A sheriff is scheduled to appear in court after he “accidentally” shared a photo of 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s dead body in a carousel on Instagram.
Madeline Soto’s body was discovered in a wooded area of rural Osceola County, Florida on March 1 by Osceola County sheriff’s search teams.
The teen had been missing for a few days before her body was found. Soto’s mother’s boyfriend Stephen Sterns has now been arrested and charged with her murder.
However, on March 2, a day after her body was discovered, Osceola County Sheriff Marcoz Lopez posted a photo of Soto’s corpse on his personal Instagram account. The crime scene photograph reportedly showed a body wearing a green top and blue jeans lying beneath a mound of brush.
Lopez “accidentally” included the image in a photo carousel, which was intended to show his attendance at a community event for seniors — prompting uproar online. The photo of Soto’s body was reportedly taken down 10 minutes after it was originally posted.
Two days later, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office issued an apology for Lopez’s actions.
“On March 2, 2024, a post was made on social media about a community event for seniors,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel.
“In the post, an investigative photo was accidentally included. The photo was immediately removed.
“We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may have caused.”
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office added: “As with any investigation, the information obtained is confidential and any mistaken disclosures will be immediately rectified.”
It is illegal to release photos or videos of “the killing of a minor,” under Florida law and anyone who “willfully and knowingly” does so would be accused of a third-degree felony. This includes releasing photos of a dead body, without the family’s permission.
However, since it appears that Lopez posted it by accident, prosecutors are accusing him of violating the following public records laws.
According to FOX 35, Lopez has now received a civil summons claiming that he violated Florida public records laws when he posted the photo of Soto on his social media.
According to court records, Lopez is scheduled to appear in court for a “non-criminal hearing” on December 20. He faces a $500 fine for violating public records laws.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident and the sheriff’s office said Lopez will cooperate with the investigation.
Once that investigation is complete, it will determined if Lopez should be added to the “Brady list” — a public-facing database of information about police misconduct, public complaints, and use-of-force reports.