Sheriff says he’s confident that missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto is dead

Orange County Public Schools provided the following statement from Superintendent Maria Vazquez upon Friday’s announcement:

“I am heartbroken to hear from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office of the tragic death of our precious student Madeline Soto. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddie’s family and her school community. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult, especially for family and friends. Counselors continue to be available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. I ask that you keep the entire Hunter’s Creek Middle School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own.”

A prayer vigil will be held Friday evening at Hunter’s Creek Middle School. Click here to read about that.

Watch live team coverage on Channel 9 Eyewitness News, beginning at 4 p.m.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a Friday afternoon news conference that although detectives have not located missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto, he is confident that she is dead.

He said efforts are now focused on recovering her body, and the Kissimmee Police Department will take the lead on what is now a homicide investigation.

Mina said Stephan Sterns — the boyfriend of the girl’s mother — never dropped her off near her school Monday morning as he had claimed.

Detectives instead believe Sterns killed Soto on Monday morning in Kissimmee and was moving her body.

At about 7:35 a.m. Monday, surveillance video showed Sterns discarding items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex where the family lives, Mina said.

He said investigators later discovered Soto’s backpack in the dumpster.

At 8:19 a.m. Monday, video shows Sterns returning to the complex with Madeline visible in the car, Mina said.

“We believe she was already dead,” he said. “We believe he moved her body in those early morning hours.”

Mina said Soto’s mother is not considered a suspect in the case.

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(Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)

Madeline Soto: Suspect in girl’s disappearance taken to Osceola County Jail The prime suspect in the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl is now in the Osceola County Jail. (WFTV)

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said he is planning to hold a news conference Friday to give an update on Madeline Soto’s disappearance.

The news conference is planned for 1 p.m. at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Click here to stream it live.

Channel 9 will have a crew at the news conference and will provide live updates on the search on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

Original report:

Her mother reported her missing when she realized she never made it to school.

For days, law enforcement and volunteers have been out searching for Madeline.

People have also been putting up signs across our community.

Channel 9 has been speaking with law enforcement and others in the community who say they are not giving up on finding the girl.

Orange County deputies said Madeline’s mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, has been identified as the prime suspect in her disappearance.

Over 100 emergency responders have scoured grassy fields and wooded areas, but the question lingers, but nothing has been found.

With missing person posters on doors, lawns, and windows, the Hunter’s Creek community refuses to let any avenue go unexplored until “Maddie” is safely returned.

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