Sensitive Story| Child Sexual Abuse and Murder Mother Prioritizes Boyfriend’s Comfort Over Daughter’s Safety: The Tragic Case of Madeline Soto

Warning: The following story contains material that is a sensitive matter. Talks of sexual abuse of a child, murder, grooming.

In a disturbing case that has drawn widespread attention, a mother chose to prioritize her comfort over her daughter’s safety, leading to tragic consequences. The mother, seeking a good night’s sleep, instructed her live-in boyfriend to sleep with her 13-year-old daughter in a separate bed. They had all three slept in the king-size together but this would be that 13-year-olds last night alive.

This is the heartbreaking case of Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old girl found dead in Florida on March 1st this year. Reported missing by her mother and her mother’s live-in boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, the case quickly attracted media attention.

a mother chose to prioritize her own comfort over her daughter’s safety, leading to tragic consequences.

People started seeing inconsistencies in Stephan’s statements. During the mom’s interview reporting her daughter missing on a police body cam, he seems to be controlling what she should or shouldn’t say to the police.

A tip led authorities to Madeline’s body later that day. Stephan initially claimed he had dropped her off at school, but he was subsequently charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. In April, the charges escalated to first-degree murder. Osceola County authorities reported that investigators found “several disturbing pictures and videos,” leading to 60 charges, including capital sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation, and possession of child pornography.

The night Madeline went missing, Mom sent Stephan and Madeline to sleep in the next room. This is something they have done often. Stephan and Madeline had slept in the same bed alone, without Mom for years. Pictures and videos on Stephan’s phone showed they had been sleeping in the same bed since Madeline was 11 years old.

She claims that the abuse her daughter endured for years was Not Evil

The next morning Stephan was seen throwing things in the trash and when authorities went to look in the trashcan they found Madeline’s backpack and laptop. The police said when he was seen with Madeline on his way to drop her off at school, authorities thought she was already dead by that point. They were seen driving by from a security cam with the slumped-over body of Madeline in the front seat.

In a recent podcast, Nancy Grace suggested that Stephan had likely been grooming Madeline since she was 11, as evident by the pictures on his phone. This abuse may have started earlier, with the photos and videos marking a later stage in his exploitation.

I do not know why Mom is not being charged. In the latest reports, Mom admitted prioritizing her boyfriend over her daughter’s safety. I think she knew about what was happening between the two. She told authorities that the abuse her daughter endured for years was “Not Evil but the murder was Evil”

How is any type of abuse of a child not evil?

Some parents have no idea how to raise a child. I know kids do not me with a manual but honestly I thin,k every parent knows right from wrong. Some just do not care and that just makes me sick. If they did not want the child why didn't they give them up for adoption. There are so many parents that want a child.

I have read so many sad stories like this or even worse. At least this child is teen or preteen not that it makes it any better. Like my story about the young 5 year-old child that had unspeakable acts done to her before she was murdered. The teen at least could have spoke up or fought back unlike the 5 year old. Why are there so many monsters in the world?

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