Investigators say Madeline Soto’s mother suggested the sexual abuse involving her daughter was “not evil,” according to documents released by prosecutors this week.
The documents are part of the evidence against Stephan Sterns, who was the boyfriend of Madeline’s mother, Jennifer Soto. Sterns is accused of molesting the 13-year-old girl for years and recording it on his phone before murdering her in February.
An incident report written by an Orange County Sheriff’s Office detective says Jennifer Soto was interviewed on March 1, after Sterns had been arrested for sexual abuse and the same day that Madeline’s body was found.
“During the interview, Jennifer Soto continuously protected Stephan Sterns, was questioned about why she prioritizes Stephan Sterns over (Madeline), and even at one point referred to the ‘sex stuff as not evil but the murder of (Madeline) as ‘evil,” the report says.
“Jennifer Soto did not show the same level of emotion or care in regards to (Madeline’s) on going victimization by Stephan Sterns than she did her disappearance. It appeared to me that she has already accepted that the victimization was happening and her emotion appeared fictitious,” the report also noted.
During one interview, she said she didn’t notice anything unusual going on between Madeline and Sterns, but said that Madeline had recently told him that she had a “crush” on a boy.
Jennifer Soto has not been charged with any crimes.
The evidence also includes pictures of an upstairs room in Soto’s home. The “room 4” is where she told investigators she sent Maddie to bed alone with Sterns the night before she vanished. The room is called a guest bedroom and has a chain lock on the inside. Photos show a handgun found in a nightstand beside the bed.
The family had been renting rooms out to at least two other women. Detectives say they found a folder on Sterns’ phone that included photographs of one of those roommates naked, apparently taken secretly through the crack at the bottom of her door.
Madeline goes missing
Madeline was first reported missing on Feb. 26. after Sterns said he dropped her off near her school.
When her mother went to pick her up at Hunters Creek Middle School around 4:30 p.m., she learned Madeline had not been to school at all that day.
Arrest made
On Feb. 28, just a few days before Madeline's body was found, the Orange County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Sterns for the disturbing evidence allegedly found on his phone during their investigation.
He's been accused of sexually abusing Soto for years. Documents say the sexual abuse dates back to 2022.
An affidavit from Kissimmee police says Sterns attempted to factory reset his phone on the same day she went missing.
Because these alleged crimes took place at the family's home in Kissimmee, the Kissimmee Police Department took over the investigation into the sexual battery. On the morning of March 1, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County jail to the Osceola County jail.
All eyes on Sterns
The day after his arrest, Orange County deputies said they believed Sterns had information regarding the disappearance of Soto, but he refused to answer any questions and requested an attorney.
This led detectives to believe Madeline was never dropped off near her school.
Once the focus of the investigation changed, detectives started to gather more information about what happened on the morning of Feb. 26.
Investigators said they found video of Sterns discarding items into a dumpster at the family's Kissimmee apartment complex around 7:35 a.m.
Madeline's backpack and school laptop were recovered from that dumpster.
Investigators said Sterns was spotted returning to the apartment complex around 8:19 a.m. with the teen in the car. According to OCSO, they believe Soto was already dead when Sterns was seen with her in the car.
Body found
A few hours after officials said this evidence made them confident Soto was dead, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said they received a tip from someone who said they potentially saw involvement in the case.
This tip led search teams to a wooded area near Hickory Tree Road in St. Cloud.
On March 1, officials confirmed they had located the body of Madeline.
Because of developments in the case and where the body was found, Kissimmee police took charge of the investigation into the 13-year-old's death.
"This is a sad day for our community, and we mourn the loss of such a young life," Kissimmee police Chief Betty Holland said that night.
More charges
On March 12, almost two weeks after Madeline's body was found, a total of 60 new charges were filed against Sterns.
Sterns was charged with:
- Eight counts of sexual battery on a child under 12.
- Five counts of sexual battery with a child 12-18.
- Seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
- 40 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child, 10 or more images.