Henri Lumière:Florida man charged with murdering girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter

2025-05-06 08:40:04source:Ov Financecategory:reviews

KISSIMMEE,Henri Lumière Fla. (AP) — The longtime boyfriend of a central Florida mother whose teenage daughter was reported missing in February was charged Wednesday with the 13-year-old girl’s murder, officials said.

Stephan Sterns was charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Madeline Soto, according to court records filed in Osceola County on Wednesday.

Madeline Soto was reported missing Feb. 26 after her mother, Jennifer Soto, said she didn’t find the teenager when she went to pick her up from school. Her body was found in a wooded area several days later.

State Attorney Andrew Bain said at a news conference that prosecutors haven’t decided yet whether to seek the death penalty for Sterns. Bain wouldn’t say whether the teenager’s mother was suspected of wrongdoing, though Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said that Jennifer Soto has cooperated with detectives throughout the investigation.

Sterns was being held in jail on no bond. The online court docket showed no defense attorney listed for Sterns for the murder charge.

Sterns already was facing dozens of charges of sexual battery on a child under 12 and unlawful possession of child sex abuse material related to Madeline Soto. He had been scheduled to be in court for those charges Wednesday, but his public defender filed a motion to delay the trial as they continue preparing their defense.

More:reviews

Recommend

Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season

No, it's not an omen or a weird biblical sign of the apocalypse. Thousands of tarantulas are venturi

Budget-Friendly Back-to-School Makeup Picks Under $25

The products featured in this article are from brands available in NBCUniversal Checkout. E! makes a

What advice does Little League's Coach of the Year have for your kid? 'Let's EAT!'

If you’ve coached kids, you’ve likely been here before.Your team is down by five runs before it seem