Florida Teen’s Cause of Death Revealed After Alleged Murder by Mother’s Boyfriend.
The cause of death for Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old Florida girl, has been revealed as homicide by strangulation months after her mother’s boyfriend allegedly killed and dumped her body in a secluded wooded area. Madeline was first reported missing on Feb. 26, with her body found four days later in Osceola County, still wearing the same clothes she had on before she disappeared.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department revealed that Madoline was likely already dead before a search for the missing teen began. Stephan Sterns, who was dating Madeline’s mother, Jenn Soto, at the time, has been charged with murder in connection to her death.
Sterns, 37, was confirmed as the last person to see Madeline alive and initially charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, including images and videos on his phone that supposedly showed him sexually abusing a young girl. Sterns was later charged with first-degree murder after evidence from a factory-resetted phone revealed child pornography and further allegations of the teen’s sexual abuse by him.
Investigators found that Sterns had allegedly driven to North Port, Florida, the day after Madeline went missing in an attempt to scrub evidence of the alleged sexual abuse he had perpetrated with her. He is currently facing multiple charges related to child pornography and sexual assault.
Sterns’ next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 14. The specific charges filed against him have not yet been determined, and it remains unclear whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty in this case.
