The man accused of killing 13-year-old Madeline Soto has broken his silence — but only to his parents. Stephan Sterns, 38, is behind bars, facing charges for the teen’s murder. In jailhouse phone calls obtained by WESH 2, Sterns admitted to his parents that he “snapped” the night Madeline died.
“Anything I did was not done while in my rational mind,” Sterns told them. “I wish I had done the right thing. I wish I had called 911.” His mother replied, “Maybe she could have been saved.”
Madeline Soto was reported missing on February 26, 2024, after never making it to her middle school in Orlando. Four days later, her body was found dumped in the woods in Osceola County. She was wearing clothing similar to what she had on when last seen. Authorities say Sterns, who was dating Madeline’s mother, Jennifer Soto, was the last person to see the teen alive.
Investigators accuse Sterns of strangling Madeline and suspect he sexually abused her for years. Detectives also discovered explicit images of the young girl on Sterns’ phone. In another recorded call, Sterns’ mother confronted him about those disturbing images. Sterns claimed that Madeline’s mother was aware of what he described as the girl’s “crush” on him.
“Well then, why would [the mother] send her in there to sleep with you?” his mother asked. According to FOX 35, Madeline often shared a bed with her mother and Sterns. Sterns claimed on the call that Jennifer Soto would joke about it, saying, “You better not leave me for my daughter when she’s older.”
Jennifer Soto has not been charged with any crime.
Throughout the recorded conversations, Sterns never directly confesses to killing Madeline. Instead, he claimed to have found her after she had already died. “I discovered her in the state that she was in,” he said. “I can’t get into details, but I was not aware she had passed on. I wasn’t in the room the whole time.”
Sterns also spoke about his likely fate. “I’ve accepted that they may put me to death,” he told his parents. His father pressed him further. “Are you going to be the fall guy for this?” he asked. “If you’re not part of this, let’s clear it up. If not for you, then for the families.”
Sterns replied that his options were limited. “It’s either that or spend the rest of my life somewhere where no one cares.”
The investigation into Madeline’s death remains ongoing.
