ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Kissimmee Police Department has no plans to file charges against Jennifer Soto, the mother of Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old girl whose body was discovered in rural Osceola County earlier this year.
Sources told Channel 9′s Shannon Butler that Jennifer Soto has done nothing criminal so far, so she will not face charges.
Channel 9 has obtained a video recording of Orange County Sheriff’s Office detectives interviewing Jennifer Soto at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 27 after her daughter was reported missing.
Madeline Soto was reported missing after Hunters Creek Middle School -- where Madeline attended -- alerted Jennifer Soto that she did not make it to school Feb. 26.
Madeline Soto was supposed to be dropped off by Jennifer Soto’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, but according to the investigation, Sterns did not drop off the girl.
Sterns was charged Feb. 28 with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. On April 24, he was also charged with first-degree murder in connection with Madeline Soto’s death.
Madeline Soto: Search for missing girl enters 5th day in Orange County
Madeline Soto: Missing Kissimmee girl's body found in rural Osceola County The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Friday evening that Madeline Soto’s body has been found. Investigators said Osceola County deputies found the missing 13-year-old girl’s body at about 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road. (WFTV/WFTV)
Stephan Sterns & Madeline Soto Detectives believe Stephan Sterns killed 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Monday morning at a Kissimmee apartment complex. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Video Sources: Madeline Soto’s body discovered in rural Osceola County Sources say that Maddie’s body was found in rural St. Cloud near Hickory Tree Road. (Chantelle Navarro /Chantelle Navarro)
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto Police and deputies canvassed the area of Osceola County for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Kissimmee Police Department will take over Madeline Soto investigation The Kissimmee Police Department will handle the search for Madeline Soto, said Chief Betty Holland. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Orange County Sheriff John Mina gives update on Madeline Soto The sheriff said the efforts will now shift to recovering her body. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Orange County Sheriff's Office gave an update for Madeline Soto Sheriff John Mina said he is confident that she is dead, and recovery efforts will continue. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Suspect in girl’s disappearance taken to Osceola County Jail
Madeline Soto: Community to hold prayer vigil tonight Members of the community will gather to pray for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. (Unity & Fire Church International/Unity & Fire Church International)
Stephan Sterns & Madeline Soto Deputies in Orange County said 13-year-old Madeline Soto has been missing since Monday morning. And now, her mother’s boyfriend is in jail on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. Stephan Sterns was supposed to go before an Orange County judge Thursday morning but refused to be in court. (OCSO)
Search continues for missing girl, Madeline Soto, as her mother’s boyfriend refuses to face judge
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Large search party gathers Wednesday to look for missing 13-year-old girl in Orange County
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Madeline Soto The Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Friday confirmed that the body of Madeline Soto, 13, has been located. (Orange County Sheriff's Office/Orange County Sheriff's Office)
During the interview, the Sheriff’s Office questioned Jennifer Soto about the relationship between Stephan Sterns and Madeline Soto.
When asked if it was normal for the pair to sleep in the same room, Jennifer Soto responded by saying the following:
“Sometimes when I really need a good night’s sleep, I will send them upstairs. But when, I’ll also -- a lot of times we will sleep together in the king-sized bed. All three of us. Or sometimes Stephan will go upstairs and share a bed alone. So it just really depends on what’s going on that night with our schedules and what we’re doing.”
According to the interview, Jennifer Soto did not see Madeline Soto on the morning that the girl vanished because Jennifer Soto thought that her daughter was getting ready for school while Jennifer Soto went to a doctor’s appointment.
When Jennifer Soto returned home, Sterns was also home, and they chatted for a little bit, and she asked him why he had called her earlier -- around 10:18 a.m.
Investigators said that was not true as Stearns had already been seen driving out of their apartment complex with Madeline Soto’s body slumped over in the front seat of the vehicle.
Jennifer Solo told deputies that she began to worry when her daughter didn’t come home from school and wasn’t there all day.
During the interview, Jennifer Soto’s answers were hard to come by as she told investigators that she had taken medicine and was a little spacey.
Deputies have not found any evidence to charge her at this time.
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