Mother’s boyfriend arrested in connection to missing 13-year-old Florida girl
Youngster disappeared after being supposedly dropped off and never showing up for class
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Police in Florida have arrested the boyfriend of a missing girl’s mother, after finding “disturbing” images and videos on his phone taken at the family home.
Madeline Soto, 13, was last seen on 26 February in Kissimmee, when her mum’s boyfriend Stephan Sterns reportedly dropped her off close to Hunter’s Creek Middle School.
The girl never showed up for class and Madeline’s mum only found out she was missing when she went to pick her up from school Monday afternoon.
More than fifty officers have been searching the Kissimmee area looking for the teenager.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Orange County Sheriff John W. Mina told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
Just a few hours later, Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced that Mr Sterns, 37, had been arrested.
“During the investigation into Madeline’s disappearance, Orange County Sheriff’s Office detectives discovered disturbing images when they forensically examined Sterns’ phone,” OSCO said on X. “A review of the phone’s data revealed attempts to delete evidence.”
Those images and videos were “criminal and sexual in nature”, the office continued, and the offences happened at the family home.
Mr Sterns invoked his right to an attorney the office said, and he was being held in jail.
“Stephan Sterns had an opportunity tonight to come clean with detectives and help lead them to information about Maddie’s disappearance,” Sheriff Mina added.
“Her loved ones deserve answers and OCSO and the Kissimmee Police will not stop until we find Maddie.”
At a briefing earlier in the day, Sheriff Mina said his team had seen messages on Madeline’s phone, which she had left at home, explaining how when she turned 13 she wanted to go and live in the woods.
OCSO said the search for Madeline was continuing and that officers were doing “everything possible” to find her.