Missing 13-year-old’s body found, mum’s boyfriend ‘prime suspect’

A young girl who vanished after she failed to show at school on Monday has been found dead – and police have named their “prime suspect”.

Missing 13-year-old’s body found, mum’s boyfriend ‘prime suspect’. Picture: Supplied

The body of a missing 13-year-old schoolgirl has been found by police days after she disappeared.

Madeline “Maddie” Soto, from the southeasternmost US state of Florida, was reported missing on Monday when she didn’t show up at school.

Police have confirmed her body was found in a wooded area of the popular tourist destination on Friday, according to Fox News.

The heartbreaking discovery came just hours after Sheriff John Mina announced detectives were “confident” that the missing youngster was dead.

Officials have now alleged Maddie was killed by her mother’s boyfriend Stephan Sterns who was arrested on unrelated charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, Yahoo News reported.

Madeline Soto has been confirmed as dead after the 13-year-old’s body was found in woodlands. Picture: Supplied

“I wish we were here to tell you that we have found Madeline, but we have not found her,” the sheriff said.

“Our detectives have determined that Madeline was never dropped off on the morning of February 26 near her school. Instead, we believe she was already dead.”

Mr Sterns was taken into custody after cops searched his phone two days after Maddie vanished and reportedly found “disturbing” images, the New York Post reported.

Her mum’s boyfriend Stephan Sterns has been named as the ‘prime suspect’. Picture: Supplied

Police claim Mr Sterns failed to drop Maddie at school as she was ‘already dead’. Picture: Supplied

She had just celebrated her 13th birthday. Picture: Supplied

Maddie’s body was located by search teams in the same area where Mr Sterns was seen between 1pm and 2.30pm on Monday, driving his car with a flat tyre, the sheriff’s office said.

The young girl, who had just turned 13 on February 22, was reported after her mother arrived at the school that afternoon to pick her up, but was informed Maddie had never made it to class.

More than 50 police officers spent the days following Maddie’s disappearance searching for her in nearby woodland.

Officers had found messages on her phone in which she said she wanted to live in the woods when she turned 13.

The superintendent of the public schools in the area has since paid tribute to their “precious student”.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to Maddie’s family and her school community,” Dr Maria Vazquez said.

“To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends.”