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Florida Teen Madeline Soto's Death: Sheriff's Dept. Issues Apology For Sharing Photos From Alleged Crime Scene
The office of a sheriff's deputy looking into the death of a teenager whose body was discovered last week has expressed apology for unintentionally posting a disturbing picture of the scene.
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Sheriff Marcos Lopez, from Osceola County, Florida, reportedly posted a photo from the crime scene
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Madeline Soto went missing on Monday and her body was found on Friday night
Trigger warning: This article contains a reference to the tragic death and homicide.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed the tragic end to the search for 13-year-old Madeline Soto. After it was thought she was dead, her body was discovered in a forested location off Hickory Tree Road. However, the sheriff in charge of the region where Madeline disappeared and died is currently facing criticism for allegedly sharing a picture of the crime scene, and the department has since issued an apology.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez shares a picture from crime scene
On Saturday, one day after Madeline was discovered dead, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez's official Instagram account allegedly shared a picture of human remains. A body that matches Madeline's description is allegedly seen lying dead on the considered to be a confidential crime scene image that was later removed.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the picture was accidentally uploaded to a post regarding a senior community function. They stated, "We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may have caused."
The image that appears to show Madeline's body is not being confirmed or denied by the Sheriff's office. Nevertheless, things get worse for the Osceola County Sheriff's Office because on the same morning that the alleged Soto photo was uploaded to Instagram, another sheriff's office employee shared a selfie with Madeline's mother's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, who is now the main suspect in Madeline's death and disappearance.
While several law enforcement organizations assisted in finding Madeline and catching Sterns, the Kissimmee Police Department is currently in charge of looking into the teen's death and disappearance. Additionally, Florida law forbids the public release of images showing the death of a minor without the consent of the victim's surviving family.
How Sterns became the prime suspect
Madeline was last seen on Monday morning when it was reported that Sterns had dropped her off in the Orlando area of Hunter's Creek Middle School. Evidence, however, points to the possibility that she was not dropped off that morning. According to the authorities, Madeline was killed in Kissimmee, Florida, where her family resided, and Sterns relocated her body early that same day.
Authorities have obtained video evidence that appears to show Sterns throwing away stuff in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex on Monday, February 26, at 7:35 a.m. Later on, the school-issued laptop and Madeline's backpack were discovered in the dumpster. The matter has been turned over to the Kissimmee Police Department, and it is currently being investigated as a homicide.
ALSO DEATH: Florida Teen Found Dead; Everything We Know About Madeline Soto's Tragic End
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