Mom Lets 37Yr Old BF Have Cuddle Sleepovers With Her Teen Daughter - Then Teen Goes Missing

A few years ago there was a book that. had gone viral on BookTok. This is. during quarantine and it's a really well. done variation of a thought-provoking. hypothetical situation. Variations of. the plot go something like this. A. woman, a wife, is brought into the. police station, into one of those. interrogation rooms. And the police want. to talk to her, they don't want to talk. to her about her. They want to talk to. her about her husband, her partner. They're like, "Look at this picture. Is.

this your husband in the picture?". "Yeah, that that's my husband in the. picture. That other person in the. picture, that's not you, is it?" "No.". "And normally it looks like this is. something that normally intimate couples. do and here are the two of them doing it. and you're nowhere to be seen in the. picture.". Doing what? Intimate things. Oh. And now the wife is confused and the. police inform her, "Here's why we. brought you in because now she is. missing." Uh,

she's there asking the wife, "Do you. know about this woman?" Okay. Yes. It's a it's a compelling plot. I. mean, it went viral for a reason, but. maybe not so much for Jennifer Soto. She. is a woman from Florida and the officers. in 2024, they sit her down to talk to. her about her on and off boyfriend of. 7-ish years. Whose hand would that be to you? I would say that's Stephen's. So that's. Stephen's hand? Yeah, I would think so. Okay. You and Stephen have you guys been.

intimate before in the past? Yes. So. you're aware of what like he's looks. like and things like that, correct? Yes. Okay. Does this look like Stephen's fist to. you? No. No? Okay. What about that? Possibly, yeah. Okay. If anything, it's not even the It's not. recognizing, it's the things around it. So it's the things around it that make. you believe it's his fist? Yeah. Okay. Well, we have Stephen's phone. We have. your boyfriend's phone. We were able to. get into his phone and there are some.

very unfortunate graphic pictures of him. conducting. very sexual acts with Maddie. Maddie, the one that had gone missing. recently in Florida. The missing person's case that everybody. is talking about. Look, I wish I could tell you this is. all a made-up story, Jennifer, but it's. not. Did you ever suspect anything like. this? No? You okay? I can't breathe. Is this a surprise? What is her?

Mhm. Can I see some of that evidence? What makes you believe that it's not? I thought I knew him well enough. Okay. Well, so our goal is we want to. find Maddie. Do you know if Stephen has. any special hangout spots? No, there's no place I can think of. outside of shopping at Target. Anywhere else that you can think of? Silence. What are you thinking about right now, Jennifer? How this can be true, how I missed the.

signs? What signs are you saying you missed? No, no, like I'm just saying if if there. were any signs, I didn't see any. I just want to I believe you. I want to. believe you, but I can't believe you. till I see the actual evidence. Are you sure you want to see that? I'll. go get it. Are you sure you want to see. those photos? Can you tell me what's. being done in the photos? She's in her. mouth. Do you think he would ever hurt. her? I don't think he would. No. Like I.

believe you when you talked to me about. those images. Those images might be real. or they could have happened, but I don't. believe they're related to this case. I. don't think Some of those pictures, Jennifer, they go back to 2022. So 2. years prior. I understand it's a lot to. take in right now. I can only imagine. what you're going through, but we need. to know everything. Our main goal is to. find Maddie and bring her back home and. we need your help. Did he mention taking her anywhere? No. I don't want to see those images, but I. do. I feel like I need.

proof evidence, but like I'm afraid of. being traumatized forever, so I'm not. sure what to do. If you guys have found evidence of him. being in front of the store like he said. he was, Mhm. like it's possible that his. story might be true and somebody else. could have taken her. Like I'm just. thinking like what if we're focusing. like okay, such things happened, right? But what if that's completely like a. side thing and not having to do with. this, like her missing? The authorities. are quiet. It's a very odd reaction to have.

because the person who is missing is. Jennifer's own daughter who is 13 years. old and Stephen is Jennifer's. 37-year-old boyfriend. Jennifer says, and I repeat for you, "Like okay, this. happened, right? But what if that's. completely like a side thing and not. having to do with with this, like her. being missing? I believe he did this stuff, but I don't. believe he had done anything evil to. her.".

This is the case of Madeline Soto. We would like to thank today's sponsors. who have made it possible for Rotten. Mango to support the National Center for. Missing and Exploited Children. They. focus on finding missing children,

reducing child exploitation and the. prevention of child victimization. This. episode's partnerships have also made it. possible to support Rotten Mango's. growing team and we'd also like to thank. you guys for your continued support. As. always, full show notes are available at. rottenmangopodcast.com. Today's case involves heavy themes of. CSAM, CA, CSA, SA and potential familial. incest. There are quite a few mentions. of those themes throughout this entire. episode and this is just part one. So if. this is too much, please take a break,

get some air, we'll see you in the next. one. Charges have been pressed in this. case, lots of charges, over 60 counts, but unfortunately and legally there has. yet to be a trial. So innocent until. proven guilty in the eyes of the law, but netizens, they feel otherwise. This is going to be a two-part case. I. tried so hard to keep it into just one. part, condense it down, but I went. through 20-plus hours of police footage, interviews, audio interviews, body cam. footage, over a thousand pages of court.

documents and there is just no way to. condense it down into one. In part one, this episode, we're going to be focusing. on Maddie going missing, what happened. that day and the weird actions of her. own mom, Jennifer Soto. In part two, we. focus on Stephen Sterns, the 37-year-old. boyfriend of Jennifer Soto, and all of. the conspiracies that are tied to what. happened. There's conspiracies and. allegations of a larger network of CSAM, formerly known as CP, but child abuse. material,

rings on Telegram, organizations. operating in Florida, allegations of. pregnancies. I mean, there's a lot. happening. So stay tuned for part two. and let's get started. Jennifer Soto and her boyfriend Stephen. Sterns are sitting in front of the. camera. They're talking to Fox 35. They're talking to all the local news. networks that are calling them. Help us. find Jennifer's 13-year-old daughter, Madeline Soto, Maddie Soto. She is. missing. Look, this this area in. Florida, there is so much that can.

happen. Some say because of its close. proximity to Disney World, it's near. Orlando. Some say it's a hub for human. trafficking, kids get snatched to be. sold, there's all these conspiracies, there's rumors. You go online, you're. going to be spiraling down these rabbit. holes and if you're not spiraling, then. there's other major considerations you. have to factor in, like Alligator Lake. Alligator Lake in Florida is a pretty. small lake, but it's got at least 300. alligators in there, in one singular. lake. It lives up to the name. It's.

advised that if you walk your dog around. the lake, don't put your dog too close. to the water's edge. You just never know what the alligators. are going to consume. So yeah, a missing child anywhere, but. also near Disney World, near Alligator. Lakes, especially concerning and time is. of the essence. Jennifer is doing a Zoom call with Fox. 35 from it appears to be her kitchen. Her boyfriend Stephen is sitting right. behind her. So this is interesting. He's. not really sitting right behind her as.

in they're both doing the interview. He's just kind of in the background. Like when you're on a Zoom call with. work people and someone walks into the. room and you have to kind of glance back. like, "What are you doing? Why are you. in this room? Can you Hello, I'm in a. Zoom call." That's how he's he's just. sitting in the background, half on. screen, half not on screen. What is he. doing? Just cracking his knuckles. Mhm. Okay, Jen, go ahead and tell us what's. going on with Maddie. Monday morning, we. took her to school. We dropped her off.

close to school, across the street from. a church, which is very it's right next. to the school. Um, she crossed the street and walked to. school, what we thought walked to. school. Um, my boyfriend who drove her to school. drove away at that point. I went to pick. her up after school. Um, and she wasn't there. Um, I emailed one. of her teachers. They confirmed that she. was absent all day. At that point is when I called 911. because I realized something was truly. wrong. So she sounds pretty.

straightforward. You would you could. almost mistake her as a detective. recounting what happened. Mhm. But maybe. not as professional, but definitely a. little detached emotionally. Mhm. And this just happened or how how long. has it been? A few hours. I hate to ask. this, but is she the type that would run. away? Is this something that has. happened in the past? Never. She's never. ever mentioned anything like this before. and she's not the type to want to do. this. She did accidentally leave her phone on.

Monday, which is kind of normal for her. She's got ADHD and very forgetful. So, she left her phone at home, so there's. no way to trace her. Jen, what is your fear? I know you said. that she's on games and stuff. Do you. fear that she could have met somebody. and try to meet up with them? She's open. with us about, you know, if she's got a. crush with anyone, and she told us she. had a crush on someone at school. Um and. I looked at her messages, nothing was. weird. I looked at all her messages, all. of her deleted messages, nothing seemed. weird. It didn't seem like she was. talking to anyone. I feel like she may. have been taken. um because this is not like her at all.

to just disappear and not tell us, not. let us know where she's going or who. she's with. I'm just contacting. the news to get the word out, to get. some help because I'm desperate. I I'm a. wreck right now. So, you think that she's been taken. against her will? I'm trying to hope for. the best, but. I'm just I'm scared for her. I want her to be okay. I want her to be. safe. I don't want. I don't want her to come back harmed. I I just I just want her back. Whatever.

that means, just I just want her back. Are you going to go out there and search. or look? Are you sticking by the phone? You know, what are you doing? I'm. staying at home, staying by the phone, hoping she just appears. I know my. entire family's out looking. They've all. spread a bunch of flyers. They've gone. I've had people contact me that they've. gone to the international airport to. spread flyers, to Amtrak, to. Greyhound. You mentioned ADHD. Was there. anything else maybe mentally going on. that you knew of? She does suffer from anxiety and once.

upon a time she was diagnosed with. autism. We had her reevaluated um. a few months ago, actually, and they. told us no, she didn't have autism, but. she did have some autistic traits. She. did have ADHD, some autistic traits, but. not autism. Hm. Very weird. At the end of the interview, Jennifer shares a message that she. personally has for her own daughter, Maddie. Maddie, if you see this, please. come home. Please be safe. I love you. very much. If you have my Maddie, please. just. let her come home. We just want her.

home. For such an agonizing situation, Jennifer seems to be. at best holding it in very well. She's. collected for the media interviews, maybe too collected. In another. interview with WFTV Channel 9 News, this. time the news station comes to her house. to interview her. They set up a camera, and Jennifer is sitting there with a. black hoodie on. She is almost. vibrating. Think of your phone on a wood. table on silent mode. Someone is calling. you. It's just vibrating throughout the. entirety of the interview. At first, I.

thought she was shaking, or the camera. is shaking because of how consistent the. vibrating is, but I believe, and I could. be wrong, but if someone is shaking or. shuttering, it's a very jerky motion. It. varies in severity. Like sometimes it's. a big jerk or a small shiver, or you're. shaking and then you stop shaking, or. you try to calm your nerves, but it is a. pretty consistent, intense vibrating, which leads me to believe she is shaking. her leg throughout the entirety of the. video. Oh. Yeah, so it's not like she's trembling.

She's shaking her leg aggressively. So, I was trying to mimic it at my desk, too, and I was like recording myself. It. looks like shaking of the leg. Okay. This is what the news reporter asks. My. first question is, what is your first. and last name, and can you spell them. both out for me? Jennifer, J E N N I F E R Soto, S O T O. Mother? Mother. Jennifer, tell me how you're. feeling right now. I feel like I can't. breathe. All I keep thinking about is.

where is she? Is she safe? Is she okay? But we're we're all a wreck. My entire. family's a mess. She recounts very. quickly that Maddie was dropped off at. her school by her partner, Stephen, so. Jennifer's boyfriend. Well, very close. to the school. She says across the. street. It's basically right next to the. school, but she never made it to the. school, was absent, vanished. But in the. middle of her explaining, this is. interesting. You know those grand clocks. that chime every hour? This is I guess a. cuter, goofier version. So, Jennifer.

works at Disney. It sounds like a Disney. clock. It's like, "Yoohoo! Yoohoo!" And. it keeps going, and Jennifer stops. She. pauses, closes her eyes, and she smiles. She opens her eyes and looks at it like, "This is so embarrassing." And then. smiles again. Yoohoo! Yoohoo! That should be it. Sorry about that. And then she takes a deep breath and. continues with her story.

The reporter asks, "Is this normal. behavior?" Not at all, no. Um she from. time to time she will leave her cell. phone at home accidentally, and that's. actually what happened yesterday. So, this is the next day. She left her phone. at home. She went to school and uh. that happens from time to time. She has. ADHD, but there's no way to track her. because now I have what Well, now the. detectives have her phone, but this is. not normal behavior, no. What are you. thinking about right now? In my heart, I. feel like somebody took her. This isn't like her to just pick up and.

run away. Um. or just not go to school. Um. I know as a mother, a lot is going on in. your brain. So much. To bring her back home, what have law. enforcement told you that you're able to. share? I mean, that they're doing the. best they can. Uh. they've had detectives come out, interview us. They. took a piece of her clothing for the. canine dog to see if they can.

sniff her out. I'm not sure when that's. being done. We've looked everywhere we could have. thought and anywhere she would have. been. Um she would have known to wait. for me at the school. Um. Is there anything you think our viewers. would need to know about the way you're. feeling, the way the family's feeling. for Madeline? We're desperate for. any answers, a- anything that you can do. to help. I'm here for it. Just please, if. if you see my daughter, just please.

bring her home. I just hope you're okay, Maddie. I hope. you're safe. I hope you're not hurt. Does she look more worried than. yesterday? I don't know. Okay, I can go back and forth. If I try. to convince myself that she looks. worried, she looks worried, but she just looks a little. uneasy. Hm. Hm. Okay. Now, why is you know, why are so many.

news stations interviewing them? She. reached out to them the night that. Maddie went missing. Her family members. did. I see. To get the news out there, the word out there. And this time around. for this news station, Stephen Sterns. also does an interview. He's got a black. hoodie on, a full beard, and a baseball. cap that's put on backwards. His eyes. are really red. He's clearly at least. visually, he seems more emotional than. Jennifer does. It's not a contest, but. he seems somewhat distraught to the.

point where the reporter starts, "You. seem emotional. Explain to us what. happened." I dropped her off. Everything looked fine when I drove. away. So, last time we saw her. What was the conversation that you all. had in the car when you dropped her off? Not much. She was asleep for most of the. way. Told her have a good day at school when. she got out. I love her. She said, "Thanks. Love you, too.". That was it. And so, where where where do you think. she could possibly be? I mean, this isn't As I was told, this.

isn't normal behavior. It is not normal. behavior. She's not the type that would. just run off. We don't know where she could be. We're scared. We just want her home. Are you in a sense blaming yourself? It's hard not to. Why? I dropped her off early. I could have waited longer. She looked okay. She was walking towards. the school when I saw her. It was like. any other day, so I went on with my day.

What has the conversation been with. Jennifer since? Cuz again, this is. Jennifer's biological daughter, not. Stephen's biological daughter. So, you. could imagine there might be some. relationship turmoil. Yeah. She's been. very. a lot stronger than me. She's been holding it together really. well, and um. but it just keeps coming in waves. Just. the reality keeps hitting and we don't. know where she is. We don't know if she's safe. Stephen says he even went out with the. cops to search for her. And was her body.

language off when you dropped her off at. school? Happy. Happy. She had a happy. weekend. She just turned 13. She had her. 13th birthday party Sunday, and this was. Monday that she goes missing. She was. happy that we were all together here and. she was very happy. She was a happy kid. She's very sweet. She's a very sweet. girl. She brings a lot of joy to us, and we. just. It's not knowing. So, the unknown is killing you. Yes. Like our whole world is upside.

down. Not feeling her presence here is. I'm sorry. It's hard. What do you want our viewers. to know when they see some when they see. this? She's a sweetheart. She's a very. sweet, kind girl. It's a living nightmare. They started off like any other. and I just want to wake up. You just get hit with waves of the.

reality. It doesn't set in. So, when it got dark last night, we. really we started falling apart cuz. we knew it wasn't going to come to an. end. And now we're going on 24 hours, and. still nothing. Just conflicting reports here and there. People are saying they see this or that. None of it's conclusive, and none of. it's helpful. We just want our baby girl back. When these interviews are posted, I will. say, we as netizens do seem to have.

collectively conspiracy tinted glasses. these days. A lot of people were just. spreading the word in the local area, but some netizens were confused, especially on TikTok. And there were. fights. People saying, "How dare you. question people? How dare you question. the poor grieving family?" And there. were arguments. Like day one, people are. arguing? Yes. Wow. say a smaller minority of people were. pointing out weird things. I think a lot. of people were thinking it, they just. couldn't say it. So, a lot of people. were saying it in. "Oh,

she looks like maybe she's still. processing a lot of the shock." But the. more opinionated comments read, "Mom. seems very calm and shaking seems more. of like a nervous thing. Nervous about. something rather than upset that her. daughter is missing.". Another one reads, "This doesn't feel. right. I'm getting bad vibes from the. mom.". "I know everyone reacts differently, but. the mom doesn't even seem upset.". Others focus on the fact that Jennifer. mentions that she did not attend her. daughter's birthday party. So, in the. Fox 35 interview that I kind of.

shortened, she's like, "Oh, yeah, I. couldn't go cuz I was working." And the. comment reads, "How does a mother miss. her own child's birthday? For 13 years. you've known to take this day off now or. celebrate it when you're not working. because Sunday is not Maddie's actual. birthday. It's just the day of her. party." Mhm. "I could never miss my kids. birthday parties." That That's the. comment, not me. I don't have kids. One. comment reads, "Did he say she was a. happy kid?" Is that what the the. boyfriend just said? Was? She was a very happy She was a happy. kid. Other comments read, "If my daughter was.

missing, I would not be able to give. interviews like this. I would not be. able to talk without breaking down. I. would not be able to sleep nor eat nor. talk or do any I would be driving around. all night and day looking for my. daughter.". "Crazy to even muster a chuckle about. that little clock when your child is. missing.". "I think the mother is actually smiling. in the interview. It looks like she. knows more than she's letting on.". Maybe netizens were being harsh though. I mean, I think the internet likes to. see the bad in everything and everyone. right off the bat. And maybe Jennifer is.

in shock during these media interviews. Because she's probably, hopefully, a lot. more helpful to the authorities, right? Cuz these are just media interviews. Because Maddie is 13 years old, the. authorities have to rule out the. potential that she is a runaway. Because. the way they search for her, depending. on if they think she ran off versus if. they think she was taken, is very. different. Jennifer is explaining. there's just no way that Maddie would. ever run away. Maddie just had her 13th. birthday party the night before. And the. next day she goes missing, she was. happy. It's just that Monday was a.

series of unfortunate events. Jennifer. was trying to sleep in, get some rest. because she forgot to take her. medication the night before. She's. feeling wonky. She just started a new. job. She's still in training. Stefan is. taking Maddie to school that morning, but he forgets his phone. He spends a. good chunk of his morning waiting in. front of the vape shop to open after he. drops Maddie off, but they never open. And later he gets a flat tire. Monday's. a mess. So, the police are like, "Okay, run us through the day. Run us through. Monday morning and everything that. happened. What time did you wake up?".

Jennifer tells the authorities, "I'm. going to say around 8:00 in the morning. Stefan came into the room and was trying. to put the leash on the dog." And I got. up to try to help him with it, but. Stefan got it. and walked him. and told me to go back to bed, so I went. back to bed. Okay. I heard people in the kitchen. I'm. not sure exactly who because I do have. roommates. Mhm. See, I know she walked. into the kitchen, into her bedroom to. get ready and all that because she left. her phone on her dresser in her bedroom. And I know she did that while she was. getting ready that morning. Now, what is.

considered her bedroom? Where? In the living room. Okay. Uh we've got. like a little wall partition. Mhm. And she's got a bedroom in the living. room. It's got a bed, a dresser, a desk, and a TV. She doesn't sleep there. though. Um she just hangs out there. during the day. That's her space. Mhm. Okay, what time did you wake up on. Monday? Well, Jennifer's thinking back and she. says, "Okay, so Maddie's classes start. at 9:30, which means they usually do. drop off, they leave the house at around.

8:50.". She checks her alarms. "I'm pretty sure. I woke up that morning at like 9:00 in. the morning. And then I left the house. at 9:30 in the morning." So, Stefan. drops Maddie off. Mhm. Jennifer wakes up. at 9:00. They're already out of the. house. Then at 9:30 she leaves the house. cuz she has a doctor's appointment at. 10:15. And it took a while. They did the. blood work. I think I got home somewhere. around. 11:00 or 11:15. But when she gets back home, Stefan is. there. And the two of them just spent. like an hour catching up about their.

mornings. And she says Stefan was. filling her in on how the two of them. had left early to go to school. Maddie. had woken up early and he decides, "Let's go to McDonald's." And that was. the plan. Jennifer knew this was the. plan that he was going to take her to. McDonald's, grab breakfast. And Jennifer. says, "But on his way to school, she was. very sleepy and wanted to sleep in the. car." She said that she did not want to. go to McDonald's. She just wanted to be. dropped off. "And he let me know that he. had left his phone at home because I had. called him multiple times and he hadn't. picked up. He left his phone at home by. accident, went to the vape shop after. dropping Maddie off, but they didn't.

open for some time. So, he waited for. quite a while in front of the vape shop, but they still didn't open, so he. finally gave up and came home.". They hang out for a little while. He. then leaves again to run some errands, hit up the vape shop again, then go to. Target, a place called House Rules. It's. a game shop. They sell board games. Then. he's going to be home before Jennifer. does pick up for Maddie. At least that. is the plan, but he gets a flat tire on. the way back. So, Jennifer goes to pick. up Maddie by herself. So, what time do. you leave the house to go.

2:30. 2:30? And she gets out at 4:00. I I It takes me about 20 minutes to get. to school and then I wait about an hour. and an hour and 10 minutes. Why does she. go so early? She likes to be at the. front of the line. So, if you know. school pick up in America, you got to. wait in line. There's like a a parade of. cars. I see. And I realized I was holding up. the line because everybody behind me, their kids had gotten in their car and. they needed to get out of the line. But. because I was first in line, I was. holding up the line. So, after that, I'm. going to say at about 4:10, she waits.

about 15 minutes. She feels like she. can't wait any longer. Maybe Maddie. didn't know that Jennifer was picking. her up, so she took a side door out of. the school and started walking home. Jennifer puts her car in drive, starts. heading along the path that Maddie. normally takes when she does have to. walk home. She spends another 30 minutes. waiting to see if Maddie is going to be. seen walking and nothing. Maddie is. nowhere. This is when Jennifer starts. freaking out. She calls Maddie and she's. like, "Maddie left her phone at home. I. have her phone in the car with me, so I.

can't even call her." "Okay, that's. fine." She calls Maddie's best friend. who tells her, "Mrs. Soto, Maddie never came to school today.". "What do you mean? She never made it to. any of her classes, any of her periods, nothing?". Jennifer tells the officer, "At this. point, I started to panic because I knew. something was wrong. I emailed one of. her teachers, a few of her teachers. actually Well, one of them responded to. me. He said she didn't make it at all.". "Is it common for her to not have her. phone?". "Yeah, she's got ADHD. She's super.

forgetful. She doesn't even She doesn't. even realize that she's in the shower. for a whole hour. She She loses track of. time. She's She's very forgetful.". That day, a missing person's report is. filed for Maddie, a day after her. birthday party and actually 4 days after. her actual birthday when she turned 13. The incident report reads, "February. 26th, 2023 at approximately 8:00 a.m., Jennifer observed and last saw Maddie. getting dressed for school. Stefan. Sterns takes Maddie to school dropping. her off near the intersection of Town.

Loop Boulevard and Hunters Park Lane at. approximately 8:30 a.m. The official. written statement that Jennifer writes. by hand for the police is, 'Today around. 8:00 a.m. I saw Maddie getting ready for. school. I'm not sure what time they. departed. Stefan Sterns took her to. school and dropped her off close to the. school at around 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. She. never made it to school. I went to pick. her up at around 4:00 p.m. to pick her. up and she never came out. I searched. the area, went to my mother's office to. look for Maddie and could not find. her.'". Have you ever.

had those moments? You meet someone and they smile at you, but the smile feels like their lips are. smiling, but their eyes are laser. sharp, just digging into you? And then. throughout the day, they say these. really weird things or like tiny little. micro expressions and you just get a bad. feeling about them. But when you try to. explain it to some I thought he was. creepy. He kept saying, "You look. really, really good today.". Okay, maybe they're just trying to be. nice to you. No, but it's the way that. they were smirking, like they didn't.

like they were they meant something. else. Maybe they were being sarcastic. It was weird. You're probably thinking too deep into. it. What's wrong with you? And then. later later, they were saying things. like, "Well, if people tried better to. look better, then I wouldn't have prob". Like, what does that even mean? They're. not talking about you. Like, there's. always. it just sounds like you're crazy. Like, you're trying to make it about you. People Nothing that they're doing is. inherently that suspicious or that. unsettling. Mhm. It's just a collection of.

everything. You're saying like there's. some people with this actions just off? Yeah, and then you. Makes you feel off. And you try to tell your friend about it. and they're like, "You're thinking into. it. They're just being nice. They're not. talking about you. Not everything is. about you. The You're being weird.". Okay. And you're like, "No, I don't know. how to explain this, but all of it. combined, you just don't you don't have. a good feeling about it." And that is. how this case feels to the authorities. First, I mean, the setup of the house, it's a four-bedroom house.

One room is on the first floor along. with the kitchen and the living room. That bedroom, the first bedroom, is. occupied by Jennifer. Then you go. upstairs, you have three more bedrooms. Outside each room, there are numbers. literal numbers hanging on the walls. Number two, number three, number four. So, two and three are rented out by two. female roommates. Number four used to be. empty, but it's it's on and off again. Stephen's room. When he's not sharing. Jennifer's room, he's in room number. four. It could be considered a guest. room. So, where's Maddie's room? In the living. room. There's these two room dividers just.

haphazardly set up in the middle of the. living room. That's Maddie's room. Behind this partition is Maddie's bed, a. dresser, a nightstand, some of her. clothes. I do want to mention this is. not like a flex space in New York City. It's just two partitions. You could see. through the top. You could see through. the sides. It's not at all private, which I'm sure is pretty important to. the development of a 13-year-old girl. It's kind of strange. It's odd, especially when you consider the fact. that room number four was relatively. empty most of the time. So, why not just use it as Maddie's.

room? And side note, this whole house is. owned by Jennifer's dad. He rents it out. to everybody including his own daughter. So, I believe he collects rent money. from Jennifer every single month. But, even more of the reason that Jennifer. could make that Maddie's room, room. number four. It just seems odd that. Maddie doesn't get to have her own room. It's weird. It's like living in a. two-bedroom apartment with you and your. child, but instead of giving the child. the other bedroom, you leave it as a. guest room for your boyfriend whenever. he wants to use it. One of the more.

seasoned detectives takes one look at. the Fox 35 news segment, and he says, "It's not sincere. I mean, looking at. that video one time, Jennifer's cries. don't feel sincere." He says he's unsure. why though. The thing that he's learned. is sometimes people struggle to show. real emotion when they're aware of what. the truth is. Even when another officer. is interviewing her, she's explaining. how Stephen went to the vape shop that. morning. And these are like all the odd. small things. She says, "After he dropped Maddie off,

he goes to the vape shop. Do you want. the name of the vape shop?" The officer. is like, "Yeah, I mean, if you have it. off the top of your head, but I'm sure. we're going to talk again soon and we'll. have more questions." No, I'm just. saying because that might be helpful if. you guys, you know, want to see like. surveillance or anything. Because Maddie would have already been. dropped off. If you're looking for. missing Maddie, why would they need. surveillance at the vape shop? Yeah, so that almost coming from an. angle of, "Oh, to verify if my boyfriend. was actually there." So, it's like. covering for the boyfriend. Like, if. you're in you want to check on my.

boyfriend, then go check the, you know, meanwhile we're searching for Maddie. And that is time of the essence. Why. would you want the police to waste their. time looking at vape shop CCTV when I'd. be like, "Can you check every single. camera near the school, near the. drop-off point? Not the vape shop. Who. cares about the vape shop?". In another interrogation with an. officer, Jennifer talks about how Maddie. hates being alone. She says, "Even now, I hope she's not alone. I mean, or I. don't know. I hope she's being taken. care of or she's safe. I just I don't. know.".

She's kind of a weird statement. And. there are just other small, strange. little moments that make the officers. go, "I don't know what is going on." They. just pause. For example, when the. officers went to go pick up an article. of clothing that Maddie has worn, that. has her scent for the dogs to track, Stephen offers, "What about a pillow she. likes to sleep on?" Jennifer looks at. him, "Yeah, but you slept on that pillow. this morning." "Oh, that's right. I. snuggled with her pillow.". It's just kind of strange verbage. Yeah.

Like, I guess if you were taking a power. nap before going back out to search and. you just used a random pillow. But, it's it's a little weird. It's like. a dog snuggling with their owner's. pillow. Then another officer asks Jennifer, "So, let me ask you this. Where have you. looked for Maddie?" I've been staying at. home just in case she comes home. Okay. I don't know. I see a lot of netizens. being like, "That's weird." And. personally, I think it's weird, too. If someone needs to be home just to make. sure my 13-year-old child that I don't. have comes home, it should be like the.

lowest on the totem pole person. Yeah. Like, just someone in the family. stay home. Yeah. And then everybody else needs to be out. searching. She says that the case has. gotten so big that people will recognize. her in public. She says, "I don't want. to be seen in public. Just everyone to. recognize me and know what's happening. So, to answer your question, I haven't. gone out looking for her because I don't. know where to search, and yeah, I. haven't.". Another officer who's there asks, "I'm. just curious, why didn't you go search. for her? I know you said that you didn't.

know where to look, but was there any. other reason that you didn't want to go. search?". Yesterday, I went out for. a little bit. to. go to Target to try to take my mind off. of things. I went to Target to go get. myself a toothbrush and deodorant. When. I went to Target, I decided like. oh, I shouldn't be out in public. People. could recognize me. It can either be good or bad what people. could tell me. I've already had people recognize me.

uh in my community. And. dealing with people's heavy emotions and. them coming to me and crying and telling. them telling me they're so sorry and how. they feel. is so heavy because like it's. I just have to kind of stand there and. take their emotions and like. I don't know. It's just it's so heavy. I. don't want my own mental health. suffering right now or for me to spiral. and end up. back being hospitalized. And she even states that Stephen. mentioned going out to look for Maddie.

the first night that she's missing. And. she said, "I didn't question that. I. asked him, 'Are you sure it's a good. idea? You should probably sit tight. Let's just wait and see if she comes. home.'" But, the biggest thing is the. officers are going through the incident. reports, and there are so many things. that don't make sense. Over the course. of what, 48 hours, multiple different. detectives have spoken with Jennifer, and something is not adding up. When. authorities walk through Monday morning. with Jennifer, not once does she mention. seeing Maddie, indicating the last time. that she would have seen Maddie was not. Monday morning, but Sunday night. But,

previously, she explained seeing Maddie. getting ready for school Monday morning, and even describes in detail what Maddie. wore to school that day on Monday, which. she dressed herself to go to school in. on Monday. And in the initial report, she writes that she saw Maddie. Yeah. The officer questions her about that. "When you reported her missing, you. remember writing a statement?" "Yes.". "In that statement, you say you saw. Maddie." "I know. I misremembered. I. didn't see her.". "But, I wanted to believe I saw her, but. I didn't." "But, when you're talking to.

the deputy on his body cam, you describe. what she was wearing that day because. she had picked it out the night before.". The police still want to know why she. wrote saw on the initial report. Saw. Saw is a pretty common word. It's not. It's not like a legal language. It's not. something that you would only use when. you file a police report. It's a pretty. straightforward word. Did you see? Did. you not see? Can I tell you my thought. process on that or where I came from. with that?

I was handed this form. And I'm like, "Where do I start? What do. I write?" And somebody say. somebody said, "Tell them what you saw.". And so, I started with I saw. And then I wrote out what I wrote out. But, it wasn't until later I was like, "Wait, I didn't see her. I assumed that. I saw her. I assumed that I heard her, but I didn't. In reality, I didn't see her.

I only saw him. And I heard something in the kitchen, but I don't know who that was." An. officer clarifies with Jennifer then, "Did you see Maddie on Monday morning?". "Visually see her? No.". "Did you hear her?" "I heard many people. in the kitchen. I'm not sure if it was. my roommate or Maddie specifically.". "When's the last time you saw her then?". "Saw her?". "I'm going to say Sunday night.". "Heard her?". "I heard her Monday morning getting. ready for school.".

So, that means the last time Jennifer. Soto might have seen her child Maddie. was Sunday night, the night before at. 11:00 p.m. That's like almost a what, 10-hour discrepancy. Mhm. Which means. how do we know if any other part of this. report or timeline is factual, is true? Do you know what time torture is? Mhm. I mean, technically, a lot of. places have time torture. Some jails. will have time torture. You just never. get to know the time. To make it even.

worse, you block out the window so you. can't tell if it's day or night. That's. time torture. There's like a. psychological reason that humans go. crazy if they don't know what time it. is. It's our inner circadian rhythm that. goes out of whack. But, in this police. interrogation room, there's like a weird. I don't know if it's intentional, but. the clock is perpetually frozen at 2:54. You don't know how long you've been. talking to the authorities. You don't. know how long they've been grilling you. because you look up at the clock, 3.

hours later, perhaps four, it's still. 2:54. Wait, is that something you noticed or. someone pointed it out? Yeah, a lot of netizens also noticed. They're like, "That That clock is weird. Is that intentional?" Yeah, yeah. It. feels intentional. Huh. Jennifer is sitting in the middle of the. blue couch, like right at the crack of. the couch cushions, like in the middle. of a two-seater couch. I wouldn't say. that she looks comfortable per se, but. she doesn't look uncomfortable. She's. all the way leaned back.

"Do you guys have tissues?". One of the two detectives in the room. gets up, grabs her a roll of tissues. "Thank you.". She places them on the couch without. using them. She talks about her experience being a. mom. "I was hyper-vigilant as hell, you. know, as a mom. Because I was like, 'Never trust a man. Never trust anyone, not even my dad, right? Like, never. trust anyone.' I grew up being told. never trust a man. My mom put that in my. body. Never trust a man. I even had a. rule for the longest time. Maddie would. want sleepovers, and I would be like,

'No, absolutely not.' Because I have no. control, and something could really. happen. And I was very vigilant. No. sleepovers, no nothing for a very long. time, for years. Me being super paranoid not to trust. anyone, I just wanted to make sure. nothing was happening and that I was. missing something. But according to Jennifer, Maddie would. always ask. if she could have a sleepover because. she wanted to watch movies and eat. snacks. Eventually, Jennifer gets tired. of saying no. And you know what? She.

thinks it would be nice to have Maddie. do sleepover so that Jennifer could get. a good night's rest because they sleep. in the same bed all the time, right? That's how Maddie's sleepovers, {quote}. sleepovers. That's what calls them. That's how Maddie's sleepovers with. Stephan start. With her own mother, Jennifer, encouraging them to go upstairs to the. guest bedroom for a sleepover. The night before Maddie goes missing was. a sleepover. Officers ask Jennifer,

"Where did Maddie sleep Sunday night?". I sent them to sleep upstairs in the in. the guest bedroom. So that I could get a good night's. sleep. So she's explaining that normally it's. the three of them on her king-size bed. Mhm. But the order, that's already I'm. calling somebody, okay? I'm already. calling somebody, but the order of the. sleeping arrangements is even weirder. It's Stephan, Maddie, Jennifer. Wow. She says, "We were all going to. sleep in the same bed together, but I.

needed some good sleep and I had not I. got a new job recently and I haven't. been well rested and I needed some sleep. so I asked, 'Hey, can you guys go to the. guest bedroom upstairs?' I knew that he. was going to get her ready to for bed so. I sent them upstairs and I went to bed. So the reason that you sent Maddie up. with Stephan is because you started a. new job at Disney. I just started a new. job, uh front desk, and I hadn't been. sleeping well. I have to take I take. psychiatric meds every night for my. bipolar disorder. Now, side note, any.

criticism against Jennifer is not to. stigmatize her mental health and I think. to even say, "Oh, well, she has bipolar. disorder." I see a lot of people with. bipolar diagnosis get very upset on. Reddit cuz they're like, "I have bipolar. disorder and I'm a parent and I assure. you this is not a reaction of her mental. health. This is not a normal reaction.". Mhm. Just keep that in mind. When I went to. take my meds, I realized, "Oh my god, I. forgot to take my Saturday night's meds,

which is why I felt so weird and so. abnormal and not myself Sunday while I. was at work. Everyone at work noticed I. was acting different. I realized I. forgot to take my meds and I said, 'You. guys, I need a good night's sleep. I. need to take my meds. suggested that we all sleep together in. the same bed together. But. not the easiest person to sleep with. She rolls around, she punches, she. kicks. Is it normal for both of them to. sleep in the same room? Sometimes, when.

I really need a good night's sleep, I'll. send them upstairs. But also, a lot of. times we will all sleep together in the. king-size bed, all three of us, or. sometimes Stephan will go upstairs, Maddie and I will sleep in our bed. alone. It just really depends on what's. going on, you know, that night with our. schedules and what we're doing. So this. is when the police just found out about. this crazy sleeping arrangement. Yes. And the police are like, "What the. Every single She talks to multiple. officers and every single time, personally, I think she hesitates every. time she brings it up. She tries to make.

it sound, this is my personal opinion, she tries to make it sound as normal and. natural as possible, but I feel like she. always has this like. like let me explain type of. feeling Mhm. to her statements. And every single. time, all the officers are like, "Wait. Wait, let me get this straight. What? What are you talking about right now?". And this is they're not Are they. investigating her right now or they're. trying to get understanding about what. happened? They're trying to get an understanding. of what happened. And this is immediately red flag.

Oh. What's going on? Huge red flag. Okay. Huge. Now, the weird thing is, Jennifer doesn't even have work on. Monday. She's off Monday and Tuesday. Mhm. But I guess she really needs her. sleep. She sends her 13-year-old. daughter to go upstairs with her. boyfriend, straight to room number four. That room is relatively empty except for. a few things. 37-year-old Stephan, 13-year-old Maddie, a gun in the. dresser, and a tube of masturbation.

cream. A woman named Mary calls into the police. station. The case that's been all over the news, the case of Madeline Soto going missing, the missing 13-year-old girl, she knows. these people. That guy, Stephan, she. dated him briefly when they were both. working for Disney. So they're they all. worked for Disney at one point. And. she's like, "I was dating him. It wasn't. a serious relationship. They were. intimate from around December 2022. till about May 2023. They were not life. planning. Like nothing about this.

relationship was serious.". Wait, I thought Steve Stephan Is it. Stephan? dated Jennifer for 7 years. On and off. And what's crazy. is when this takes place, they're not. even dating. They are broken up. So she. sends her daughter upstairs with her. ex-boyfriend. I mean, not that boyfriend would make it. any better, but Yeah. Yeah. Just another. clarification. Mary does not want to think of a strong.

future with Stephan. I mean, to put it. bluntly, Stephan has a. has a hard time staying erect. She's not. shaming him, but in one occasion, this. is important, she tells the police this. because she thought it was that. pertinent. Stephan wanted to try to get. excited, if you will. What Why is that? This is so out of. nowhere. What do you mean? Like why did she bring. up Oh, there's a whole thing. Okay. So she explains that they tried. multiple times and nothing was working. and then he's like, "Okay, let me let me. try something new. I think this is going.

to work. Can you lay down flat on your. face, just like on a plank, and play dead. Don't move. Don't do anything.". Suddenly, it works. That's the only time. Any other time, nothing. In fact, you. know, this is where Mary thinks, "Okay, that alone, not that crazy. We're not. judging anyone." But she would ask. Stephan to spend the night. and he would absolutely refuse. "I need. to go sleep at Jennifer's house.". Mary's so confused. Like, "What do you.

mean you need to go sleep at your. ex-girlfriend's house? What do you mean. by that? You guys are broken up. That. doesn't even make sense. What do you. mean?" He says, "Oh, it's because I need. to cuddle with Jennifer's daughter, Maddie, otherwise she can't fall. asleep.". Woah. Again, this is not his daughter. It's not like, "Oh, I got to tuck my kid. in the bed, otherwise she can't fall. asleep, she gets upset." It's his. ex-girlfriend's daughter, who is also. not like a 2-year-old. She's 13. Like. this is all so weird. It does But this. is a few years ago, right? This is a.

year ago. Okay, so she's 12. Yeah. Or Yeah, 12. Okay. Yeah, but like also, not her. biological dad, no familial relations. No. And also, he's not a stepfather. Mhm. I don't know. A lot of I don't know cuz I don't have a. stepfather and I'm not in a blended. family like that. He said cuddle. He didn't say read a. book or do a nighttime routine or we. have to keep a schedule. It didn't seem. parental. Mhm. It's very weird. It People were.

saying it's understandable if perhaps a. stepfather forms a parental bond so it's. like, "Okay, even though we're broken. up, I want to make sure that this kid's. life stays stable." Yeah. That's not. this vibe. Yeah. She's like, "What are you saying right. now? That is weird." And it gets more. perverse. He starts chuckling like he's. reminiscing. She's like, "Why are you laughing?". "There's this one time," he explains, "that he was sleeping in the same bed as. Maddie and he wakes up and he's having a.

exciting reaction." Mind you, this is. the man who cannot get it up. Mhm. And he's like, "Oh yeah, it was it was. up. So I had to turn around." Hehe. She's like, "Is this some sort. I mean, he's laughing. Is this a joke? Is this real? Did this happen? Even if. it is a joke, that's so alarming. If it. happened, it's even more alarming. What? Mary breaks up with him soon after. and is just so thrown off by the whole. thing. Forgets about it. This is on the. news and she's calling the cops. Like,

"Hey, I don't know. Something is weird. Something's weird." About him? Yes. Soon after, just like Mary, another. person is watching the news on what's. going on. Maddie's case is getting a lot. of attention and this man is sitting. there watching the TV, very confused. Jennifer and Stephan are doing. interviews and Jennifer is talking. about, "My partner dropped my kid off. My partner did this. My partner did. that. My boyfriend." And this guy is. like, "I know that they're broken up. Like I know these people." He says it's. so odd. Why are they going around being. my partner this, my boyfriend this, my. girlfriend this? He reports to.

authorities. What's even weirder is when. they did break up, Stephan seemed really. distraught. Not that he was losing. Jennifer, but that he was losing the. {quote} bond he created with Maddie. And. at the time, I guess this man tried to. chalk it up to a parental bond because. he had been in Maddie's life since she. was eight. Just keep that in mind. But now now it's strange. Who is this man? He's a fellow gaming.

friend of Stephan's. So they met through. a board game, but they're not actually. friends. They have this one shared hobby, a niche. interest. So it's like meeting at a. hobby club. Okay. And he's like, "I don't know. I don't. know this guy that well, but he's. weird." Is he reporting this as well? Yes, to the police. They're calling the. police. They're being very proactive. Wow. So the police decide, "Okay, let's go. talk to Maddie's seventh grade. counselor." The counselor is informed. that Maddie had ADHD and had a hard time. focusing. This is how they're explaining.

it, that Maddie had anxiety and panic. attacks. She would meet with Maddie a. few times during the school year to. check in and do these little check-ins. with her. But, if Maddie ever needed. anything outside of the check-ins, Maddie could come to her. She has normal. conversations like any other teenager. It's not until Maddie brings up Stephan, and she tells her counselor, "I don't. like him. He's weird.". "What do you mean he's weird? Can you. explain more about that?". "He just eats all our food and hangs out. in our living room. Just makes me feel.

uncomfortable. That's all." But, when. Stephan moves out at around November of. 2023. So, this takes place February of. 2024. He moves out 4 months prior to. this, which then you're like, "Okay, how. are they doing sleepovers?" Stephan. would periodically visit for weekends, for weeks at a time. And again, he and. Jennifer are not dating. Mhm. extra weird. Maddie tells her counselor. that because Stephan is moving out, she's really happy about that. The very. last check-in was done at February 6th,

2024, about literally 20 days before. Maddie goes missing. And Maddie's grades. are up. Her relationship with her mom. seemed to be getting better. Everything. seems to be getting better. And then. Stephan out of nowhere decides he's. going to visit for Maddie's 13th. birthday. And it's very interesting. because the authorities are now. wondering, "What exactly is Stephan's. relationship with Maddie?" He claims. he's her favorite person in the whole. wide world. But, just like everything else in this. entire case, I am not an accountant, I'm.

not a mathematician, but it is so clear. nothing is adding up. They ask Stephan, "Run us through what. happened that Monday morning.". The incident report summarizes that. Stephan tells authorities he dropped. Maddie off at 8:25, 8:40 that morning, about a block away from the school. And. according to Jennifer and Stephan, Maddie was going through this phase. She. was embarrassed by his car, so he just. dropped her off where nobody can see. her. The officer clarifies with Jennifer,

"Really? When did she express that she. was embarrassed?" "Multiple times. Anytime we've been like, 'I think might. take you to school or he might pick you. up,' she goes, 'Can you pick me up far. away? Can he leave me here? I don't want. to be seen. I don't want I don't want to. be seen.". He drops her off and he sees her walking. towards the direction of the school. As. he starts driving away, he says he looks. back one more time at Maddie and she is. reaching through her backpack, rummaging. through. It looks like she's looking for. something, perhaps her pair of. headphones. He said it, quote, "Look the.

same as any other morning.". After dropping Maddie off, Stephan goes. to a vape shop to get some more vapes, but they were closed. Then he goes home, waits about an hour just hanging out. with Jennifer before heading back out to. the vape shop. That's around 11:00 a.m. And once he's done with that, he runs. some errands, Target, House Rules, window shopping for newly released. games. And then he's supposed to come. back home so that he and Jennifer can go. pick up Maddie together, but he gets a. flat tire on the way. It's a whole thing. But, that's the.

thing. It's 2024. The police pull all of the street. cameras and his movements aren't making. any sense. They're not making sense at. all. In fact, he and Maddie just drive. around for about 2 hours. They leave the. house at 7:00 something in the morning. cuz remember Jennifer says they don't. leave until about 8:50, and they drive. around, well, he's driving. He's driving. around till about 9:00 something in the. morning. And then she just vanishes out.

of his car. What exactly is being. recorded on the camera? Him driving this. way, him driving that way. He's driving. everywhere except to the school. He's. driving to SeaWorld, or near SeaWorld at. least. He's driving all over the place. He leaves the apartment complex. Maddie. who's in the car or is just the car? Yes, he is in the driver's seat. Maddie. is in the passenger seat. Mhm. Driving around. The security. officer says, "That morning, he left, right?" He did see him leave, but he. comes back. Mhm. He comes back and he.

says, "Oh, my little key fob is not. working to open the gate to the. complex." And the security officer. notices a girl in the passenger seat in. a green hoodie sleeping. So, then the security cameras track him. He comes back to the complex to trash. something. Inside the trash can, they go through. the dumpsters, authorities find a white. trash bag. Oddly, everything inside is covered in. gray paint. It's like someone poured a. canister of paint in there. They find a. black Hawaiian print backpack and one.

singular white croc. Maddie's size. Inside the backpack is Maddie's school. laptop with her name on there. This is. Maddie's backpack. Why would Stephan. throw away Maddie's backpack with her. school laptop, especially if he was on. his way to drop her off at school that. morning? Wow. They also find the flat tire from. Stephan's car. So, now authorities were like, "It is. time to go through Stephan's phone. because here's one thing for sure, he. did not drop her off anywhere near where.

he said he dropped her off." And that's. not the only thing that's alarming about. these CCTV cameras. We'll get back to. it. Let's go through Stephan's phone. That's what the authorities are. thinking. How when was this now? Like 48. hours? 48 hours. They're like, "Give me your. phone." Uh 24 hours it was "Give me your. phone.". Wow. Okay. Stephan tells authorities, "It's actually a silly, goofy little. story. Yeah, um absolutely, they can have his. phone, go through his phone. He consents. to it, he'll sign the waiver, whatever.

can help at this point. But, the thing. is, earlier earlier on Monday, the day. that Maddie went missing, he's so dumb. He tried to update his phone to the. newest software and he's just so bad. with technology that he was clicking. around with a few buttons and it. completely factory reset his entire. phone. It It wiped out all of his. contacts, all of his files, all of his. pictures, everything was gone, which is. just so frustrating.". They take his phone and they look. They.

look and they recover some files. In. fact, when they go on his phone, his. Google Drive starts syncing and it just. starts re-downloading everything that. was in his Google Drive. It was factory reset? Yes, the phone was factory reset, but. his account was linked to the cloud and. he had data on the cloud that is just. available for authorities. And they go. through it and they find 90 pictures. of the roommate. unclothed, one of the female roommates, unclothed in her room and bathroom, and.

it is clear that she has no clue that. Stephan had been taking pictures without. her consent. Wait, what do you mean? She's What What. What's her state? She's showering, getting ready. She has. no clue that someone There's no. acknowledgement of the camera. Yeah, it's a hidden camera. Hidden camera. He's He put his camera under her door. Wow. Okay. They interview the two female. roommates. The one that had the pictures. taken of her, let's call her. Alice. Her name is available out there, but just for privacy.

Sunday night, she says that she heard. She's in the room right next to. Stephan's the guest room. She's in room. number three. She said that she heard a. few things like people putting things on. the counter, like if you put your phone. on the desk, and she could hear stuff. like that, but nothing that alarming. She didn't hear Maddie's voice. She just. assumed that it was just Stephan in the. room. She didn't hear anything out of. the ordinary. But, Monday morning she did see a few. things that she thought was odd. She. went downstairs at around 9:30 in the. morning. So, Stephan is back home. And. he's just going in and out of the.

apartment and kind of going up and down. the stairs. She thought his movements. were odd. Cuz you know when you track. someone's movements, either they're. relaxing, they go up, they do something, or they're grabbing stuff, or they're. moving furniture. It Mhm. The movement. pattern just felt odd. But, what is she. going to say? I mean, it's weird. And he was also doing laundry. She said. it He never does laundry. And she's eating breakfast, she looks at. the table downstairs, which normally. does have stuff cluttered on there, and. she sees a hammer along with a few other. tools. It's just so random. She doesn't.

remember exactly what kind of tools were. they were, but she remembers hearing. someone using some sort of. power tool earlier that morning. It was just weird. It was different. Even Jennifer walks into the room, notices the tools, and it asks Stephan, "What are they doing on the counter?" He. just responds, "Oh, I was just finishing. up a project." Alice overhears this. And. that's about it. She goes back upstairs, gets ready for. work, and she comes down to leave, and. Stephan is still there. Jennifer is. still there, and they're talking, they're chit-chatting. So, this is after.

Jennifer's. appointment with the doctor. Then when. she gets back. Jennifer pulls Alice to the side. and says, "Maddie is missing.". Alice feels like Jennifer seems. emotional, but Stephan. She said that Stephan looks like he's. crying, but overall, he he seems calm. Yeah, he seemed calm, but still very. strange. Authorities dig deeper into his. phone, and they find recent searches in.

the past few weeks for something called. sevoflurane. Sevoflurane is an. anesthetic that's used for general. anesthesia. You go to the hospital, they. knock you out with substances like. sevoflurane. There's no reason for. Stephan to be searching that term. It's. not like you can just go buy that. It's. not like he had any upcoming operations. And additionally, he searched this. anesthetic along with the phrase, "Show. up on drug test?" {question mark} Which, if you are getting an operation, you. wouldn't care if it shows up on a drug. test cuz you're like, "Oh, yeah, I got. this operation done, so of course I have.

this drug in my system.". Now, the police are more intrigued. They. dig deeper into his phone, and they get. access to a Google Drive, and they start. downloading all of the files on there. About 1,700. images. of CSAM, abuse material. Files upon files, images and videos of. Maddie's private parts, as well as. pictures and videos of Stephan essaying. Maddie. In one, Stephan is seen wearing. a red and white Deadpool shirt. There's.

another one where Stefan's face is fully. visible and he is assaulting Maddie. Eventually, they'll find 35,000 files of. CSAM. It's unclear if it was just Maddie. Likely not. 35,000? Yes, on a separate hard drive. We're going to cover that in part two. It's unclear if it was just of Maddie. Likely not. Wow. One line on the report reads, "It. should be noted that these pictures and. videos collected on several different. dates over the course of approximately 2. years." So, the Initially, they got.

videos and pictures dating back to 2022, but it is likely much further. It is. believed that the abuse dates back to. when Maddie was just 8 years old. So, for the past 5-ish years. One video shows an 8-year-old Maddie. The description from the court document. is, "He in the video is SA'ing Maddie by. telling her that she must place his. privates in her mouth for 3 seconds. while he counts, or else she will lose. her phone privileges unless she does. this." Some incidents of the abuse that.

he inflicted on Maddie are obviously. logged through the CSAM. These are just. some of the dates of the files. It's. likely that abuse occurred on dates when. there was no accompanying digital. evidence. So, to put it simply, until. the trial at the end of this year in. 2025, we don't know the full extent of. the abuse. June 19th, 2019. July These are just. dates that some they found files of. 10. or more files. June 19th, 2019. July 2nd, 2019. July. 12th, 2019. March 21st, 2022. July 22nd,

July 25th, July 29th, July 31st, August. 2nd, August 10th, August 15th, 16th, 18th. That's in 2022. June 14th, 2023. June. 19th, 23rd, 26th, 29th. And it goes. until February of 2024. In some of the pictures and videos, Maddie appears to be sleeping. So, according to police reports, the. CSAM and abuse was perpetrated in. Stefan's room, the guest room upstairs, as well as Maddie's partition room in.

the living room. The authorities have to go through the. very difficult task of telling Jennifer. about all of this. And. it's so interesting because when you. watch all of the. interrogation tapes of when she is. confronted with this information that. Stefan has been abusing Maddie since she. was potentially just 8 years old, she has the these pauses after every. revelation. And you almost want to fill. in the blanks for her. You want to be. like, "Okay, in this moment, I think.

she's about to freak out. I think she's. about to curse him out. She's about to. say the most unhinged thing. She's going. to threaten the most sadistic crimes. against this man, because that is the. only thing that makes sense.". But Jennifer's reactions are very. strange, evidenced by a 3-hour-long. police interrogation. After Jennifer. finds out that Stefan has been SA'ing. her daughter for years, she can still. have small talk conversations with. officers about just even stuff to do.

with Stefan without becoming violent. She tells an officer, "He's very. childish, too. He loves playing video. games. He loves playing board games. Yeah, that's his buddy, aka Maddie.". They're very similar. They're both very. childish. Like, he loves board games, video games, arts and crafts, all that stuff. Okay. I'll I'm kind of a watcher. What do you. mean? Like, I won't play the games. I'll. watch them play the games. Oh, okay. I see what you're saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he's more involved. with that. Um. Okay.

Yeah, they're. they're pretty great. Again, it's weird. There's no moment of reflection and. subsequent anger. Like, you would. imagine that she could say these things. and then it slowly dawns on her, "This. is how he's grooming her." And it would. flare up this violent anger. Mhm. So, when the police saw that, that's making her look very suspicious, correct? Okay. And so many times, it sounds like. the police just don't even know what to. say. There's so many times they just go quiet. cuz they're like, "I. Yeah. I'm trying to build rapport with.

you and I'm trying to make it feel like. I'm not judging you so you'll open up. more, but it's to the point where what. can I really say to that? Really like. truly. Right. What can I say? It's not that sick piece of Like, I. should have known he was just I thought. he was finding common hobbies with my. daughter for the sake of our family. There's none of that. There's no. nothing. Just They were best buds. The officer asks, "Have they gotten less. close as she's become a teenager?" No, if anything, closer ever since he moved. away.

Somehow, 5 minutes later, she also has. the mental capacity and emotional space. to giggle about Disney. She says, "My. sister used to be a character performer. as well. Um she had to quit because she. kept getting Donald Duck and his butt. was really heavy and it kept hurting her. back.". Mhm. This is a few days after Maddie is. missing and she realizes that she has. been abused for years. When she's straight-up told by an. officer that their sleeping arrangements. are weird, she says, "Originally, the. plan was we were all going to sleep. together in my bed, you know." And she. talks about how strict she used to be.

about sleepovers. And the officer says, "That is even weird." Because she was. saying, "Maddie would always ask for. sleepovers with Stefan and I would say. no, because that's like a firm rule that. I have." And the officer tells her, "The. fact that you even have that rule is. weird. Like, I have a 4-year-old kid and. I'm never like, 'Oh, my next girlfriend, here's a rule. You're never sleeping. with my kid.' It's usually just. something that doesn't happen. Like, you. don't set a rule. Why do you need to set. a rule for things that just are not in. the realm of possibility." Jennifer. continues that Maddie would sleep in the.

middle of the bed when the three of them. would share the bed. And the officer. asks, "Did you ever wake up and find. them cuddling or find them closer than. you thought they should be?". They would they would snuggle. Yeah. Okay. But I I. we all snuggle. I didn't think that that. was abnormal. What is snuggling to you? Cuz to me, snuggling is spooning. Big. spoon, little spoon. He would lay down like this and she. would be right here in his in in the. nook. Literally how couples snuggle. So. bizarre. What kinds of clothes do you guys sleep. in? Stefan would sleep in his T-shirt.

and boxers. Sometimes he would have. pants on. Okay. So, they would snuggle. Sometimes he'd be in his boxers. You'd wake up and she'd be in the nook. of his arm and essentially in a cuddling. position. And you never found that weird. No. Okay. There are two moments in the interview. that Jennifer shows the most emotion. The first being when the detective asks. for her date of birth and she says, "March 2nd." This interview takes place. March 1st. And she starts breaking down.

and says, "This is going to be the worst. birthday ever." Wow. Maddie went missing 4 days after her. birthday. Her birthday's tomorrow. All right. Today's the 1st. Secondly, the detective says, "Now, listen to the. wording. It's very interesting. You know. your daughter has been victimized for a. long time, right?". So, prior to this, for the past hour or. so, they've been discussing Stefan. SA'ing Maddie. So, this is not the first.

time in the conversation that it's being. brought up. And every other time, she's. like somewhat emotional, not really. She's just like, "I know. I know. I. know. It's crazy. I know.". The detective continues, "Now, you know. that your daughter has been victimized. for a long time, right? Under your roof. with you home most likely, because you. said you're always home. I can tell you. today, we are still downloading his. Google Drives. We are still going. through his social media, his. cloud-based servers, and everything. else. We can now piece back her. victimization in your house under your. care to 2020. So, when I ask, 'They've.

woken up cuddling. Did you find things. suspicious? Do you have an open. relationship? Has he talked to you? Has. he made inappropriate statements?'. It It's almost like cheating, right? Have you ever been cheated on? Okay. Somebody can only cheat on somebody for. so long until they. or something comes out or somebody says. something. We're looking at a minimum of. 3 and 1/2 years that this has been going. on, where I'm sure you guys are. active.". This is where Jennifer Soto starts. breaking down. Some netizens think that.

the detective's words are finally. clicking on how long this has been going. on under her roof, but most netizens. believe no. It seems like the cheating part gets to. her. When he brings up cheating, that's when. you see her face get tense and she. starts showing a visceral reaction. It. feels like speculative, of course, but. she is emotional because she feels like. he cheated on her rather than the fact. that he's been abusing her daughter. She gets really emotional, even rubbing. her legs. So, for 3 and 1/2 years under your care. in your house,

not only was he being sexually active. with you, he had a sexual relationship. Side note, I see this a lot in. interrogation tapes. And I wonder if these are like people. who are new to watching interrogation. tapes. You'll see comments on Reddit or. even on TikTok, where it's always like, "Why is the interrogator being so nice. to them?" Or "Why are they calling it a. relationship when it's clearly SA?" And. it's usually to disarm. potential witnesses. If you use such. strong words, people might be taken. aback cuz they don't want to admit that.

they saw something. Because. "Oh, you witnessed the R word and you. said nothing?" Versus a. It gives a more opening of. Yeah, yeah. So. Exactly. And instead of saying, "You. committed the worst crime and you better. admit it right now." "You better admit. that you knew it was happy." Yeah. So, it's um I do want to just mention that. cuz I see that coming up a lot. It's. definitely not. the right You get what he's trying to. do. His name is Kevin. The detective is. actually really good on this one. Yeah.

He continues, "At a certain point, I do. believe you became aware of what was. going on. I do believe a reasonable. person would be aware that this is going. on. I believe that you became aware of. what was happening and for whatever. reason, your reasons are your reasons, whether it was discussed that it would. stop, whether it was discussed how it. would go, you feel some sense of guilt. right now. And a lot of the news. statements that you've given, again, I. can only speak for myself, those. statements bother me. It seems like some. of your emotion when you talk to the. news, when you talk to the deputies, based on my experience in this job, that.

is not sincere. I feel like some of your. sadness is not real sadness. I find it. hard to believe for me that you were so. worried about how many pills that Maddie. took at night for her ADHD and her. medications, but not where she slept or. what was going on. I thought we were all safe. I thought. because she hadn't shown me anything so. far that was weird. Like everything. seemed to find. He seemed like he. treated her like like what? Like he how. he treats you? Jennifer's silent.

Her body rolls back and she starts. sobbing again. And she says, that's so disgusting. What? Cuz the she's like he treated her like. and the officer's like, yeah, he treated. her like how he treated you, which is. crazy because you guys are dating. Yeah. So it. say that's so disgusting? Yes. Some netizens have interpreted as. this is the moment it's hitting her that. her daughter is SA'd. But I don't think so because she goes. right back to her weird ways. Yeah. Others are saying it feels like she has.

an emotional sore spot of getting. cheated on and not the fact that her. daughter is being abused. It's weird. Mhm. It's so [ __ ] disgusting. Detective Kevin, he asks Jennifer if if. let's run through this hypothetical. situation because it's been days that. Maddie has been missing. The authorities believe Maddie is dead. They're just telling her. Let's say she. has been killed. Let's say she's passed. What do you think has happened? And I'm.

going to say this like I say in so many. videos, if an investigator asks you what. you think happened, they think you. happened. 192 seems to me like the easiest. place he could have dumped her or like. figured out where to put her. She's. saying, I think he dumped dumped her. body in North Port. That's where he's. from, 2 and 1/2 hours away. Wait, so earlier at the beginning of the. video you're saying that oh, they may. have. done things, but I don't think he killed.

her. Yes. At this point you're saying. she has. became more of oh, if he did it and he probably dumped her. there. No. She she's like being forced into. these hypotheticals. Cuz the authorities. are like, how do you not think so? Let's. just let's just walk it through let's. act like he's responsible. Then what? What What do you think he did? And she's like, dumped her in North. Port. Dumped. She uses the word dumped. Mhm. The authorities don't ask her, do.

you think he dumped your daughter's. body? Where do you think he dumped her. body? They don't use that verbage. It's. actually pretty callous, especially if. you know, this is a grieving mother. She. uses the word. Kevin just lays it down for Jennifer. saying, you haven't convinced me that. you're still not protecting Steven. I. got all these people out here searching. I haven't seen my own kid in days. because I'm looking for Maddie. Can you. believe that? I can't go home and see my. kid because you're protecting Steven. You have not shown me one bit that you. prioritize Maddie over Steven and that. sucks.

I don't care anymore about Steven. Anymore? Because we're being [ __ ]. right? Because I'm not being nice, but. up until a few days ago it was okay that. she was being abused, right? It was no. big deal. No, it wasn't okay. I was. honestly I saw that and I was in shock. I don't know what to believe. I didn't. know what to believe. How do you not know what to believe? You believe it now because we showed you. pictures of it. You can't deny it. anymore. He was abusing her. Dead or. alive, she's missing. Her body is out. there. But I don't trust a lot of his.

Is it the word judgment? I'm not sure, but I just don't. trust that he makes the smartest. decisions sometimes like. he likes to act like the smartest man in. the room, but I don't think he is. Which. is so odd. If you don't trust his. judgment, you trust him around your. daughter? Okay, forget the realm of. use. On a safety level, I would never. trust my nieces with someone that I. personally don't think has good judgment. cuz I'm like they're going to trip and. fall, they're going to get hit by a car. cuz they're not watching them. But the detective catches something.

else. I'm sorry. You said, I let him do. what he does. What do you mean by that? Just if he wants to get up and go to the. store, I'll ask him where you're going, but I won't stop him. I just let him go. on his way. I just let him do what he. wants to do. She's asked again, what do you think. happened? You know, authorities are trying to get. her to understand that they believe that. Maddie is likely dead by this point and. that she has not been taken. Whatever. happened, Steven most likely 1,000%. knows and is involved and maybe even. Jennifer knows as well. That's what.

they're trying to figure out. So what do. you think happened? It would probably be. possible that he. drugged her. Could. could he have. choked her? I I just don't know how you. kill someone and don't leave a mess or. don't leave evidence or. Jennifer talks a lot about being. anxious. She talks about her medications. non-stop with every single investigator. on this case. Everyone's mental health. works very uniquely with even with the. same disorders. She talks about anxiety.

Her body language is fascinating. If I were ever put in a situation where. I have to brainstorm a devastating end. of the world hypothetical situation. where the stakes are high, a family. member is in danger, my body language I would imagine I'm. doubled over, I'm in a fetal position, I'm like freaking out. Something is. happening. She's like leaned back all. the way on the couch. Her hands are in the pockets of her. hoodies and she's like, I guess he could have choked her. I don't know how there wouldn't be. evidence though.

I guess he could have dumped her body in. North Port. She continues to say things. like dump her, stash the body. She keeps. referring to her daughter as the body. saying things like he stashed the body, then came back. I feel like he stashed. the body at that time. How could you. move a body or move something in daytime. and not be seen? I feel like he went back to. change to check. to make sure he did the job or to move. the body again. She also brings up if.

the body was near her at all at any. point, she probably would have smelled. something. Again, this is crazy and like This is her. daughter. Yeah. The officers grill her. for a long time trying to get her to. tell them where Maddie could be. If. Jennifer has to take a good guess, she. says again, maybe in North Port. I can. see him stashing the body somewhere. around North Port. She says, but I don't. want to say anything and like lead you. guys to North Port and do a search and. nothing's there. We're going to go everywhere.

Okay, well, I just know that you guys. are like looking at me for details, but. I don't want to send you on a wild goose. chase. Riddle me this, if your loved one is. missing, would you not want the police. to turn over every stone and check under. everybody's porches and look under every. single person's sock drawer in the. tri-state area? She says, if I were him and. I had to stash a body, my mind would say. to go to Lake Soho. There's a lot of. woods there, there's a lot of gators. It's just the whole interrogation or. interview is very bizarre. Jennifer is.

asked about what she and Steven spoke. about after he dropped her off and she. does this twice. She says, he discussed. having to reset his phone even though he. didn't want to. Or no, not reset his. phone. He discussed needing to update. his phone because he's been avoiding it. for so long. I said, just do it. Stop. avoiding it. Just do it. He started the. update and through the update he's like, oh my god, I don't know what button I. pressed, but I just factory erased my. entire phone. And I said, that was. stupid. How did you manage to do that? He goes, I don't know. I wasn't paying.

attention and I just clicked the button. and it happened. And I said, okay, that's unfortunate. Wait, did she admit. that she knew he was. doing this to the daughter this whole. time or. She claims she had no clue. Mhm. Yeah. And then once she finds out she. says, okay, fine. Quote, that happened, but I don't think he has anything to do. with her disappearance. Did he tell you that he meant to reset. his phone? No, he didn't tell me. He. acted like and said it was an accident.

You don't find that odd? Of course I. find that odd. That's suspicious as. hell. Then later in the interview she. says it again. That Monday after Steven. drops Maddie off at school, he's so. normal. She says he was sitting on the. computer chair chatting away with me. talking about resetting his phone. Not. resetting his phone. Updating his phone. She keeps slipping up on that. It's. interesting. Talking about resetting his. phone. Not resetting his phone. Updating. his phone. Additionally, because not only did. Steven reset his phone that afternoon, but later that night. So after the first. night of searching for Maddie, he reset.

his phone once more at midnight. So he. did it twice. He factory resets his. phone twice. Wow. But again, she says, I guess I'm stupid. and gullible and very trustworthy, but I. didn't think he would be the type to do. something like this. Earlier in the interview though, she. mentions that Steven always lies to his. parents, he steals from his parents, which by the way, his parents are a big. part of this case now. They've been. doing interviews and we're going to go. over that in part two. He lies to his parents, steals from his. parents, is always manipulating his.

parents. When detectives confront her. like, what do you mean you just trusted. him and never thought he would do. something like that when you have said. nothing positive about his character. You say he has bad judgment, blah blah. blah. And then you say, oh well, I. trusted him. What made you trust him? It. doesn't make sense. She just argues, well, yeah, lying to them, his parents, yes, but lying to me, I never thought he. would do that. The police question why she didn't grill. Steven more about that day of dropping. off Maddie because she just claims she. was like, oh, did you drop her off? He's.

like, yeah. She just runs with it. Even. if Steven is biologically Maddie's. father, this is something that you see a. lot in cases where parents start blaming. each other. They start grilling each. other like, why weren't you doing this? What You could have looked You could. have done this. You could have done It. becomes a whole thing. She was just. like, oh, you dropped her off? You were. the last person to see her? Oh, okay. She claims that she trusted him and that. she was medicated. She's spewing all of. this and the detective shuts her down.

The detective says, "Juvenile robbery suspects utilize the. excuse of, I was high on drugs. I was. blacked out. Every juvenile robbery. suspect I interview, in your words, medicated. In their words, they're high, incapacitated, drunk. It is an excuse to. avoid admitting what happened. When you. say you were medicated, I can't think of. an amount of medication that would numb. you so bad that there's an investigation. right in front of your face for your. missing daughter. Being medicated is. just an excuse to avoid answering why. you didn't discuss with him what. happened. It minimizes your guys'.

interactions by saying you were not. fully coherent. There is not a single. person that I know that can sit in a car. and watch a bunch of detectives and. crime scene investigators and everybody. else search your house, seize your. house, and be so numb that somehow it's. not ringing bells. It's not overcoming. the power of this little medication. There's no way. The human body will. overcome that in a big situation. You. didn't take enough medication to numb. you of the reality of what was. occurring. I mean, there's no way. Unless you're.

fully incapacitated, there's no way that. you were so numb that everything he. described to you, I described to you was. not in the forefront of your mind. You. weren't numb. Just like these robbery. kids weren't blacked out. They weren't. high enough to not remember the robbery. They just don't want to talk about it.". Damn. No, it just wasn't clicking. It. didn't click to me. I really thought you. guys were going after the wrong guy. That you guys were wasting time. That. the real suspect is out there. She has these comments throughout the. multiple hours long interrogation. that have me staring at her through my.

peripherals, just side-eying her, because she tells officers, I. ugly cried on the way home. I shouldn't have been driving. But I ugly cried on the way home and I. went straight home. She's just telling officers this. unprovoked. And they respond with. silence, because what a strange random. thing to say. But clearly it means a lot to her, because she brings it up twice with two. different sets of detectives. Stephan and I were in separate cars. I.

ugly cried on the way home, sobbing, like where I couldn't see the road. I. shouldn't have been driving. Like I was. swerving. I ugly cried on the way home. and I went straight home. She also asks when she's going to get. her laptop back, because she has 10. years worth of pictures of Maddie in. there that she really wants to print. out, because all of her pictures of. Maddie are digital. Which again, the. officers don't even know what to say, because the way she's asking is so. nonchalant. But also, should she not be. more focused on bringing her daughter. back versus her laptop and figuring out.

where her daughter is? Mhm. Aside from the obvious, in your face. reasons that one might have a distaste. for Jennifer Soto, there are certain. things that she does when she's. questioned by the police that, and this. could be me absolutely losing my mind. after listening to 20-plus hours of. footage and going through so many court. documents, be that as it may, Jennifer. was making me pull my hair out. Every. single time authorities ask her a. question, she hits them with a. I want to say.

Additionally, she has this very bizarre. tendency to respond to questions with "I. want to say" or "I'm going to say." What. time did you wake up? "I want to say. nine.". Just say nine. Just say nine. Did you see her? "I'm going to say I. didn't see her." Just say you didn't see. her. My skull was turning into a bowl of. neuro pudding just listening to her. Do I need to calm down? Yes. Am I going. to calm down? No, because she just keeps. engaging in so much small talk for.

someone whose daughter is not only. missing, but whose daughter she just. found out has been victimized for. perhaps half of her daughter's life. She. will be on the way to the police station. and small talking with officers about. how she briefly lived in New York City. and hated the subway commutes. She says, "Worked in the office, partied at night. That was exhausting, honestly. I did not. like it. I just like going home and. going to sleep.". Her daughter is missing. But full. transparency, the reason I think I truly. dislike her is after finding out that.

Stephan has been essaying her daughter, documenting the entire crime over the. years under her roof, and clearly the. police believe that he is involved in. her disappearance, Jennifer disagrees. and she says, quote, That was my biggest. fear is that she was being trafficked. I. didn't think that she would actually be. dead. Maddie was being. trafficked. in her own home, essentially. How. Oh, when it's a complete stranger, it's. trafficking, but when it's your. boyfriend,

it's stuff. And what does self-proclaimed. hypervigilant mother Jennifer do once. she finds out that Stephan has been. abusing her daughter? She sends a text. message to Stephan's father. "Get Stephan a lawyer now." Moreover, after she gets out of the police. station, she goes to meet up with. Stephan's dad and he says, "I'm going to. just blow up, start beating the [ __ ] out. of me, scratching me, chew my ass out.". None of that. Instead, she tells Stephan's dad. unprovoked and just seemingly randomly.

that because of her medications that. she's taking for bipolar, she has not. been intimate with Stephan, so he is. very frustrated. What is happening? Yeah. In part two, we're going to be going. over where they find exactly what. happened, because the CCTV footage shows. Maddie in the passenger seat with her. seatbelt on. And she is driving around. with Stephan for about two hours Monday. morning. If you look at the CCTV footage, you see. Stephan's car at 7:30 driving inside the.

complex where they live. 7:35, he's. throwing something into the dumpster in. the complex where they live, which is. later found out to be her backpack and. the white Croc shoe. 7:50, he leaves the. complex. 8:15, he re-enters the complex. 8:31, he leaves the complex. 9:01, he's. seen. 9:35, he's seen. Maddie is seen in. the car on CCTV cameras. slumped to the side, allegedly asleep. That's what Stephan. says. In the same exact position. since 7:30 till 9:41.

Her position does not change. At 9:41 a.m., he drives into a parking. complex, backs his vehicle into a. parking space, gets out, and obviously. this is unreleased footage and should. never be released. He gets Maddie's body. out, carries her from the passenger seat. and places her into the trunk of the. car, and then drives back home. Meaning the whole time Stephan had been. driving around, talking to the apartment. security staff, throwing trash into the. dumpster,

Maddie was sitting in the passenger seat. with her seatbelt on, already dead. Officers show Jennifer a. picture of Maddie in the passenger side. of Stephan's car from one of the CCTV. cameras. "That's Maddie sleeping in the car.". That's what Jennifer says. Maddie is not asleep in the car. What do you mean? Do you really Maddie is asleep here? Is she dead? I don't know. We don't know where she's. at. That's a really odd way for her to be. laying down sleeping.

So the next picture is. going to be Maddie in the front seat of. Stephan's car. That's taken at 9:00 in. the morning near SeaWorld. Are you telling me you're looking for a. body right now? The officers, they don't like her. reaction. They tell her, "We are. literally having a conversation about. Maddie possibly being dead and you have. yet to shed a tear.". And there are so many questions now, because Maddie has been seen slumped in. Stephan's car for almost two hours. Monday morning. What was he doing? What. was he trying to do? Why is he driving. around for two hours? And more.

importantly, where is Maddie now? But also, why is Jennifer's reaction to. this information so strange? Why is her. reaction to everything so unsettling and. so odd? Why did Stephan kill Maddie, allegedly? Where did he put her? How much does. Jennifer know? In part two, we will go. through where Jennifer's inconsistent. interviews, as well as Stephan's entire. interrogation, jailhouse phone calls to. his parents, and who he's befriended in. jail, because they're not good people, as well as more evidence against.

Stephan. We'll also go through. Jennifer's interview after Maddie's body. is found and after Stephan is charged. with capital murder. That interview, Jennifer receives derivative immunity, and we will talk about what that means. in part two. So with that being said, that is it for. today's episode. Stay tuned for part. two, and please stay safe, and I will. see you in the next one.