Madeline Soto update: Stephan Sterns not talking to detectives about Florida girl's death, Kissimmee PD says
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - The body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto was found in a grassy area in Osceola County, Florida five days after she was reported missing, officials said. Her mom's boyfriend, Stephen Sterns, is considered a "prime suspect" in her disappearance. He has been charged with dozens of charges related to sexual abuse. Click here for the latest updates on the investigation.
Detectives continue to investigate the disappearance and death of Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old girl who went missing about a month ago. Her body was found earlier this month in St. Cloud.
Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland hosted a press conference on Thursday morning to keep the community in the loop about the case. No new information has been shared, but she did clarify the investigation process in the weeks after Soto's death. You can watch the press conference in the video player above.
Stephan Sterns, Soto's mom's boyfriend and the "prime suspect" in the teen's disappearance and death, has not been charged for the 13-year-old's murder. He is currently in custody in Osceola County on 60 charges related to sexual battery, molestation, child pornography-related offenses and possession of child sex abuse material. Holland said these crimes have been confined to the home, and there is no reason to believe that there are any other victims at this time.
Police continue to work closely with the State Attorney's Office to put a case together against Sterns.
Law enforcement also continues to piece together the timeline leading up to Soto's death, and Holland refused to answer any questions from reporters that would "compromise the integrity of the investigation."
"Death investigations are complex," she said.
TIMELINE: Everything we know so far about Madeline Soto's disappearance, homicide investigation
Sterns, who has been in jail since Feb. 28, has invoked his right to counsel and has not cooperated with the investigation, Holland said. Police said they have interviewed the teen's mother Jennifer and she has been cooperating with the investigation.
"Everyone that was close to Madeline is considered suspect until we have proven otherwise," Holland said, adding in a separate statement that, "No one is not cooperating other than Sterns."
Madeline Soto missing: Jenn Soto, Maddie's mom, talks daughter's disappearance (full interview)
Jenn Soto, Madeline Soto's mom, spoke to FOX 35's Hannah McKenzie this week about the disappearance of her 13-year-old daughter. "Maddie" Soto has been missing since Feb. 26, days after her 13th birthday, and hours after she was dropped up at school. Jenn Soto's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, dropped Maddie near the school, but the girl never made it to class.
Soto's cause of death has still not yet been determined. Kissimmee police are working closely with the Medical Examiner's Office until that update comes in.
The Kissimmee Police Department will continue to provide updates as they have them.
MAKING CHANGES: Orange County Public Schools changing absence notification policy in wake of Madeline Soto's disappearance
In the meantime, Holland encourages parents to speak with their children and use resources available to them to report any potential abuse inside the home.
Thursday's press conference comes about a month after Soto was last seen on the morning of Feb. 26. Sterns is said to have dropped her off at school that day, but Orange County Sheriff John Mina said she never made it. It's believed that Soto was actually dead already that morning, and Sterns allegedly moved her body after disposing of her backpack and school-issued laptop in a dumpster in Kissimmee.
Soto's body was found on the afternoon of March 1 off Old Hickory Tree Road in rural Osceola County, officials said. Soto was found in this area – where Sterns was last seen possibly changing a flat tire on Monday afternoon – wearing clothing similar to what she was last seen in.
Booking photo of Stephan Sterns from the Osceola County Jail.
"At 8:19, we have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex, and Madeline was visible in that vehicle," Sheriff Mina said during a press conference last week. "We believe she was already dead at that time."
He remains in custody at the Osceola County Jail after he was arrested Feb. 28 on unrelated charges after he voluntarily turned his phone over to law enforcement during the search for his girlfriend's daughter, including sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. The night of his arrest, the Orange County Sheriff's Office named him the "prime suspect" in Soto's disappearance.
NEW DETAILS: Breakdown of sexual battery, child porn-related charges against Stephan Sterns
On March 12, the State Attorney's Office announced they had filed 60 additional charges against Sterns. He was charged with eight counts of sexual battery of a child under 12, five counts of sexual battery with a child aged 12 to 18, seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and 40 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child (10 or more images).