Found Deceased FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #7

[Beekarina]

We also had numerous discussions here about JS working from home, in earlier threads. It was one reason many of us were having difficulty understanding how so much abuse, over such a length of time, could have happened without JS being aware of it.

It is reasonable JS would have held different positions over the course of a 7-8 year relationship with SS. And working from home during COVID, especially, would not have been unusual as the primary caregiver to a young child.

 

[photoprose1122]

A fatal head injury would not need to be messy.

If it was a shooting, yes. But you can hit your head "just right", even wearing a helmet skiing, for example, and pass away from it.

I personally think it would be still be premeditated based on my understanding of as explained when we first learned of the charges if SS was abusive/rough towards MS, and neither he or JS took her for care and she died as a result. Especially if he was then abusive and rough with MS Sunday evening/Monday morning.

If you already have an existing injury, it is more dangerous. Think of athletes pulled after "hard hits". This is why.

Premeditated requires intent to kill/malice aforethought. If he was just too rough with her he could say it was an accident and he didn’t mean to kill her. For them to apply premeditated, as has been discussed before, they have to have evidence that proves he intended to kill her.

It’s true that a traumatic brain injury doesn’t have to be messy. However, in a homicidal situation, 9 times out of 10 any action taken to produce a traumatic brain injury is going to be bloody. Unless he purposefully slammed her head just right against a hard surface, which I agree is a possibility. MOO.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

And working from home during COVID, especially, would not have been unusual as the primary caregiver to a young child.

Sure. But if she worked Retail, Healthcare, or Customer Service, it's not unusual for some people to have gone to work person during COVID. (I never worked from home.)

We have no concrete evidence about when or where Jenn was working on Sunday. "Holiday Inn Club Vacations" timestamps are listed as evidence but we don't know how it's related here (someone has said perhaps SS visited one)

IF Jenn worked as concierge or as a vacation planner, I can't believe no one knows the shifts for the customer service agents. In Florida, do people work 8 hour shifts? 10? (I think labor/overtime laws are more lax there.) It makes a huge difference if Jenn missed the party because she worked 4pm to midnight or 11am to 7pm!

IF she worked 4pm to midnight = I could understand she saw pics of the gifts and got texts from Maddie during the party "she was so happy...." Jenn arrives home at 1230, is in bed by 1am, is told Maddie is asleep anyway so she doesn't. see Maddie... Jenn goes to sleep until morning.

Since SS is just there visiting, if he's not in bed sleeping next to Jenn & I guess that's not a surprise, right? SS could have been doing anything, is unaccounted for.... for over 12 hours. (8pm Sunday til when he's caught on camera dumping the backpack.)

 

[photographer4]

Premeditated requires intent to kill/malice aforethought. If he was just too rough with her he could say it was an accident and he didn’t mean to kill her. For them to apply premeditated, as has been discussed before, they have to have evidence that proves he intended to kill her.

It’s true that a traumatic brain injury doesn’t have to be messy. However, in a homicidal situation, 9 times out of 10 any action taken to produce a traumatic brain injury is going to be bloody. Unless he purposefully slammed her head just right against a hard surface, which I agree is a possibility. MOO.

Have we considered that she may not have been killed inside her home? Is it possible that she was killed outside? At some other location? If Js and Ss cleaned the home of blood they must have done a decent job as police didn’t mention blood in any documents we have been privy to so far. I doubt they spent all day cleaning. They could have but I doubt it.

 

[photoprose1122]

Have we considered that she may not have been killed inside her home? Is it possible that she was killed outside? At some other location? If Js and Ss cleaned the home of blood they must have done a decent job as police didn’t mention blood in any documents we have been privy to so far. I doubt they spent all day cleaning. They could have but I doubt it.

I don’t think we’d see that information yet if there was blood in the home. It would fall under the search warrant inventory they listed, I’m sure.

But regardless, I do agree it’s a possibility she was killed outside the home, I’m just not sure how seeing her slumped in the car when they were leaving the complex factors into that.

 

[photoprose1122]

Does anyone who has looked at maps of the area know where Life Storage is in relation to Maddie’s school? They had a search warrant for that place and a facility log (I’m assuming SS had a unit) and I’m just wondering if perhaps he took her there. But could also just be a search for other devices.

Edit: just looked and there are several in the vicinity



However, would SS actually have a unit in the area if he wasn’t living there? No idea - could’ve been for a unit in North Port I suppose. Or it could’ve been JS unit too.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Yes, but it also appears that is only the case if one believes her statement. IIRC it still is not fully apparent who brought MS home from the birthday party, when, or where she was taken. And the timeframe overnight and into the morning before school is unclear it seems? Almost wonder if SS brought MS back to JS residence at some point not yet clear, and maybe JS was not there for some initial period of time? And then maybe she arrived there later? MOO

Her lying to LE,and on the news tells me all I need to know. I don't believe she didn't recognize anything in the evidence that she was shown. There is zero excuse for lying. So that makes me believe that there is only one conclusion CYA. MOO

 

[photographer4]

I don’t think we’d see that information yet if there was blood in the home. It would fall under the search warrant inventory they listed, I’m sure.

But regardless, I do agree it’s a possibility she was killed outside the home, I’m just not sure how seeing her slumped in the car when they were leaving the complex factors into that.

We don't know at what point she may have *originally* left the home between arriving (?) from the party (did she arrive home actually or is that just what SS and JS said?) and when she ended up slumped in that car. I wonder if he / she / they took her out somewhere that evening and it perhaps didn't end well?

 

[iamshadow21]

We don't know at what point she may have *originally* left the home between arriving (?) from the party (did she arrive home actually or is that just what SS and JS said?) and when she ended up slumped in that car. I wonder if he / she / they took her out somewhere that evening and it perhaps didn't end well?

I've mentioned before that I have a personal theory she was killed on the way home from the party. That perhaps she was taken somewhere private by SS to be raped, and never reached home alive.

MOO

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

Unfortunately, I think it is possible that SS murdered Maddie as soon as she got into his vehicle. Perhaps she had her back turned to put on her seatbelt or to close the car door or had her head down for a moment unawares he attacked with some sort of weapon or means that caused BFT.

IMO, he probably rushed her early that morning and took advantage of her being disoriented and tired as she headed to the car. He probably assumed that like her laptop and other belongings she packed her cell phone in her backpack when he threw it out not realizing that in her groggy state she accidentally left it behind in her bedroom.

I think it is possible that she was killed in her home or possibly the night before but I also imagine that would be some type of forensic evidence at the home. For example, if she was killed the night before in her room LE/investigators would note or find forensic evidence such as bodily fluid released following her death in her bedroom or at the site they believe SS possibly hid her. They may also note certain odors related to decomposition or even cleaning in the home or upon Maddie’s belongings, such as possibly on the dress she wore the night before, her pajamas or bedroom sheets and comforters.

LE sadly describing Maddie as slumped over in the passenger seat also gave me the impression that rigor mortis may not have set in yet. Also why put her in the front passenger seat that morning where she could be seen but later that afternoon hide her across the backseat? I think it is possible Maddie sat herself there before she was horrifically attacked and that SS only moved her when he had the opportunity and realized he would have to keep in his vehicle for longer period of time then he anticipated if he wanted to get away with his terrible crime and keep her from being seen or detected by others.

Additionally, moving a deceased person alone does expend a lot of energy and strength. For him to put her in the passenger seat where she could be seen on a trip leaving the apartment complex and then coming back seems like a mistake and a risk to his alibi or alleged statement considering she could be seen by both cameras and potential witnesses nearby or in the area.

IMO, he planned to killed her that morning with the intent of possibly leaving her remains in the field next to the school or some such site but something he did not expect, perhaps students already in that area or the presence of potential witnesses, altered or changed his plans at the last minute hence movements later that morning and afternoon that don’t make much logical sense.

JMO or speculation and of course I concede there is high probability that there is forensic evidence showing she passed in the house or the night before that hasn’t been made public yet so I could be wrong

Body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto is found in woods

At about 4:30pm today, off of Hickory Tree Road, Osceola County Sheriff's Office search teams located the body of Madeline Soto in a wooded area.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Madeline Soto slept in Stephan Sterns' bed, documents say

New documents obtained by Court TV reveal Jennifer Soto's reaction to seeing photos of her daughter on Stephan Sterns' phone.

www.courttv.com

 

[Knox]

I don’t think we’d see that information yet if there was blood in the home. It would fall under the search warrant inventory they listed, I’m sure.

But regardless, I do agree it’s a possibility she was killed outside the home, I’m just not sure how seeing her slumped in the car when they were leaving the complex factors into that.

I've considered she was drugged that night.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

I wish we knew where she was killed. LE confirmed Kissimmee but would not confirm it was at the house. But she was seen on camera slumped over leaving the complex, so that would imply she was killed at the house. But if that were true, and BFT is indeed the CoD, that would be a messy crime scene at the house. I said it before, but it’s still bugging me. If both those things are true, I can’t imagine that JS would be oblivious, unless she really was in a drug-induced sleep. There’s just so many things that don’t add up or make sense.

Was she killed at the house? How, if JS was home and oblivious? Why drive around with her body and come back to the complex? Why not dump her body in those early hours rather than driving around and waiting til the afternoon? Was the McDonald’s story a ruse to get her out of the house early in order to kill her away from home? If so, why was she seen slumped over already?

I woke up this morning thinking about all of it and I just wish we had more answers.

Weren’t those two very early televised interviews of JS and SS done in JS’s townhouse? I’m talking about the one where JS is jiggling her leg and the one where JS is consoling SS. We see their kitchen in background and they are giving their timelines for the day.

Does anyone think JS and SS would have allowed a TV reporter and film crew into their home if it were the crime scene? Just say’n. MOO.

 

[microsleuth88]

A crime scene does always look like one, and a head injury doesn't always produce blood in fact many don't.

I mean just think about Jonbenet, had her body not been found in the Ramsey house, the house would have never probably been suspected as the crime scene. There was no obvious blood or anything that appeared out of the ordinary overall. Her massive head injury produced no external blood and then have no clue where the head injury took place in the house or even how/what caused it.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

A crime scene does always look like one, and a head injury doesn't always produce blood in fact many don't.

I mean just think about Jonbenet, had her body not been found in the Ramsey house, the house would have never probably been suspected as the crime scene. There was no obvious blood or anything that appeared out of the ordinary overall. Her massive head injury produced no external blood and then have no clue where the head injury took place in the house or even how/what caused it.

I’m thinking from a jitters stand point. If I’d just murdered someone in my home, even if there were no mess/ obvious evidence or clean up, I’d just be too nervous to let anyone come into the house to interview me. Especially if I were prone to high anxiety. I’d be totally paranoid they might see something I hadn’t noticed was out of place. Just me throwing out a thought.

 

[iamshadow21]

A crime scene does always look like one, and a head injury doesn't always produce blood in fact many don't.

I mean just think about Jonbenet, had her body not been found in the Ramsey house, the house would have never probably been suspected as the crime scene. There was no obvious blood or anything that appeared out of the ordinary overall. Her massive head injury produced no external blood and then have no clue where the head injury took place in the house or even how/what caused it.

They used to say on CSI, "the first hit's free" because unlike a bludgeoning death with multiple blows, a single strike with enough force to the right place on the skull can be both fatal and bloodless. If the skin is unbroken, then there won't be blood directly from a wound and there won't be cast-off from the weapon, if a weapon was used.

MOO

 

[MamaSleuth5]

A fatal head injury would not need to be messy.

RSBM I've been thinking about this possibility too. MOO

A crime scene does always look like one, and a head injury doesn't always produce blood in fact many don't.

I mean just think about Jonbenet.. Her massive head injury produced no external blood..

RSBM I also thought about poor Jonbenèt, and how MS's injury could have been a massive but bloodless head injury too JMO

They used to say on CSI, "the first hit's free" because unlike a bludgeoning death with multiple blows, a single strike with enough force to the right place on the skull can be both fatal and bloodless. If the skin is unbroken, then there won't be blood directly from a wound and there won't be cast-off from the weapon, if a weapon was used.

MOO

A possibility, IMO.

I'm not sure exactly what happened to ultimately cause sweet MS death, but I appreciate the respectful thoughts of my fellow WSers. Justice for Madeline.

 

[MassGuy]

I’m thinking from a jitters stand point. If I’d just murdered someone in my home, even if there were no mess/ obvious evidence or clean up, I’d just be too nervous to let anyone come into the house to interview me. Especially if I were prone to high anxiety. I’d be totally paranoid they might see something I hadn’t noticed was out of place. Just me throwing out a thought.

I didn’t like this thought, as I have always preferred the idea that she was killed in the house, based on the bag dump prior to SS and Maddie leaving that first time, but it does give me a great deal of pause.

Psychologically, I do think that most people would be averse to conducting an interview in a crime scene, especially if blunt force trauma was the cause (yes I Know it isn’t always bloody).

There is a counterpoint that the interview was not conducted in say her bedroom, where a crime like that may have occurred.

I guess the bag dump could be evidence of premeditation, and the murder occurred during that McDonald’s trip lie.

 

[Pruddennce]

Weren’t those two very early televised interviews of JS and SS done in JS’s townhouse? I’m talking about the one where JS is jiggling her leg and the one where JS is consoling SS. We see their kitchen in background and they are giving their timelines for the day.

Does anyone think JS and SS would have allowed a TV reporter and film crew into their home if it were the crime scene? Just say’n. MOO.

the interview with Hannah McKenzie fox 35 (with creepy lurking SS in the background) was done via zoom, view of the kitchen. the combo interview, channel 9 Im not sure who is asking the questions and seems like it is in the house as well.

 

[photographer4]

Weren’t those two very early televised interviews of JS and SS done in JS’s townhouse? I’m talking about the one where JS is jiggling her leg and the one where JS is consoling SS. We see their kitchen in background and they are giving their timelines for the day.

Does anyone think JS and SS would have allowed a TV reporter and film crew into their home if it were the crime scene? Just say’n. MOO.

If the crime scene was upstairs sure. The interviews were done in front of the kitchen which seemed tidy. If you want to see how a family really lives, look at their bedrooms.

 

[CuriousCricket]

Snipped by me for focus:
It sounded like JS and Ss had already been brought to the station for a presser.

5. Could the idea of a presser have been presented to JS and Ss as a means to get them out of the house so a warrant could be executed? Or are LE not allowed to do this type of manipulating? Not that I care if they did manipulate - I’m just curious.

I'm curious too. Is it usual for LE to transport parents to the station when a child is reported missing or are parents normally allowed to drive themselves?