Madeline Soto’s Mom Claims She Was 'Oblivious' to Boyfriend’s Alleged Sex Abuse, Even Though They All Shared Bed

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Orange County Sheriff’s Office/X

Orange County Sheriff’s Office/X

Madeline disappeared from her Kissimmee, Fla., home on Feb. 26, and herbody was foundin a wooded area on March 1, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said at the time. Prior to recovering her body, police arrested her mother’s boyfriend, 37-year-oldStephan Sterns, on unrelated charges of possessing child sexual abuse material.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has now released a video of their interview with Madeline’s mother, Jennifer Soto, which took place on March 1, hours before the teenager’s body was found, perClick 2 Orlando, which shared the video.

During the nearly three-hour interview clip, an investigator references Jennifer’s claim that she, her boyfriend and Madeline all slept in the same bed together — and expresses suspicions that Jennifer knew about her boyfriend’s alleged sex abuse.

Orange County jail

“It seems like some of your emotions … [are] not sincere.” the investigator says to Jennifer.

“I feel like some of your sadness is not real sadness," he adds.

Jennifer, who broke down in tears at times during the interview, pushes back.

“If I knew anything, I promise you I would tell you,” she says, offering to take a lie detector test.

“I’ve never seen any signs, I tried watching her like a hawk, I thought I was doing a good job but I wasn’t,” she says, breaking down. “I was oblivious to everything for four years.”

Video shows interview between Orange County deputies and Jennifer Soto

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Madelinedied from strangulation,FOX 35 Orlando,WESHandClick Orlandoreported in August, citing a medical examiner’s report.

Information about Sterns' plea to the murder charge was not immediately clear. He has pleaded not guilty to 60 counts of sexual abuse charges, per theOsceola News-Gazette. PEOPLE was not immediately able to reach his attorney.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

source: people.com