The sheriff for the area where the 13 year old was Madeline Soto disappeared and died is under fire for apparently posting a photo of the crime scene, and now the department is apologizing.
This debacle is unfolding 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 dead – a photo of human remains was shown Reportedly posted on the Osceola County Sheriff's official Instagram account Marcos López. 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 locals news broadcasts the photo was accidentally included in a message about a community event for seniors. They add… “We apologize for any confusion or disruption this may have caused.”
The sheriff's office will not confirm or deny the photo showing Madeline's body.
Somehow this all gets even worse for the Osceola County Sheriff's Office… because the same morning the alleged Soto photo was posted to IG, another member of the Sheriff's Office shared a selfie with Stephen SternsMadeline's mother's boyfriend… and the prime suspect in her disappearance and death, who has since been taken into custody.
Nirva Rodriguez, the executive director of OCSD, shared the image on her personal Facebook page … which shows Sterns being led out of a building in handcuffs. She reportedly won her post… “If God's love has been poured out on your life, do not allow evil to keep you from what He has prepared for you.” Unclear what her intention behind the post/message was.
Anyway… the selfie was reportedly taken after Sterns was charged with child pornography and sexual assault of a child.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT in the case of missing 13-year-old Madeline Soto:
Tonight, the Kissimmee Police Department, in conjunction with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, arrested 37-year-old Stephan Sterns for sexual abuse and possession of child sexual abuse material. pic.twitter.com/yZn8O8JpYM
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 29, 2024
@OrangeCoSheriff
Police have not yet specifically linked these charges to Madeline's case… 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 that she oversees multiple divisions at OCSD, including media, outreach, and community services.
While multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in locating Madeline and taking Sterns into custody, Kissimmee police are now responsible for investigating the teen's death and disappearance… and Florida law broadly prohibits the release of photographs showing the murder of a minor without the consent of the surviving relatives.
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