ORLANDO, Fla. — Dozens gathered at Peace United Methodist Church in Orange County to remember 13-year-old Madeline Soto who was first reported missing earlier last week and later found dead in Osceola County on Friday afternoon.

What You Need To Know

  • Madeline Soto, a student at Hunters Creek Middle School, first disappeared last week

  • Hunter Creek Middle School is offering counseling to those directly impacted by the news

  • “What they did to her was unacceptable,” classmates are calling for justice

Soto, a student at Hunters Creek Middle School, first disappeared Monday morning after Stephan Sterns, 37, the boyfriend of Soto’s mother told authorities he dropped her near her school that morning. But according to records obtained by Spectrum News 13, Soto never made it to school and authorities believe she was already dead by the time Sterns alleges he dropped her off.

The news is still shocking the Hunter’s Creek Middle School and it prompted church leaders to unite many of her classmates at a private memorial service Wednesday night. 

“Friends, we have come together in grief,” said Rev. Jim Berlau, a pastor at United Methodist Church. “Acknowledging the loss of a tragic loss of Madeline Soto and the impact it has had not only on her family, but on all of our hearts.”

Those who attended the vigil described Soto as “energetic and a nice person.”

Related Coverage of the Madeline Soto Case

“(She) was always talkative. She was really nice,” said Adan Luciano, whose sister would often talk on the phone with Soto for long hours.

Luciano among with his classmate, Emanuel de Jesus, said at Wednesday’s vigil he and his peers continue to be in disbelief to what happened to Soto as she never communicated with classmates of the sexual abused she allegedly endured.

“I was like in shock,” de Jesus recalls when he and his classmates were notified of Soto’s death. “That’s like the first time I’ve ever heard of something like that — and the community, like we’re all close — it was weird because everyone (classmates) was off.” 

Hunter Creek Middle School is offering counseling to those directly impacted by the news.

“I am heartbroken to hear from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office of the tragic death of our precious student Madeline Soto,” OCPS Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez said on social platform X. “My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddie’s family and her school community. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult, especially for family and friends.” 

However, there remains a large void among those who knew Madeline or "Maddie" as her closest friends called her at school.

“What they did to her was unacceptable,” said Luciano.

He and his classmates are now calling for justice. 

“Everybody is sad about it — so to get justice — there’s going to be a hole in people’s heart, but it might close it more if theres justice,” said de Jesus.