Cause of death of Madeline Soto announced, mother's boyfriend charged

Authorities have announced the cause of death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, whose disappearance earlier this year led to the arrest of her mother's boyfriend.

Soto was found dead in a wooded area on March 1, days after she was reported missing from her home in Kissimmee, Florida, on February 26, the Orange County Sheriff's Office previously said.

A medical examiner has now determined the cause of death to be homicide and death by strangulation, report FOX 35 Orlando, WESH and Click Orlando.

Before her body was found and while the investigation into her disappearance continued, police arrested her mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, 37, on charges of sexual assault and possession of child sexual abuse material, the sheriff's office said.

Although he has not been charged with that charge in connection with the teenager's disappearance, police said they consider him a prime suspect in the case.

In April, Sterns was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Soto's death, Osceola County authorities said. Investigators “found several disturbing images and videos” that led to 60 charges, including sexual assault, sexual battery and possession of child pornography, the district attorney's office said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office said it had evidence that Soto was “never dropped off near her school” on the morning of February 26, as reported on X (formerly Twitter). Sterns was the last person seen with her.

The night before her disappearance, Soto's mother reportedly sent her to Stern's to sleep because the mother needed to rest after coming home late from work, she told authorities, according to a “supplemental case report” cited by WESH.

The next morning, video showed Sterns throwing items into a trash can at the apartment complex where he lived with Soto and her mother, investigators said, according to WESH. Authorities later recovered the child's backpack and laptop from the trash can.

About an hour later, Sterns was seen in the car with Soto, and according to WESH, the sheriff's office believes the teen was already dead by that point.

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Sterns is accused of sexually abusing Soto and videotaping his abuse, authorities said, according to Orlando Sentinel, WESH and Click Orlando. Authorities say his alleged abuse can be traced back to 2022, when Soto was 11 years old.

According to Click Orlando and the Osceola News-Gazette, Sterns has pleaded not guilty to all 60 counts.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 170 languages.