Madeline Soto's mother talks about the timeline of her daughters disappearance after she went missing on Monday, February 26 from Orange County, Florida.
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Madeline Soto missing: Mother talks timeline leading up to daughters disappearance in Florida
Madeline Soto was
reported missing Monday night after she did not make it to school that morning.
In the latest development, her mother's boyfriend Stephan Sterns, 37, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material after detectives said they found "disturbing" images on his phone.
Detectives said it appears that whatever alleged actions were captured in the images and videos happened at the family's home in Kissimmee, Florida, which is just south of Orlando.
They also alleged that Sterns had attempted to delete evidence from the phone.
Her mother, Jenn Soto, spoke with FOX 35 about the timeline of her daughter's disappearance, who was last seen after being dropped off at a church down the street from her elementary school.
According to surveillance video, her daughter was last seen with Sterns when he dropped her off at the Peace United Methodist Church parking lot. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said she was possibly "embarrassed" by her vehicle and asked her mom's boyfriend to be dropped off there.
Sterns has not been arrested in connection to Maddie's disappearance – but was the last person to see her. He is now considered a prime suspect.
The day before Maddie disappeared, her family celebrated her 13th birthday.
"She was so happy, she showed us all her gifts - she's just a happy girl and she showed it on Sunday. When she went to bed she was so happy," said Soto.
Soto said there was no moment in the evening from when she got home that she had a phone or a laptop indicating that she was having conversations or making plans for Monday.
On Monday morning, Stern drove Maddie to school where
she was seen on surveillance video crossing the street, appearing to walk to school from the church Sterns dropped her off from.
When Sterns was arrested, he invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak further before being booked into jail.
Soto said her daughter had never run away before. She said the teen had forgotten her cell phone at home that morning, but that was normal.
When deputies searched Maddie's phone, they learned that Soto had told her friends that she wanted to "live in the woods" after her birthday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Maddie is "endangered," meaning that her physical safety is in danger, such as a predatory abduction or kidnapping.
