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Madeline Soto’s mother feared ‘Woody Allen situation’ between boyfriend and daughter

Episode 6 – ‘Justice for Madeline: What Does Mom Know?’

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – As detectives were searching for missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto last winter, Soto’s mother expressed concerns about the close relationship that had formed between her 37-year-old former boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, and her young daughter.

“I’ve always told (Sterns) that my biggest fear is that this would turn into a ‘Woody Allen situation’ where… the child turns 18 and ends up running away with him,” Jennifer Soto explained to detectives.

Soto was apparently referring to the filmmaker and actor’s 1997 marriage to the adopted daughter of his former girlfriend, Mia Farrow.

[TIMELINE: Here’s where things stand in the Madeline Soto case 10 months later]

Sterns has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually battering and murdering Madeline Soto.

In Part 6 of “Justice for Madeline”, detectives question Jennifer Soto about what they describe as the family’s “weird” living situation less than an hour before the Kissimmee teen’s body is found.

All episodes of “Justice for Madeline” can be found here:


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