sterns was arrested as the prime suspect in Soto’s disappearance.
In a release, investigators said that detectives discovered “disturbing images” when they searched Sterns’ phone, and a review of the device’s data showed that someone had tried to delete the evidence ahead of time.
The images and videos on his phone were “criminal and sexual in nature,” and detectives were able to pinpoint those crimes to the family’s home in Kissimmee, the release shows.
As a result, Sterns was arrested and held on no bond. He faces charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse materials.
“Stephan Sterns had an opportunity tonight to come clean with detectives and help lead them to information about Maddie’s disappearance,” Mina said. “Her loved ones deserve answers, and OCSO and the Kissimmee Police will not stop until we find Maddie.”
FEBRUARY 29
The affidavit for Sterns’ arrest was released, which provided more details about the investigation.
According to the affidavit, Sterns told detectives he had dropped Soto off in front of Peace United Methodist Preschool at 8:40 a.m. on Feb. 26, despite the middle school being farther down the street and starting classes at 9:30 a.m.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Detectives said this appeared unusual, and while a license plate reader captured Sterns’ vehicle at some point, the details about where and when this happened were redacted from the report.
In addition, the affidavit shows that Sterns told detectives he had “accidentally” performed a factory reset on his phone on Feb. 26, though investigators were still able to discover images on the device that depicted sexual performance by a child.
MARCH 1
During a news conference, Mina said investigators were “confident” that Soto was already dead, having been killed at her Kissimmee home before Sterns moved her body.
According to Mina, there was video evidence showing Sterns throwing items into a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex around 7:35 a.m. on Feb. 26 — the day she was reported as missing.
The sheriff’s office later said that it found Soto’s backpack and her school-issued laptop in a dumpster.
While Sterns had reportedly dropped Soto off near school that day, Mina explained that wasn’t the case, and Sterns was instead spotted driving a vehicle with Soto’s body inside.
“We have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time,” Mina said.
After another long search, Orange County deputies finally recovered Soto’s body from a wooded area off Hickory Tree Road in Osceola County.
That night, a vigil was held in Soto’s memory near her middle school.
MARCH 2
Sterns waived his first appearance in the Osceola County court, instead being represented solely by his attorney.
The judge granted Sterns no bond.
Aside from that, the Instagram account for Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez posted a confidential crime scene photo, which the agency later told News 6 had been “accidentally” shared with the public.
The clothes seen in the photo are consistent with the outfit Soto was believed to be wearing when she was reported missing on Feb. 26.
A caption below the picture read, “Great day with our seniors,” followed by an emoji of a smiley face with a halo.
“Earlier today a post was made on social media about a community event for seniors,” an unnamed Osceola County spokesperson said in an email to News 6. “In the post, an investigative photo was accidentally included. The photo was immediately removed. We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may have caused. As with any investigation, the information obtained is confidential and any mistaken disclosures will be immediately rectified.”
Former Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson, who is running against Lopez in the 2024 election, said the photograph indeed showed Soto’s body.
Osceola County sheriff’s officials did not dispute that the photo stemmed from the girl’s investigation.
On the same day, Nirva Rodriguez — the executive director of the sheriff’s office — shared another photograph on her personal Facebook account that showed her posing with Sterns as he was walking out of a door at the county jail on Friday morning.
“If God’s love has been poured out over your life, don’t allow evil to keep you away from what He has prepared for you,” a caption above the photo of Sterns and Rodriguez stated.
MARCH 5
The State Attorney’s Office told News 6 that it had asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the released crime scene photo.
MARCH 6
Kissimmee police announced they were continuing to investigate Soto’s death.
Released court records show that Sterns is accused of sexually abusing Soto for years. Despite Sterns’ attempts to wipe his phone, investigators were able to recover files showing the sexual abuse, which stemmed back as far as 2022, an arrest warrant affidavit says.
“Upon reviewing the contents of Stephan’s phone, several images and videos were located, which depicted the missing juvenile,” the affidavit reads.
Kissimmee police released a statement that reads as follows:
“Our detectives and forensic unit are working tirelessly to uncover the truth behind this heartbreaking incident. At this time, we are unable to release any further information, as this remains an active investigation.”
Kissimmee Police Department
MARCH 12
The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office announced that it filed 60 counts against Sterns, including the following:
- 8 counts of Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12
- 5 counts of Sexual Battery with a Child 12-18 (Familial/Custodial Authority)
- 7 counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation
- 40 counts of Unlawful Possession of Materials Depicting Sexual Performance by a Child Ten or More Images
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 24, and a jury trial is slated to begin on May 13.
Kissimmee police told News 6 that they were continuing to investigate Soto’s death.
MARCH 21
Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland held a news conference to discuss the progress of the investigation.
She described the investigation as “very intricate” and that detectives want to make sure they “uncover every single fact and the evidence.”
“We don’t want to put a timeline on it, basically, you know, because the detectives are very meticulous in what they do and we want to be sure that everything is uncovered that possibly can,” she said.
During the conference, Holland was asked whether Soto’s mother was considered a suspect or a person of interest.
In response, Holland said, “Everyone (who) was close to Madeline is considered a suspect until we have proven otherwise.”
APRIL 4
The District 9 Medical Examiner’s Office announced that the autopsy report in Soto’s death couldn’t be released due to state statutes deeming it confidential.
In addition, audio from the 911 calls involved in the case was released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
In the 911 calls, two different voices can be heard speaking with dispatchers. The sheriff’s office explained that the callers’ identities are confidential under state law.
The 911 calls have been combined and can be listened to in the audio player below.
APRIL 24
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain and Kissimmee police held a press conference and announced that Stephan Sterns was indicted by a grand jury in the death of Madeline Soto.
“The evidence shows an individual who was entrusted to keep Madeline safe made calculated moves to dispose Madeline’s belongings and place her body in a wooded area before she was ever reported missing,” said Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland.
State Attorney Andrew Bain said his office has not yet decided whether it will seek the death penalty against Sterns in this case.
At this time, no additional information has been shared about the investigation.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: