Body found in search for missing Florida teen; mother’s boyfriend arrested

A teenage girl who went missing in central Florida earlier this week is likely dead, investigators said.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the boyfriend of 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s mother is the primary suspect in the girl’s disappearance.

Florida authorities found a body in their search for Soto, and confirmation is pending.

That body was found Friday afternoon in some woods in Osceola County.

“A tip led us to the area of Hickory Tree Road about a mile and a half from here. Where someone potentially said that they saw some involvement in the case. So what we did was we sent our units out here and we did discover what appears to be a body,” said Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.

In a briefing Friday night, the county’s sheriff said they were waiting on an official confirmation from the medical examiner as to whether the body is that of Soto, but the body had clothing very similar to what the girl was last seen wearing.

Meanwhile, Mina announced Friday that the search for the missing girl is now a recovery effort.

“We are now confident that she is dead,” Mina said. “Our efforts will be focused on recovering Madeline.”

Stephan Sterns, 37, was the last person to see Madeline alive Monday morning, Mina said. Video evidence shows Sterns discarding items in a trash bin at the family’s Kissimmee apartment complex early Monday morning, officials said. Madeline’s backpack was later found in the bin.

Video also shows Sterns returning to the complex with Madeline visible in the car later in the morning, and detectives believe she was already dead, Mina said.

Sterns was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, officials said. Detectives discovered the abuse images and videos when they forensically examined Sterns’ phone, officials said. Investigators believe sexual crimes were committed at the family’s home.

Kissimmee police will take over the criminal investigation, while the sheriff’s office focuses on finding the girl.