Madeline “Maddie” Soto, 13, was reported missing on Feb. 26, 2024, after she did not arrive at Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando. Surveillance footage and later investigation contradicted her mother’s boyfriend Stephan Sterns’ claim that he dropped her at school. Madeline’s body was found March 1, 2024; the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide by strangulation. Sterns was arrested on sexual charges, later charged with first-degree murder, and in July 2025 pleaded to premeditated murder and multiple sexual offenses; he received 21 concurrent life sentences.
What Happened to Madeline “Maddie” Soto? Timeline of Her Disappearance, Murder and the Sentencing of Her Mother’s Boyfriend
Stephen Sterns and Madeline Soto
It has been two years since 13-year-old Madeline “Maddie” Soto vanished on Feb. 26, 2024. Investigators concluded she was killed; her body was recovered days later and her mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life behind bars for her murder and multiple sexual offenses.
Madeline Soto.Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office
Key Facts
Victim: Madeline Soto, born February 2011, a student at Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando, Fla.
Suspect: Stephan Sterns, the mother’s boyfriend.
Discovery: Madeline was reported missing Feb. 26, 2024; her body was found March 1, 2024, in a wooded area near St. Cloud, Fla.
Cause of Death: Strangulation; manner ruled homicide by a medical examiner.
What The Investigation Found
Madeline’s mother reported her missing after the girl failed to arrive at school on Feb. 26. Sterns initially told investigators he had dropped Madeline at school, but surveillance footage contradicted that claim. Video evidence reviewed by police reportedly shows Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex where Madeline lived shortly before 8 a.m. that morning; officers later recovered Madeline’s backpack and school-issued laptop from that dumpster.
Madeline Soto missingCredit: GoFundMe
Orange County Sheriff John W. Mina said investigators believe Madeline was already deceased by the morning of Feb. 26 and that Sterns moved her body the same day. A short time after a March 1 press conference outlining the evidence, law enforcement located Madeline’s body in a remote wooded area near St. Cloud.
Stephan Sterns, Madeline SotoCredit: WESH 2 News/YouTube; Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook
Sexual Abuse Allegations and Forensic Evidence
Forensic analysis of Sterns’ phone allegedly uncovered images and videos of child sexual abuse. An arrest affidavit also alleges Sterns had abused Madeline when she was 11. Local reporting and court documents indicate that, at times, Madeline slept in the same room as Sterns; her mother later told detectives she had not recognized the abuse until investigators showed evidence and then acknowledged Sterns had been "grooming and abusing" her daughter.
Jennifer Soto is interviewed by detectives.Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office
Charges, Pleas and Sentencing
Sterns was arrested on Feb. 28, 2024, on charges including sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material and was identified early as the prime suspect in Madeline’s disappearance. He was formally charged with first-degree murder on April 24, 2024. On July 21, 2025 — the day his sexual battery trial was set to begin — Sterns pleaded no contest to first-degree premeditated murder and pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation. The judge imposed 21 life sentences to be served concurrently.
Family And Legal Status
Madeline’s father, Tyler Wallace, who lives in Texas, has spoken publicly about the loss and the impact of the crimes. Authorities have confirmed that Madeline’s mother, Jennifer Soto, is not considered a suspect and that there were no plans to charge her in connection with Madeline’s death. Local reports note Jennifer has not spoken publicly since the arrest and that her phone was reported disconnected in April 2024.
“Because of the actions of this depraved man, I will never meet the woman she was becoming,” Tyler Wallace said in court, according to coverage of the sentencing.
Timeline (At A Glance)
Feb. 26, 2024: Madeline fails to arrive at school; reported missing. Surveillance contradicts Sterns’ account that he dropped her off.
Feb. 28, 2024: Sterns arrested on sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material charges.
March 1, 2024: Madeline’s body found; cause of death ruled strangulation, manner homicide.
April 24, 2024: Sterns charged with first-degree murder.
July 21, 2025: Sterns pleads no contest to premeditated murder, pleads guilty to multiple sexual offenses; sentenced to 21 concurrent life sentences.
Sources And Coverage
This account compiles reporting from local and national outlets and official statements from law enforcement and court records, including reporting by NBC News, WFTV, WESH, FOX 35 Orlando and PEOPLE.
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