Stephan Sterns is set to face trial next year in two separate proceedings relating to the tragic death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, with the first on charges of child sex battery scheduled for February 24, 2025, and a second for homicide on September 22, 2025, as reported by ClickOrlando.
Madeline Soto was first reported missing on February 26. Her body was later discovered in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road on March 1, under circumstances that have since led to the arrest and subsequent charging of Sterns, who had been the boyfriend of Soto's mother at the time. He was taken into custody, originally on charges related to sexual battery and child pornography, and later with first-degree murder, when detectives found disturbing evidence on his phone during their investigation "Sterns, who faces the death penalty if convicted of killing Soto, has pleaded not guilty," ClickOrlando reported.
Following Soto's disappearance, evidence emerged, including video footage on February 28 showing Sterns disposing of items believed to belong to Madeline, like her backpack and school laptop, into a dumpster; subsequently, detectives believed they had telltale signs that she had not dropped off near her school as initially claimed by Sterns, according to an article by WESH.
The Kissimmee Police took over the investigation following the discovery of Soto's body, given the proximity to the family home, and on March 12, Sterns faced an escalation in legal jeopardy, seeing 60 new charges brought against him, which included eight counts of sexual battery on a child under 12 and additional counts related to sexual battery, lewd and lascivious molestation, and possession of child sexual abuse imagery.
