Madeline Soto update: Newly released court document reveals Florida girl was abused for years before disappearance

Newly released documents released on Tuesday, March 5, shed light on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death of Madeline Soto. Kissimmee police uncovered evidence indicating that Soto, whose body was found last week after her disappearance on February 26, had endured nearly two years of sexual abuse at the hands of her mother's boyfriend.

Stephan Sterns, the perpetrator, was arrested last week on charges of s*xual battery and possession of child s*xual abuse material. The discovery of video footage and photographs by Kissimmee police provided crucial evidence leading to Sterns' arrest, as reported by WESH.

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Stephan Sterns faces charges for abuse of Madeline Soto

An affidavit made public on Tuesday, March 5, has revealed that Stephan Sterns, 37, is facing charges of s*xually abusing 13-year-old Madeline Soto in August 2022. At the time of the occurrence, the victim was merely 11 years old.

According to WFLA, despite the victim's name being redacted in the affidavit, there is a birthdate consistent with Madeline's. Along with it is a reference to the victim as "the missing juvenile."

Sterns is currently facing two counts of s*xual battery of a minor and counts of possession of child s*xual abuse material. Notably, for s*xual battery of a minor under 12, Sterns could potentially face the death penalty.

The documents obtained by WESH indicate that Sterns had been abusing Madeline for nearly two years.

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Controversy surrounds Sheriff's social media posts in Madeline Soto case

Less than 24 hours after the discovery of Madeline Soto's body in Osceola County last month, Sheriff Marcos Lopez reportedly shared a photo of the crime scene on his Instagram page. The post, quickly taken down, was deemed an "accident" by the sheriff's office. The image supposedly included clothing matching items worn by the 13-year-old on the day she went missing.

Sheriff Lopez's opponent in the 2024 election, Russ Gibson, expressed being "shocked and appalled" at the post, along with another by executive director Nirva Rodríguez. In this second post, Rodríguez posed for a selfie with Mr. Sterns in the background as he was booked into Osceola County Jail, as reported by FOX News.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office issued an apology “for any confusion or disturbance” that may have been caused by the post.

Madeline Soto, the 13-year-old who went missing on February 26, was found dead in a wooded area in Osceola County. The Orange County Sheriff's Office revealed that over 50 officers participated in the search following her disappearance, as reported by WFLA. Stephan Sterns, the boyfriend of Madeline's mother, claimed to have dropped her off near school, but evidence suggests otherwise.

Sheriff John Mina reported that video evidence showed Sterns disposing of Madeline's belongings, including her backpack and school-issued laptop, in a dumpster. Investigators believe Madeline was already dead when Sterns returned to the complex at 8:19 am.

The Kissimmee Police Department is holding Sterns in custody.