Sheriff: Missing girl Madeline Soto said she ‘wanted to live in the woods’ A search continued Wednesday for a missing 13-year-old Orange County girl who vanished Monday morning after she was dropped off near Hunters Creek Middle School (Nikki DeMarco, WFTV.com/WFTV)
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A search continued Wednesday for a missing 13-year-old Orange County girl who vanished Monday morning after she was dropped off near Hunters Creek Middle School.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said more than 50 members of its Emergency Response Team were searching for Madeline Soto near Osprey Park on Wednesday.
Investigators said Soto was last seen at about 8:30 a.m. Monday near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunters Park Lane.
Sheriff John Mina said Wednesday afternoon during a news conference that Soto was never reported as having attended school Monday so deputies met up her mother at the school, where she filed a missing persons report.
He said she left her cellphone at home that day.
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Madeline Soto: Search for missing girl enters 5th day in Orange County
Madeline Soto: Missing Kissimmee girl's body found in rural Osceola County The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Friday evening that Madeline Soto’s body has been found. Investigators said Osceola County deputies found the missing 13-year-old girl’s body at about 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road. (WFTV/WFTV)
Stephan Sterns & Madeline Soto Detectives believe Stephan Sterns killed 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Monday morning at a Kissimmee apartment complex. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Search for Madeline Soto Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon. (WFTV)
Video Sources: Madeline Soto’s body discovered in rural Osceola County Sources say that Maddie’s body was found in rural St. Cloud near Hickory Tree Road. (Chantelle Navarro /Chantelle Navarro)
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto Police and deputies canvassed the area of Osceola County for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Kissimmee Police Department will take over Madeline Soto investigation The Kissimmee Police Department will handle the search for Madeline Soto, said Chief Betty Holland. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Orange County Sheriff John Mina gives update on Madeline Soto The sheriff said the efforts will now shift to recovering her body. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Orange County Sheriff's Office gave an update for Madeline Soto Sheriff John Mina said he is confident that she is dead, and recovery efforts will continue. (Nick Papantonis/Nick Papantonis)
Suspect in girl’s disappearance taken to Osceola County Jail
Madeline Soto: Community to hold prayer vigil tonight Members of the community will gather to pray for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. (Unity & Fire Church International/Unity & Fire Church International)
Stephan Sterns & Madeline Soto Deputies in Orange County said 13-year-old Madeline Soto has been missing since Monday morning. And now, her mother’s boyfriend is in jail on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. Stephan Sterns was supposed to go before an Orange County judge Thursday morning but refused to be in court. (OCSO)
Search continues for missing girl, Madeline Soto, as her mother’s boyfriend refuses to face judge
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Law enforcement join the search for Madeline Soto More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation. (Orange County Sheriff's Office /Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Large search party gathers Wednesday to look for missing 13-year-old girl in Orange County
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Orange County deputies search for missing 13-year-old girl Madeline Soto (Jennifer Soto /Jennifer Soto)
Madeline Soto The Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Friday confirmed that the body of Madeline Soto, 13, has been located. (Orange County Sheriff's Office/Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Mina said investigators were able to obtain an article of Soto’s clothing from her mother to try to use bloodhounds to track her down, but the search yielded no results.
He said a command post has been set up, and search teams continue to canvas the area where she was last seen.
Mina said detectives interviewed Soto’s mother, her mother’s boyfriend and her friends.
Investigators determined that Soto had sent text messages or made social media posts indicating she “wanted to go live in the woods” upon her 13th birthday, which was Thursday.
Large search party gathers to look for missing 13-year-old girl in Orange County A large search party gathered Wednesday morning to look for a missing teen in Orange County. (WFTV)
Mina said Soto’s home will be searched Wednesday, and he said that is a common practice with such disappearances.
He said deputies are also contacting with any sex offenders who live near Soto’s last known location.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Mina said. “Rest assured we’re doing everything possible to find out where Madeline is.”
He said the circumstances surrounding her disappearance do not meet the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s requirements for an Amber Alert to be sent.
Soto was last seen wearing a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs.
Anyone who sees her is asked to call 911 or 800-423-8477.
Click here to see photos of Soto, and see her last known location below:
