Missing 13-Year-Old Florida Girl Found in Predator's Phone Videos: Meline SoDo Investigation
The disappearance of 13-year-old Meline SoDo has left her Florida community searching for answers. On February 26, 2024, just one day after celebrating her birthday, Meline vanished after allegedly being dropped off near her school. Her mother arrived for pickup only to discover her daughter had never attended classes that day, triggering immediate concern and multiple 911 calls from the family.
What began as a missing person case quickly revealed troubling inconsistencies. Surveillance footage from a nearby church captured Meline sitting alone for approximately ten minutes before walking away. Her stepfather Stefan struggled to identify the exact drop-off location, and the absence of her phone—reportedly left at home that morning—hampered tracking efforts. Despite deploying K9 units and reviewing security cameras, investigators faced significant challenges in establishing Meline's movements after she disappeared from view.
Key Takeaways
Meline SoDo vanished one day after her 13th birthday when she was allegedly dropped off near school but never arrived at class.
Investigators discovered surveillance footage showing Meline at a church half a mile from school, sitting alone before walking away.
Search efforts were complicated by conflicting accounts of her drop-off location and the absence of her cell phone.
The Vanishing
Initial Emergency Report
At approximately 7:48 PM on February 26, 2024, authorities responded to a distressing situation in CMI, Florida. A 13-year-old girl named Meline Sodo had disappeared after allegedly being dropped off near her school that morning. The day before, Meline had celebrated her birthday with family and friends, making her sudden disappearance even more alarming.
When Deputy Joseph arrived at the residence, he met with Jennifer Sodo, Meline's 35-year-old mother, and Stefan Sterns, her 37-year-old boyfriend. Jennifer explained that she had received an email notification about Meline's absence and confirmed with teachers that her daughter never attended any classes that day.
The situation was complicated by the fact that Meline had left her phone at home that morning. She was last seen wearing a green hoodie, white Crocs, and dark pants or shorts. Her school laptop was the only potential tracking device in her possession.
Response Complications
Multiple calls were placed to emergency services before Deputy Joseph's arrival, with the initial caller expressing growing frustration at the delay in police response. When told officers were busy in the area, the caller emphasized the urgency of a missing child situation.
Upon arrival, Deputy Joseph seemed momentarily confused, asking if they were "looking for another kid," suggesting multiple missing child reports in the area that day. This confusion potentially contributed to the delayed response time.
Stefan attempted to show officers where he had dropped off Meline, but struggled to identify the exact location, only noting it was "around where these communities were" near an overpass. This vague information hampered initial search efforts.
A potential breakthrough came when Deputy Joseph reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby church half a mile from Meline's school. The footage showed a young girl matching Meline's description sitting on the property for approximately ten minutes before walking away.
K-9 units were deployed to the area where Meline was last seen, but faced difficulties establishing a trail. The search was complicated by multiple potential paths Meline could have taken after being dropped off.
Investigation
This section examines the crucial first hours after Meline SoDo was reported missing, highlighting the initial response and search efforts that followed her disappearance.
Information Collection
When Deputy Joseph arrived at 7:48 pm on February 26, 2024, he met with Jennifer SoDo, Meline's 35-year-old mother, and Stefan Sterns, her 37-year-old boyfriend. The situation was initially confusing as officers were already responding to another missing child case in the area. The family explained that Meline had allegedly been dropped off near school that morning but never arrived at class. Jennifer only discovered her daughter's absence when she went to pick her up and received an email notification about her absence, which was confirmed by Meline's teacher.
The 13-year-old girl, who had just celebrated her birthday the previous day, was described as wearing a green hoodie, white Crocs, and likely black shorts. Complicating the search, Meline had left her phone at home, leaving her school laptop as the only potentially trackable device. Unfortunately, when authorities attempted to locate it, the laptop's last known ping was from downtown Orlando on February 22nd, four days before she vanished.
Stefan explained that Meline had requested to be dropped off approximately half a block from school because she felt embarrassed by the car. He recalled seeing her "shambling" in the direction of the school while rifling through her backpack, but his memory of the exact drop-off location seemed unclear when officers later visited the site.
Search Operations Commence
Law enforcement quickly mobilized to locate the missing teenager. Deputy Joseph first reviewed surveillance footage from a church located about half a mile from Meline's school. The footage captured a young girl matching Meline's description in the early morning hours. She appeared to walk onto the church property, remain there for approximately ten minutes, and then leave. Notably, the footage didn't show her getting into anyone's vehicle.
A K9 search unit was dispatched to the intersection near the school where Meline was allegedly dropped off. The search proved challenging as officers struggled to pick up her trail. The search area was complicated by differing accounts of the exact drop-off location, with Stefan indicating it was "around where these communities were" near an overpass.
Officers also searched a nearby apartment complex for any signs of the missing girl. The lack of surveillance cameras in the area hampered their efforts to trace Meline's movements after she was last seen. The situation became more concerning as investigators noted the possibility that Meline might have intentionally left her phone at home to avoid being tracked.
As night fell, the search intensified with growing concerns about what might have happened to the teenager who had vanished just one day after celebrating her birthday.
Key Evidence in the Investigation
Surveillance Review
Church security footage became a crucial lead in this case. The video captured a young girl matching Meline's description on church property early in the morning after being dropped off. She appeared to sit on the property for approximately 10 minutes before walking away. Deputies noted that the footage, while blurry, didn't show her getting into anyone's vehicle. This evidence contradicted initial assumptions about her movements that morning. The timing and location suggested she may have deliberately chosen to wait there after being dropped off.
Witness Statements
Meline's mother Jennifer SoDo (35) and her boyfriend Stefan Sterns (37) provided initial details to responding officers. Stefan stated he dropped Meline off about half a block from school because "she was embarrassed by the car." He described seeing her "rifling through her backpack" and "shambling" in the direction of the school. When asked to identify the exact drop-off location later, Stefan struggled with precise details, only indicating it was "around where these communities were" near an overpass. The mother mentioned receiving an email notification about Meline's absence from school, which prompted her concern.
Search Coordination Efforts
K-9 units were deployed to track Meline's potential path from the drop-off point. Officers faced significant challenges as the scent trail was difficult to establish in the area. The investigation was complicated by Meline leaving her phone at home that day, eliminating a primary tracking method. Her school laptop's last known connection pinged near downtown Orlando on February 22nd - four days before her disappearance. Police searched a nearby apartment complex but found no additional evidence. The absence of tracking devices made establishing her movements after leaving the church property particularly difficult.
Challenges and Obstacles
The search for Meline SoDo faced immediate complications from the outset. When the initial 911 call was placed to report her missing, there were significant delays in police response. Despite multiple calls emphasizing the urgency of a missing 13-year-old, deputies were reportedly "busy in the area" with other matters. This crucial time lag potentially hampered early investigation efforts during the critical first hours of her disappearance.
The lack of reliable tracking devices created substantial hurdles for investigators. Meline had left her cell phone at home on the day she vanished, eliminating the most common method of locating missing persons. Her school laptop, the only electronic device she carried, hadn't connected to any networks since February 22nd—four days before she went missing—with its last location ping near downtown Orlando.
Conflicting information about the drop-off location further complicated search efforts. Stefan, who had driven Meline that morning, struggled to identify the exact spot where he had left her, only remembering it was "around where these communities were" near an overpass. His uncertain recollection provided searchers with only a vague starting point, forcing them to cover a wider search area.
The surveillance footage obtained from a nearby church offered limited assistance. While it captured images of someone matching Meline's description sitting on church property for approximately ten minutes before walking away, the footage was described as "blurry" and didn't reveal which direction she headed afterward. This fragmented visual evidence created more questions than answers.
K9 search units deployed to track Meline's scent encountered their own set of obstacles. After searching for nearly 15 minutes in the vicinity of the school intersection, the dogs failed to pick up any definitive trail. The handler noted the difficulty of the task, suggesting, "Her scent's probably all over here anyway," indicating how challenging it was to isolate a clear direction of travel.
Several concerning behavioral details emerged that suggested possible premeditation. Meline allegedly didn't want to be dropped off directly at school due to embarrassment about the car. Additionally, investigators noted her decision to leave her phone at home could have been "intentional" to avoid being tracked—a troubling observation that raised questions about whether her disappearance was planned.
Theories and Speculation
Multiple theories have emerged regarding Meline SoDo's disappearance. The surveillance footage showing her sitting at a church property for approximately 10 minutes before walking away suggests she may have deliberately avoided going to school. This behavior, combined with her request to be dropped off half a block from school because she was "embarrassed" by the car, points to potential pre-planning.
The absence of her phone left at home raises significant questions. Law enforcement officers noted this could be intentional to avoid tracking. The only electronic device she carried—her school laptop—hadn't connected to any networks since February 22nd, four days before she vanished.
The timing of the initial reports also presents concerning inconsistencies. Despite multiple 911 calls emphasizing the urgency of a missing child, response was delayed due to officers being "very busy in the area." This unusual circumstance might connect to broader events relevant to the investigation.
Stefan Sterns' inability to precisely recall where he dropped Meline off creates additional complications for investigators. His vague recollections about the drop-off location—"around where these communities were"—hindered the initial search efforts and delayed establishing a clear timeline of events.
The K9 search unit's difficulty in picking up Meline's scent suggests several possibilities:
She may have left the area quickly, possibly in a vehicle
Environmental factors could have compromised the scent trail
She might have taken an unexpected route from the drop-off point
Deputies' review of surveillance footage revealed that after sitting at the church property, Meline's direction of travel remains unknown. This crucial gap in visual evidence complicates efforts to establish her movements after being dropped off.
The Larger Picture
The disappearance of Meline Sodo created an alarming situation that unfolded across multiple locations. Surveillance footage from a nearby church captured images of a young girl matching Meline's description sitting on the property for approximately 10 minutes before walking away. This crucial piece of evidence contradicted initial assumptions about her movements after being dropped off.
Law enforcement faced significant challenges in tracking Meline's whereabouts. Without her cell phone, which had been left at home, authorities attempted to locate her school laptop. Unfortunately, the device had last pinged near downtown Orlando on February 22nd, four days before she went missing.
The search operation encountered several complications:
Delayed response time - Multiple 911 calls were made before deputies arrived
Confusion about the drop-off location - Stefan struggled to identify the exact spot
Limited surveillance coverage - Few cameras in the area captured Meline's movements
Unsuccessful K9 tracking - Search dogs couldn't establish a clear trail
Stefan's account raised questions among investigators. He stated that Meline was "embarrassed" by his car and requested to be dropped off half a block from school. This detail, combined with her apparent intentional abandonment of her phone, suggested possible premeditation rather than an abduction scenario.
The timing of Meline's disappearance coincided with unusual police activity in the area, causing delays in the initial response. When deputies finally arrived at 7:48 PM, they discovered they weren't the only ones searching for a missing child that day, adding another layer of complexity to an already concerning situation.
