Missing teen dumped in the woods by killer

When 13-year-old Madeline Soto vanished, her disturbing home life was exposed - then it became clear she'd lived in a house of horror

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Sterns was arrested before Maddie was found

Madeline Soto had just celebrated her 13th birthday. Affectionately known as Maddie, the teenager loved music, dancing and arts. She played volleyball and video games and had lots of friends at Hunter's Creek Middle School.

Maddie lived in Kissimmee, Florida, with her mum Jennifer and her mum's boyfriend of several years, Stephan Sterns. It was a tight squeeze in the small apartment, with Maddie living in a makeshift bedroom behind a divider wall in the living room.

Free-spirited Maddie had confided in her friends that she wanted to go and live in the nearby woods. It felt like she was craving some escape from home, but she never made any complaints about her life.

Four days after her birthday, on the afternoon of 26 February 2024, Jennifer reported Maddie missing. Jennifer had gone to collect her daughter after school, but she wasn't there.

The teachers said she hadn't been there all day.

Jennifer hadn't seen her that morning as Sterns had dropped her off at school.

Maddie's backpack was missing but the phone she usually took to school was still at home. Every morning, she would message her best friend, but that morning she hadn't. After Maddie's confession about wanting to live in the woods, which the police found messages about on her phone, they searched there but it quickly became clear this wasn't a runaway situation.

The police appealed to the public for information. They said the blonde, blue-eyed teen was last seen wearing a dark green hoodie, black shorts and white Crocs, and carrying a grey backpack. Missing posters were put up around town and social media campaigns were started to urge people to search for her. The police even used a piece of Maddie’s clothing to help dogs track her scent.