Madeline Soto’s mother ‘despatched’ teen to sleep with homicide suspect Stephan Sterns evening earlier than her dying: interview

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – On the evening earlier than Madeline Soto was first reported lacking and sure killed, her mom, Jennifer Soto, “despatched” her 13-year-old daughter to sleep in the identical mattress as Stephan Sterns, the person who was ultimately charged along with her homicide, based on new evidence in the case obtained by FOX 35.

Madeline was first reported lacking on Feb. 26 after she did not make it to high school that day, and her body was found in rural Osceola County on March 1. About two months later, Sterns – her mother’s boyfriend – was charged with first degree murder after investigators decided that {the teenager} was doubtless already lifeless earlier than the college bell rang that day.

Investigators stated a limp physique, believed to have been Madeline’s, was seen on visitors cams within the entrance seat of Sterns’ automobile that morning. Moreover, an indictment towards Sterns stated he allegedly killed the teenager between Feb. 25 and Feb. 27.

No charges for anyone else in Madeline Soto homicide case at this time, Kissimmee police says

The Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace on Wednesday launched new proof within the investigation. Among the many new paperwork obtained by FOX 35 had been interview recordings between detectives and Sterns and Jennifer, body-worn digicam footage from deputies through the search, and different miscellaneous pictures.

It needs to be famous that these new interview recordings and proof had been captured within the hours and days after Madeline was first reported lacking. Presently within the investigation, Madeline was simply believed to have been lacking, and no person had been charged in her disappearance or dying.

Moreover, the case has since switched fingers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace to the Kissimmee Police Division and the State Lawyer’s Workplace.

When did Jennifer Soto final see Madeline Soto?

At 11:16 a.m. on Feb. 27 – the day after Madeline was first reported lacking – a detective interviewed her mom, Jennifer. On this interview, the detective requested Jennifer when the final time she both heard or noticed Madeline.

Jennifer stated she final noticed her daughter at round 11 p.m. on Sunday evening, the evening earlier than she was reported lacking.

“Earlier than she went to mattress,” Jennifer is heard saying, including that she additionally heard her preparing for varsity the subsequent morning.

Jennifer backtracked on this assertion afterward within the interview, saying the noise may have been from her two roommates.

“Did you hear [redacted] round 7 or 8?” the detective requested. The audio was redacted, however the two had been presumably speaking about Madeline’s whereabouts that morning.

“I heard noises within the kitchen, however I am unsure who it was precisely. It may have been any of the roommates,” Jennifer stated.

“However you did not see her go away Monday morning?” the detective requested. “Had been you continue to in mattress or nonetheless in your room?”

“I used to be nonetheless asleep,” Jennifer replied.

Jennifer stated she did not notice Madeline had been lacking till she went to choose her daughter up from college that day and learned that she was never there.

The place did Madeline Soto sleep the evening earlier than she went ‘lacking’?

The detective additionally requested Jennifer the place Madeline slept that evening.

“She really slept upstairs with [redacted]. We’ve a visitor bed room. We had been all going to sleep collectively in the identical mattress, however I wanted some good sleep,” Jennifer stated. “I bought a brand new job not too long ago, I have not been well-rested. I wanted some sleep, so I requested, ‘Hey, are you able to guys go to the visitor bed room upstairs?’”

Jennifer added that she “despatched them upstairs and I went to mattress.”

Why did Madeline Soto, Jennifer Soto & Stephan Sterns sleep in the identical mattress?

FOX 35 has beforehand reported on Madeline’s sleeping arrangements with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend, based on paperwork obtained within the weeks after Madeline’s physique was discovered.

It wasn’t unusual for Madeline, Jennifer and Sterns to sleep in the same bed, or for Sterns to sleep in the identical mattress as Madeline whereas her mom slept someplace else or wasn’t residence. That is based on a legislation enforcement abstract report after a dialog with Jennifer through the seek for her daughter.

Madeline and Sterns sleeping in the identical mattress occurred on “uncommon” events, Jennifer stated, based on a special chunk of evidentiary paperwork obtained by FOX 35. She stated this “so she may get some sleep as a result of typically all three of them sleep in the identical mattress,” the paperwork added. On one other web page within the report, Jennifer reportedly advised detectives that it was “regular” for Sterns and Madeline to sleep in the identical mattress when she wasn’t residence.

One other report shared particulars from an interview with a girl Sterns used to work with and briefly dated. Sterns and Jennifer reportedly broke up for a short time in 2023, however throughout this time, he would nonetheless sleep at Jennifer’s home and in the identical mattress as Madeline, the paperwork stated.

“(The lady) stated Stephan Sterns justified this habits by saying he wanted to cuddle along with her so she may go to sleep,” the paperwork stated. “(The lady) additional recalled a dialog she had with Stephan Sterns the place he advised her that he awoke within the mattress with [redacted] with an erection and needed to flip round within the mattress. (The lady) felt the feedback Stephan Sterns made to her about sleeping with [redacted] had been inappropriate and he or she stopped speaking to him shortly after they had been made.”

In a separate interview with Sterns, he advised detectives that Madeline “at all times wanted human contact when going to sleep,” one thing that he known as “snuggling,” the report stated.

Who has been charged in Madeline Soto case?

Sterns was first arrested two days after Madeline was reported lacking. He was charged with 60 counts of sexual-related crimes, together with sexual battery, molestation and possession of kid intercourse abuse materials, after he voluntarily turned his cellphone over to legislation enforcement. A search of his cellphone revealed the invention of graphic pictures and movies that authorities stated had been of the lacking teen. The primary diploma homicide cost got here down about two months later.

To be clear, Sterns is the only person who has been arrested and charged associated to Madeline’s disappearance and dying. Prosecutors and investigators stated the case stays open and ongoing, and likewise alluded to the potential of uncovered proof resulting in extra costs at a earlier press convention.

“Everybody that was near Madeline is taken into account suspect till now we have confirmed in any other case,” Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland stated in March.

Murder Unit Chief Will Jay continued this narrative about others probably concerned within the case at a press convention in April.

“This isn’t over,” he stated. “There’s an ongoing investigation to uncover extra proof.”

The State Lawyer’s Workplace stated in early June that they intend to seek the death penalty towards Sterns.

A number of of Sterns’ court hearings have been continued. As of proper now, Sterns is scheduled to seem in courtroom for a standing listening to in mid-October.