The sheriff for the area where 13-year-old Madeline Soto disappeared and died is under fire for seemingly posting a photo from the crime scene, and now the department is apologizing.
This debacle is playing out down in Osceola County, Florida — where Madeline’s body was discovered Friday by officials there in a wooded area after she went missing from her home in neighboring Orange County last week.
On Saturday — a day after Madeline was found deceased — a photo of human remains was reportedly posted to the official Instagram account for Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. The photo, believed to be a confidential image from the crime scene and since deleted, is said to show a body matching Madeline’s description lying dead on the ground.
Now, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is telling local news outlets the photo was accidentally included in a post about a community event for seniors. They add … “We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may have caused.”
The Sheriff’s office is neither confirming nor denying the photo depicted Madeline’s body.
Somehow, this all gets worse for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office … because the same morning the alleged Soto photo was posted on IG, another member of the sheriff’s office shared a selfie with Stephan Sterns, the boyfriend of Madeline’s mother … and the prime suspect in her disappearance and death, who has since been taken into custody.
Nirva Rodriguez, the OCSD executive director, shared the image on her personal Facebook page … showing Sterns being led out of a building in handcuffs. She reportedly captured her post … “If God’s love has been poured out over your life, don’t allow evil to keep you away from what He has prepared for you.” Unclear what her intent behind the post/message was.
In any case … the selfie was reportedly snapped after Sterns was booked on charges of child pornography and sexually battering a child.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT in the case of missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto:
This evening, the Kissimmee Police Department, working in conjunction with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Stephan Sterns, 37, for sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material.… pic.twitter.com/yZn8O8JpYM
— Orange County Sheriff’s Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 29, 2024
@OrangeCoSheriff
Law enforcement has not specifically tied those charges to Madeline’s case just yet … nor have they officially charged him in her disappearance or death. He has yet to enter a plea.
Rodriguez’s FB post with Sterns has also been deleted, FWIW … and it’s worth noting she oversees multiple divisions with OCSD, including media, outreach and community services.
While multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in locating Madeline and bringing Sterns into custody — the Kissimmee Police Department is now the one in charge of investigating the teen’s death and disappearance … and Florida law broadly prohibits the release of photos depicting the killing of a minor without permission from surviving family.