This is one of those cases that captivates America. It's [music] every parent's worst nightmare. And there are a half a dozen different possibilities right out of the shoot as to what could have happened to this child.
>> 911. Do you need police, fire, or medical? We already called three times and the police didn't show up yet.
[music] The police didn't show up, so they kept calling 911, hoping someone would respond. >> In my heart, [music] I feel like somebody took her. >> No one could have imagined just how far this story would spiral.
>> Are you in a sense blaming yourself? [gasps] >> Sorry, not too. >> [music] >> Jennifer Sodto went to pick up her daughter at school uh [music] in the afternoon.
When she got to school, uh Maline Sodto wasn't there. So, she and her family called police. They quickly realized she never made it to school.
>> She's white, [music] dirty, blonde hair, blue eyes. >> How long has it been though since you guys have last seen her? >> She was dropped off um at school this morning and apparently she never showed up.
>> Time is of the essence because the longer it takes to find the child, the worse the end of the story might be. Maline's mother, Jennifer, she was alerted by an automated recording from the school at 6:00 p. m.
that Meline had not made it to school that day, that she was tardy, she was absent. So, there was time lost. She was missing for a while before it was ever reported [music] to police.
>> Does she have a cell phone that she might keep on her person? >> She had one. [music] She left home conveniently today.
>> We'll have deputies out there to come and make a report with you. Okay. That is a very odd word to use conveniently.
So, this is going to play into the cell phone or ADHD. [music] Um, she is forgetful. This is typical of Meline.
Multiple 911 calls came in because the original [music] call, you expect law enforcement to come right away. I just called 911. And when they didn't do that, over and over again, they called trying to get some help.
>> 911, what is the location of your emergency? >> Hi. Um, I called not that long ago reporting a missing child.
I just wanted to know how long the cops are going to take to get here. >> The calls are currently pending. >> So, no one's on their way yet?
>> Not yet. No. >> Law enforcement has a priority system, so they don't divert resources to cases where someone's a runaway, for example, and not endangered.
And when the 911 calls came in about Meline, at first it was given the lowest priority, but she was only 13. The age of 13 is a little young to be a runaway. It happens, but it should have raised a red flag right away.
>> And what's worse, several hours go by and there's still no police response. So, they have to call a third time. >> 911.
What is the location of your emergency? >> We have a missing child. We already called three times and the police didn't show up yet.
>> I think panic sets in. They call law enforcement. They don't show up and I think they [music] kind of felt disregarded.
This little girl's been missing for hours at this point. >> This is an emergency. >> We We have the information, but it just didn't they're trying to get to someone as soon as possible.
>> So, this is not important for you guys. Really? >> We're very busy.
Look, I understand they'll be there as soon as they can. Okay. In those 3 hours, could something have been done?
You know, cuz time is so critical in these situations. And for them, that's a terrible position to be in. >> Police finally respond 3 hours after that initial 911 call.
>> There's the mom. >> Hey there. >> Hey there.
What's going on? >> So, my daughter was dropped off close to school this morning, but never made. I went to pick her up from school today and she never came out.
Sometimes she'll walk here to this office. >> I came here, nothing. I got a notice, an email from the school saying she was absent.
>> Jen Sodto was up front, right? And you saw her with this uh fear response when someone's eyelids raise up so high that you literally can see the white all the way around the eyes. That's a high level of fear.
In addition to that, she's actually rocking from side to side. That adrenaline rush, that's the panic. What was she last seen wearing?
>> Green hoodie. Um, >> green hoodie. >> White Crocs.
>> White Crocs. >> Either blue or black pants. >> I think black shorts.
>> Did she like have any places that you guys know that she'll be usually be at? Any friends house? Any places that like she likes to hang out?
>> Typically. No. >> No.
>> What was really interesting about that is that we had Stefan Stern in the back. [music] He had his arms crossed. He was in a frozen but yet relaxed position.
He didn't show any sort of uh support for mom and you would hear him intercept every now and then. >> Does she have a phone number or a phone? >> She does, but she left it at home today.
I have it and I already know who her message is. The only device she's got on her right now is her laptop. >> She has a history of she got dropped off.
She was like, >> so she's a mirror by his car. So she didn't want to be dropped off at school. She wanted to be dropped off like half a block away so she can walk.
Did she ever go to school? >> No, we called school. >> Was walking in that direction.
She was rifling through her backpack. Looked the same as any other morning. >> But here's the interesting thing is he said that we took her to school and we saw her walk across the street.
And then it dropped to he took her to school because he was the one that drove her. So there was some ambiguity whether who was the one that dropped off. Was it them together or was it just him doing [music] it solo?
>> When was the last time you seen her? Do you know the around what time? >> Around 8:30, 8:40 when when we dropped her off.
>> At that point in time, he takes his hat and shoves it down. Now, why is this important? So, when we look at these uh nonverbal cues, it's highly suspicious that something else is going on.
His affect is not the same. He's not showing sadness or concern. >> Was it here?
>> I can't remember, but it was I don't know where these communities were. >> And it's just like in this stretch like we could see the the overpass down there. We just came down and we drove about halfway down and she was like, "That's good right here.
" >> Okay. I can't believe in this day and age there's no cameras going on anywhere. >> Police [music] canvas this entire area around the spot where Meline was allegedly dropped off.
And surveillance footage at a nearby church that seemingly gives investigators their first break. >> You know who I keep thinking of is [snorts] how she basically ran away with her boyfriend. She left her phone to me.
It's like that feels intentional. like I don't want to be tracked. [snorts] >> She got up.
She's walking. >> Oh yeah. >> And she walked away.
>> That's why she's gone. >> So nobody picked her up. >> The video from the church.
It showed a young woman. Well, Adeline Soda was just walking away. Then that shows that if she didn't make it to school that day, that's because she decided not to show up to school.
She perhaps was a runaway. It's possible that she came here. Blurry video.
Um, but it looks like a Alice child sitting right there. The people here said that they were adamant. They seen her on the property.
[music] Um, but like I said, it's a blurry video and [music] I don't see her getting into anybody's car in the video. I see her sitting on property for give give or take [music] 10 minutes and then walking off property. Um, I don't know which way she went from there.
So now we have a possible sighting [music] of Meline, but no one has any idea where this young teenager has gone and the clock is ticking. Everything [music] and everyone kicks it into high gear to try to find her. Immediately you think, eh, did she skip school?
It is pretty normal for us not to go out and search and and choose to cover a story until law enforcement says this child is missing or person is missing. But there was just something in my gut that said, "You guys probably need to go down and just interview the parents just in case. " >> In my heart, I feel like somebody took her.
She had a birthday party on Sunday. Uh she had a great time. I told her good night.
And um yeah, that was it. I I I wasn't the one who took her to school in the morning. That was my partner.
>> You seem very emotional right now. Explain [music] to us. I dropped her off.
The earth looked [music] fine when I drove away. It's the last time we saw her. >> Are you in a sense blaming yourself?
>> Swear not to. [music] It's the reality dating. We don't know where she is.
We don't know if she's safe. We just want a baby girl back. >> Jen Sodto and Stefan Sterns had an on and off again [music] relationship, but he was still visiting the family.
It took us a a few days to try to figure out what that relationship was because they called [music] themselves boyfriend girlfriend. They said it was her fiance. Then we found out in the end they didn't even live together at the time.
They had broken up. So there was a really weird dynamic between the two of them with this little girl kind of in between. He describes and so did she a close relationship between Maline Sodto and Stephan Sterns.
You don't want to think it's a possibility, but we know in this world, and I've investigated thousands of predators over many years, you have to look at people closest to the victim because they're are the ones with the opportunity. And sadly, in this world, predators will seek vulnerable people. >> I feel like I can't breathe.
All I keep thinking about is where is she? >> That interview immediately raised questions for us about what happened. It wasn't about what they said.
[music] It's about how they acted. >> This is not normal behavior. She's not the type that would just run off.
We were scared. [snorts] We just want her home. Good boy.
Father, >> I don't know if she was trying to walk back home on her own or she was trying to go to her friend's house. The >> probably the most I'll say she would walk back to the job, >> but grandmother never saw her. >> Grandma said she knows her.
>> Okay. >> Investigators put every resource into locating Meline. K-9 tracking officers on foot canvasing around the neighborhood.
Anything they can do to try to drum up some kind of lead. >> Hey guys. So, um, we're just going to try to see if we could pull one more clothing.
That's okay with you guys. And then we're going to have the dog sniff it out again. >> The searches from the canines were not successful because Meline never made it to school.
>> Hello. If you see this child, >> she's lost. >> Yes.
So, if you guys see her somewhere, just give us a call. Is this about that little girl? >> Oh my god, I've been crying all day long.
I kept saying that to myself. I said, I'm hoping she skips school today. >> Unfortunately, you know, we still haven't found her and we're looking for any information possible.
>> There is a lot of people in that area, which kind of made it even more strange that no one would have seen this little girl because it wasn't like you were in the middle of nowhere. This is right in the middle of a very busy area of Orlando. We're here looking for a missing child.
Do you guys have any video surveillance at all? No cameras? >> No.
>> It shocks us because it happens in our neighborhood. You know, it happens I think every day, but it's just >> it's different when it's nearby. >> At this point, it is so important to cast a wider net, spread word around the entire state, even across the country in the hopes of getting some answers.
>> This is every parent's worst nightmare. We have well over uh 100 deputies, detectives, uh intelligence analysts, and specialized personnel searching for Meline. Uh right now, we will not stop until we find her.
>> The community immediately rallied around this little girl. The online traffic for this case was insane. That then gets all the attention of the Instagrammers and the bloggers and the YouTubers.
>> It's now been more than 24 hours since Maline Sodto was last seen. So, investigators need to speak with Jennifer and Stefan and they sit them down for formal interviews. >> Can you tell me when is the last time you were with saw?
>> Saw her. I'm going to say Sunday night. >> Sunday she had her birthday party, right?
What time was that party at? Uh, it started at 3:00. Okay.
From 3:00 to what time? I'm not sure. I wasn't there.
I was at work. >> That party was significant because early on we were trying to figure out did something happen at that party. There was no indication from that party that anything was wrong.
>> I heard her one day getting ready for school. >> Where did she go to bed? She actually slept upstairs uh with uh we we were all going to sleep together in the same bed, but I got a new job recently.
I haven't [music] been well rested. I needed some sleep. >> And Stefan is the one you're referring to, right?
>> Yeah. Stephan, [music] >> do you guys normally all sleep together? >> She sleeps with me typically.
When he comes into town, he'll sleep in the guest bedroom. He moved away back in December. >> So, no arguments at home recently or anything?
>> No, nothing like that. At first, the conversation went that they all slept in a downstairs [music] bedroom. All three of them in the same bed.
Then when the pictures come out, [music] we see that there was an empty room that he was sleeping in. And then you see this kind of blocked [music] off room in an common area. And that [music] was Maline Sodto's bedroom.
She did not have a bedroom with a door of her own. It is inappropriate for a young teen girl to be in bed on a regular [music] basis with her mother's boyfriend. It's not healthy.
It's not good. And in this case, it was a predictor of criminal activity. >> What time does she normally leave for school?
>> Uh, we usually leave around 8:50 at the latest. The previous night you and Stephan had agreed that he [music] was going to get >> Yeah. >> Take her in the morning.
>> Okay. >> And they were going to stop at McDonald's and get breakfast, but she changed [music] her mind. When Stephan called me around 10:18 in the morning, he had just let me know that uh he just [music] got back home uh from running a few errands.
It is crucial to separate the parties out. We want them to tell from the beginning to the end the way they remember it. We want to [music] know is their language similar or are is it word for word verbatim which would lead to the two of them have already cooperated [music] had this discussion and already planned out what they were going to say >> when you said you dropped her off like in the area where exactly did you drop her off?
>> So if you pull down the street going towards the school it was in that stretch of sidewalk. They kept going back to Stefan's story and each time you could see some cracks. When you keep asking those questions, that person has to repeat.
Every time they deviate from that, that could be incriminating. >> So after you dropped her off, do you remember what you did after or >> uh Yeah. I I after I left her um you know, I was just driving away.
She looked like she was making her way towards the school like normal. So >> I went on with my day. Uh, I had a couple errands to run over on 192.
>> Their account would be more similar if they were experiencing it exactly at the same time. We know Jen was not there to drop her off. What she was doing was paring what he told her.
She then took it on as as being her story. >> You'd say you guys have a good pretty good relationship. >> Yeah, definitely have a very strong bond.
What she say? She's usually like a happy go. >> Very happy.
She brings a lot of joy. She was so happy, too. >> She was looking forward to my visit here.
She was looking forward to us all being together. >> Once it became apparent that the mother's boyfriend had an unusually close relationship with the mother's daughter. You have to really dig into that.
What was going on there? Were they just, you know, a stepfather, stepdaughter type situation, relationship, or was there something more nefarious? >> The other detective mentioned that you did not have your phone yesterday.
>> Correct. I left my phone at home in the morning, too. I was so busy.
>> I was checking your call history. >> I noticed that you don't have anything before this morning. Is that usual on your phone?
>> Uh, no. It's it's a new phone. I stupid.
I went to do an update yesterday morning. Um, I don't know what the heck I did, but somehow did I manage to factory reset my phone and lose all of my contacts, all my information? >> Mhm.
>> How many times in the history of your cell phone ownership have you accidentally wiped out the call record of your phone? I have never done it. This guy now under the harsh light of scrutiny for the disappearance of [music] his girlfriend's daughter.
What are the odds that magically this happens to him? It is very suspicious. It stinks to hell.
>> Um, in the meantime, while we're waiting for all this to get sorted out, I am going to hold on to your phone. Okay. >> Law enforcement was able to recover what was on that phone.
That was the moment that people knew, oh, something is terribly wrong. >> Do you have any idea where she moving? >> No.
>> None whatsoever. >> Okay. >> Thank you so much for following the Maline Sodto case with us.
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>> How was your night? >> Not great. >> Not great.
>> Getting very good sleep. >> Just give us a few more minutes. So, I'm just waiting for somebody else to come.
Okay. >> He was asleep when detectives walked in. >> Step on.
>> How you doing, sir? Good. >> Sorry.
[music] >> That's okay. Didn't mean to wake you up. We just talked to Jennifer a little bit.
So, I may ask you things that you've already answered probably three or four times. I apologize as well. My memory is not super reliable.
>> His behavior of sleeping over the years, he was always tired, he said, right? He was always up at night and he didn't sleep and he was all groggy and and having that conversation and he used that groggginess as an excuse. >> What are the sleeping arrangements?
Sunday night be in the same bed together. So, so she suggested that the guest room upstairs had enough bed. So it's a little snuggle cuddle time that that would suffice [music] in the gym and get to sleep at peace.
>> So you say snuggle time, what what does that mean? >> Like to be alone. She's extremely demanding.
>> Morning time comes around. Walk through that a little bit. >> Got out early.
The plan was to get some McDonald's on the way. So we got out nice and early. >> Do you remember what time you left roughly?
>> Not not 100%. Sorry. Sorry.
My memory has not been super reliable. Maybe maybe 7 37 45. >> He never really looked at the police officers in the eye.
Never consistently always looked down or around. And then he would make excuses. Uh I I'm so sorry.
Uh also politeness, overly politeness and excuses are also a disruptive indicator. >> Um but we leave the house. Uh we start making our way to the school.
>> How was she like on the car ride there? just calm down. Sleeping.
>> His vocal tone is down. [music] He's got this kind of scratchy perform sort of sadness, yet his eyebrows never pinched up. The expressions and movements within his face never showed authentic sadness.
>> Walk me through the rest of the day. >> Uh, the next stop I wanted to go to was the big shop. I think maybe noonish or 1:00.
I have a few errands to run and I wanted to go check out some game shops. Um, but I don't want to be back in time first to go. Um, so I just ran out, ran up at down 192.
Ended up getting a flat at some point, which made me late. >> So I got home and called her and said, "Hey, I'm so sorry. I got a flat.
" She already left. >> Now at this point, detectives have collected several pieces of evidence, but it's something they find in the garbage that piques their interest about Stefan Stern's movements. Before Maline Sodto was even reported missing, >> did you take any trash out from the apartment?
>> Was it the night before? I think I did. >> Not sure.
I took I took took the trash out at some point. >> They started asking him questions. Hey, did you ever go to the trash?
And I'm not sure at that point he knew what they were necessarily getting at. >> Nowadays, cameras are everywhere. Okay.
Um, we see you go by the dumpster. What was in the trash? >> That was trash.
>> Okay. Did when you for school, did she have her backpack with her? >> Yes, >> she did.
Well, I can confidently tell you she did not go to school with her backpack. >> Why is that? >> Because we found in the trash.
>> They already knew that his story didn't match up. The video from that apartment complex had shown him throwing her backpack away in the dumpster. >> I have kids.
He's got kids. And this little girl's out there somewhere that leads to nowhere. And I really, really, really think you can help us.
>> That was the [music] moment you could tell that he knew he was caught. >> Do you know she's ever been sexually active with anybody in the past? Not that I'm aware of.
I heard there was some sort of incident when she was much younger where she did something with the phone or a camera but got scolded for it. >> From what I understand that you gave the deputies consent to look through your phone. >> What do you think was on the phone?
>> Text messages. Mhm. >> Emails, >> pictures.
>> Oh, yeah. >> What kind of pictures do you wear on there? >> Training card pictures, lightsaber pictures, Disney pictures.
>> When the suspect deletes things, they somehow believe that just pressing delete just clears their history forever. It doesn't work like that. Law enforcement is really powerful in this area.
They've got advanced technology. Do >> you have a Google account? >> Yeah.
>> Do you save pictures to your Google account? >> Sometimes. >> Do you package pictures of you?
And >> probably I even went to Disney, took selfies on the train. >> I see this all the time when I interview predators during our sting operations. They get to a point where they're boxed in and then you lower the boom.
You present this evidence, this digital evidence [music] that just can't be explained away. >> Any other pictures I can think of? >> Here's where I'm going to be brutally honest with you.
There's your phone, and I'm pretty sure you know what some of those pictures are about. said, "You want to add to the list of pictures? " I don't know.
Should I Should I be talking with a lawyer right now? >> I can't answer that question. >> Feel like I should probably have a lawyer present at this point.
>> Do you want to know what you're being detained for? capital sexual battery and possession of child. He violated every single layer of that trust when he [music] tried to develop a relationship with his child.
And I would argue that he had planned this all along. And he groomed this child. And each time he got a little closer and a little further down the grooming trail, he could justify this in his own mind.
And all of a sudden, detectives present him with this digital forensic, undeniable evidence of a crime, and there's no way out. The content on Stern's phone and other hard drives that were found in his storage unit, that dates back years. Police even find these lewd drawings in Meline's school notebook.
>> Thanks to Stephan Sterns's father, law enforcement were alerted to that hard drive. And it wasn't just images of Meline, but also images of Jennifer's roommate. People lie, but photos generally [music] don't.
And when you can recover 35,000 images, it shows motive. But it also is a separate crime in itself. 35,000 images, it'll get you locked up for life.
and sexual abuse of a child as was found on that hard drive that could get you the death penalty in Florida. This guy clearly needed to be stopped. I don't think anybody saw this case taking that kind of turn.
And so now police want to speak to Jennifer again. >> I was woken up at some time. For the longest time, I've been saying he woke me up at 8:00 in the morning, but in reality, I don't know what time he woke me up.
He told me he was going to go out cruising that night to go look for her. I even questioned that. I asked him, "Are you sure it's a good idea?
You should probably sit tight. " Eventually, reporters come to the house and do an interview. And he ugly cried in front of the camera, too.
So, he was face stop crying. At the time, I thought he was truly heartbroken and not that he had done all this to her. Like I I look back at now I'm just like he was lying.
He was faking. What else has he been lying to me about? >> Jennifer says, "Man, looking back now, I noticed all of these things that did seem to be off with Stefan.
" >> I think Detective P came or somebody came and asked Stephan for his cell phone. He started getting very anxious and very panicky going, "I want my phone back. I want my phone back.
" And I'm just like, "Do you are you trying to make yourself more suspicious? " At one point he takes my phone. I think from my phone he was trying to log into his emails.
I started saying to him like, "I think they're focusing in on you. Like, we need to call your dad and I think we need to get you a lawyer. " Um, I feel like they're focusing on the wrong person.
And he kept saying the same thing. >> You offering him a lawyer is very weird. >> I know.
I know. >> The main thing is is that she was in constant denial. The fact that she was duped shocked her.
So what we saw in her was the shaking and the trembling, the white face, the wide eyes. All of these responses, physiological responses seemed off. She was replaying things in her subconscious mind that can't possibly be him.
>> The living situation with them, I'll be honest, seems weird. It's weird to me. >> Originally, the plan was that all three of us were going to sleep in my bed together.
It wasn't until June that he got his own bedroom and I sent him upstairs. That's where the that's where the requests for sleepover started. >> Okay.
>> Um and I I kept telling her no. >> When you guys slept in the same bed together, did you ever wake up and find them cuddling? Did you ever wake up and find them closer than you thought they should be?
>> They would they would snuggle. Yeah. >> But I I we all snuggle.
>> And you never found that weird. I think people felt like Jen Sodto led her daughter into that situation by allowing her to [music] sleep with Stephan Sterns. And people wanted to know, aren't you asking questions about that?
The daughter has never told you anything about what goes on in that room. And this had been going on for years since she was like 8 years old. >> Let's be very clear, there's only one man responsible.
But yes, the mother of this child, she's got some culpability here, and I've seen this many times over the years. The mother either doesn't want to believe it or purposefully looks the other way. >> Now, you know, you victimized her for a long time, right under your roof with you home, most likely.
We can tell you that today we are still downloading his Google drives. We are still going through his social medias. and we can now piece back her victimization in your house under your care to 2020.
We're looking at a minimum of three and a half years. So, at a certain point, I do believe you became aware of what was going on. >> No, >> this has been an ongoing thing.
And at her age, I think she probably thought they were in a relationship. She probably thought they were in love. >> Yes.
The mother should have known should have kicked him out of the house and removed the daughter from harm's way. Absolutely. That's a parent's job.
But you have to understand the level of manipulation that takes place on the part of these predators. It's a horrifying thing to think about what this child went through. >> If I knew anything, I promise you, I would tell you like I am willing to take a lie detector test.
I was oblivious to every four years >> minimum. Imagine how f that far back the clown goes. >> So, this man has all of these videos on his phone for years.
Then you find out he's got child [clears throat] images on other files. They had specific videos of Maline Sodto and Stephan Sterns and the things that he was doing to her. The video showed everything that the police needed to know at the time that something bad was going on inside that house for years.
>> Cuz here's the deal. We don't go home until she's found. I believe Stephan killed her.
All we can do now is find her as quickly as possible. >> I want to believe he killed her. I want to believe she's still alive and that she got kidnapped, but that doesn't seem like that's the case at all.
Remember, this community thought there was a little girl who had vanished. Now, they realized that she was living in a house of hell. >> When you guys showed me the picture of her, I believed the sexual stuff, but I didn't want to believe that he had done anything evil to her.
>> And the community was outraged at that moment. Not at Stefan Sterns, at Jen Sodto. >> Now, you've have an arrest of the mother's boyfriend, the living boyfriend.
So, of course, you're going to look and scrutinize the mother. What did she know? Should she have known?
So, that's why a lot of people are wondering, why isn't she arrested for something? But you've got to have enough evidence. Prosecutors just can't go on hunches.
Although we have not found Meline, we are now confident that she is dead. Our detectives have determined that Meline was never dropped off on the morning of February 26th near her school. Instead, [music] we believe she was already dead and that Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early [music] morning hours on that day.
>> He stuck to the story that Maline Sodto was asleep in the front seat. That made sense. [music] If you're thinking about what if somebody sees me going in and out and they saw her slumped over, they had video [music] and knew immediately he was driving around with her dead in the front seat of that car.
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The evidence is just piling up. And as we've seen in so many different cases before, the video surveillance, that could be the key piece of evidence that takes Stefan Sterns down for the murder of Maline Sodto. We have video evidence that shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in that apartment complex.
We have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Meline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time. >> What does he do?
He goes into a parking garage. There's cameras everywhere around you. They could see him taking this lifeless body and putting it into the trunk all on camera.
>> This is when law enforcement really digs in. They collect several items from the apartment for testing. Cell phones from anyone and everyone who is in Meline's inner circle.
And they also collect Jennifer and Stephan's cars. When the K9's got a scent of Meline in Jennifer's car and not Stephan Stern's car, that does complicate things because it does provide the defense with some sort of way out where perhaps if they introduce that to a jury, that could be reasonable doubt. And the fact that Maline Scent was found in her mother's car does not change the focus from Stephan Sterns, but it is something that law enforcement and prosecutors would have to deal with.
We've all heard about the missing child, Meline Sodto. Please, if you think or feel you may have heard or seen something, call. Give us a tip.
We need your help. And breaking news at 6, sources just confirmed at Channel 9, the body of missing 13-year-old Maline Sodto has been found. >> There had been a massive search for Meline and investigators with the sheriff's office got a tip that a man had been seen matching Stefan's description changing a tire.
He had a flat tire. And so they go out there to the area to check it out. They find a tire.
They search further and sadly [music] they find the remains of Madeline's body and it is as awful as we all suspected. Meline Sodto was strangled. Her body was found feet away from a rural road behind some hay and brush beside a fence [music] in Oyola County.
I don't know how long it would have been before we found Maline Sodto's body if that man hadn't [music] called. He knew exactly where Stefan Sterns was when that car had a flat tire. >> And on March [music] 1st, we received information placing Stern's vehicle in a rural area of St.
Cloud [music] where ultimately Meline's body was discovered. At this time, Sterns is facing a total of 60 charges related to our investigation. Police had no problem telling the public what a horrible guy he was.
This community felt like this little girl had no ally in her home. They had a huge memorial for a little girl they didn't know. They felt like the protectors of Maline Sodto even in her death.
So, months after Sterns was initially charged with just dozens of crimes related to [music] child sexual abuse and possession of child, the homicide case is presented to a grand jury. >> I know the community and the media have been anxious for us to give an update on this case. Stephan Sterns has been indicted by the grand jury on first-degree murder for the killing of Maline Sodto.
So, it's just threading all of the pieces together, knitting it all together, which led to only one person, which was Stephan Sterns. You don't have a man who sleeps with a child and has videos of assaulting her on your [music] phone, and then she goes missing, and you don't know how it ends. You know how it ends.
Now, instead of grouping all of these charges together, the child sexual abuse charges, the homicide charge, prosecutors do something interesting. they decide to actually try these cases separately. >> I think the reason why the prosecutors here severed the case was because they saw the child sexual abuse as an easy case to [music] prove whereas first degree murder is a little more difficult.
Remember a lot of the case is circumstantial. The evidence in this case is very strong but having a a good case and having a successful prosecution are two different things. And so prosecutors have to really assemble all this evidence in a way that they can present to a judge andor jury to convince them.
>> In the beginning, you had uh evidence of abuse. Uh he was driving around with her dead and then dumped her in a field in the middle of nowhere. So you think you've heard it all.
It cannot get any worse. And then you get the jail calls. >> So I was I was not in my right mind uh after after I found her.
>> All I know, Stephan, is when when I look at a picture of you and I look into your eyes, I don't see a monster there. I don't see a bad person there. I see my son who I love.
>> Were you expecting the charges? >> No. >> The murder charge.
>> So you got blindsided by that? >> Yeah. [music] Um obviously, you know, it's not true.
Um, you know, I never would have wanted her gone for any reason. So, you know, premeditated first degree is kind of a kind of a crunch. >> Uh, it almost sounds like you didn't know she had something had happened to her.
>> Well, I discovered her um in the in the state that she was in, [music] but no, I I was not aware that she had um passed on. I didn't discover what had happened until the just around dawn. Okay.
You know what I mean? >> Cuz I discovered that she was bas. >> He tells the story to his parents on these jail calls and all of a sudden was like, "Oh, I found her.
" What? Oh, so now you found her body. You didn't call 911.
You didn't scream for help. None of that. Then he says, "Oh, we were upstairs in the bedroom.
" When you see the pictures, that door has a lock on it. It's like a house of horrors. So Sterns has a lot on his plate.
He's got two separate trials on the horizon, dozens of serious charges that he's facing, and he's got to say to himself, is there any chance I could beat this at trial, or should I just put an end to all this right now? >> What was surprising is he was a little bit defiant [music] in the beginning, like I don't know what happened to her. That I thought he may take this all the way to trial, but you could tell that reality was starting to sink [music] in.
He wasn't getting out of this. >> Court has received two plea forms concerns. How do you plea to first-degree premeditated murder?
>> No contest. >> And as counts 1 through 8, capital sexual battery of Maline Sodto. Counts 9 through 13, sexual battery.
Counts 14 through 20, lewd or lascivious, molestation. How do you plead? >> Guilty.
There was direct evidence that Stephan Sterns killed Meline. The fact that he had all the motive in the world here, this was a very strong case with the prosecution. I think they would have gotten the death penalty if they pursued it, but decided to cut a plea deal instead.
>> He knew that that evidence on his phone, that was it. >> I agree that it's not fair that Meline is not here anymore. I still have a hard time contemplating a world where she's not around.
Her passing has torn me and my family apart as well. and she truly was a joy and I apologize for all the pain. >> But in this statement, he only seems to be sad for himself.
He still doesn't really explain what happened to Meline or why he did what he did. Just look at the language and just lay it out. And he doesn't really apologize until the end.
What he didn't do is to really take ownership. All he's doing is giving lip service. He is telling the judge and everybody else what they're he's [music] expected to say.
>> In the victim impact statements, we get to hear from Maline Sodto's relatives, the loved ones who had no idea, no reason to believe that Meline was in any kind of danger under her own mother's roof. >> I just miss you and your presence that unfortunately was taken from us. I have so much hatred in my heart specifically for the creature that's sitting in this room today.
I would give up my life if it meant having you here with us. >> Maline Sodto was my daughter. Um, she was happiness.
She was a joy to be around. Because of the actions of this depraved [music] man, I will never meet the woman she was becoming. And I can only hope that he lives a long time in prison and has those same horrors revisited upon him by his fellow inmates.
This monster took advantage of her trust and her innocence. This parasite robbed us of every moment we could have had with Maddie. [snorts and laughter] And our lives will never be the same.
As to first-degree premeditated murder [music] of Maline Sodto, you are adjudicated guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. as to the capital sexual battery. For each count, you are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
>> Sterns was ultimately given an astounding 21 life sentences, and he will never see freedom on the outside ever again. My heart breaks for Madlin. This poor child did nothing wrong.
She was taken advantage of. She was abused and ultimately killed. by a predator.
You know, our children are our most precious asset. And so, it's crushing to think about what this child's last moments [music] were like, what her life was like, the abuse that this guy [music] normalized. And for every predator we take down in one of our investigations, it sends a message to a guy like this that you're not going to get away with it.
>> You wish that somebody would have seen a sign and that [music] somebody would have stepped in earlier. It didn't happen one day. It happened for years.
How did no one know? Why didn't anybody pay attention? The injustice of that is what we all struggle with and should struggle with because we have to make sure that that's not acceptable because bad things do happen and it takes all of us [music] to make sure that our children are taken care of and protected.
Okay.
