Sheriff Apologizes for Posting Potential Crime Scene Picture In Madeline Soto Case

The sheriff for the world the place 13-year-old Madeline Soto disappeared and died is beneath hearth for seemingly posting a photograph from the crime scene, and now the division is apologizing.

This debacle is taking part in out down in Osceola County, Florida — the place Madeline’s physique was found Friday by officers there in a wooded space after she went lacking from her house in neighboring Orange County final week.

On Saturday — a day after Madeline was discovered deceased — a photograph of human stays was reportedly posted to the official Instagram account for Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. The photograph, believed to be a confidential picture from the crime scene and since deleted, is alleged to point out a physique matching Madeline’s description mendacity lifeless on the bottom.

Now, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Workplace is telling native news outlets the photograph was unintentionally included in a publish a couple of neighborhood occasion for seniors. They add … “We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may have caused.”

The Sheriff’s workplace is neither confirming nor denying the photograph depicted Madeline’s physique.

Someway, this all will get worse for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Workplace … as a result of the identical morning the alleged Soto photograph was posted on IG, one other member of the sheriff’s workplace shared a selfie with Stephan Sterns, the boyfriend of Madeline’s mom … and the prime suspect in her disappearance and dying, who has since been taken into custody.

Nirva Rodriguez, the OCSD government director, shared the picture on her private Fb web page … exhibiting Sterns being led out of a constructing in handcuffs. She reportedly captured her publish … “If God’s love has been poured out over your life, don’t allow evil to keep you away from what He has prepared for you.” Unclear what her intent behind the publish/message was.

In any case … the selfie was reportedly snapped after Sterns was booked on costs of kid pornography and sexually battering a toddler.

Regulation enforcement has not particularly tied these costs to Madeline’s case simply but … nor have they formally charged him in her disappearance or dying. He has but to enter a plea.

Rodriguez’s FB publish with Sterns has additionally been deleted, FWIW … and it is value noting she oversees a number of divisions with OCSD, together with media, outreach and neighborhood companies.