Sadly, 13-year-old Madeline Soto who was missing from her Kissimmee, Florida home since Monday was found deceased yesterday afternoon.
Madeline Soto, who had just turned 13 on February 22, never returned home from school on Monday after supposedly being dropped of by her mother's boyfriend Stephen Stearns.
In an interview with the mother, she tried to claim they both dropped the little girl off, but she quickly corrected herself instead her boyfriend dropped her daughter off. Madeline's mother also stated that video showed her daughter walking after resting at about 9:00 a.m. that morning at the church, however, law enforcement said there was no conclusive footage showing that at all.
Stearns claims he dropped Madeline of at Peace United Methodist Church which is about a half mile from her school. However video evidence gathered suggests a different and much darker story.
Police believe Stearns had already killed the girl Monday morning and was using that time to move her body. There is video of Stearns throwing Madeline's backpack and laptop in the dumpster at the apartment complex where they lived at around 7: 45 a.m. In another video captured around 8:19 a.m., Stearns can be seen returning to the complex with what police believe to be the lifeless body of Madeline in the car with him.
Sadly, after a week of searching, authorities discovered Madeline deceased near Hickory Tree Road in a wooded area. Stearns vehicle was seen on security video in this same area Monday afternoon in the hours before Madeline was reported missing.
The family contended all along it was very unusual for Madeline to be dropped off a half mile from school. With video of Stearn's odd behaviors on the day of her disappearance, suspicions fell heavily on Stearns by law enforcement.
Police seized his phone for evidence and found disturbing graphic images of a minor or minors on his phone and he was arrested for sexual battery and child pornography. It is not clear whether the images on the phone were Madeline. He is also being charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.
Stearns remains in Orange County Jail at this time for the images on his phone. However he has not been charged in connection with Madeline's death. As of Friday he had not given any information about his connection to the death of Madeline and is refusing to speak on it.
In an interview, Stearns spoke about Madeline and how sweet she was. He claims she was asleep in the car but then got out of the vehicle to go to the church. He claims they told each other they loved each other. He even wiped his nose with a tissue after he said what a sweet girl she was and it was just her birthday.
Many people are pointing out it appeared Stearns was crying because he was caught, not because he was worried about Madeline. Others are wondering why Madeline's mother tried to claim they both dropped her off at school at first, and then changed it quickly. It could have been her simply misspeaking or maybe she doesn't want to believe Stearns would do this.
This is a tragic case and I hope law enforcement receives all of the answers they need to move forward with charges.
More photos below.
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