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Florida police arrest boyfriend of missing teen’s mom on unrelated charges
Stephan Sterns, 37, has been named a "prime suspect" in the investigation into the disappearance of his girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter, Madeline Soto, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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A Florida mother who was reported missing last week was found trapped inside a shipping container on Thursday, police said.
Marlene Lopez, 52, was last seen Monday at her home on Lucerne Drive, according to a press release from the Cocoa Police Department. A co-worker, concerned about her well-being, called police after Lopez failed to pick up her son.
Marlene Lopez was reported missing on Wednesday. (Cocoa Police Department)
Detectives investigated “known locations,” interviewed family members and issued a missing-person bulletin.
During the investigation, detectives were notified that the woman had been found trapped in a shipping container next to a business at 2005 N. Cocoa Blvd.
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Lopez had been banging on the shipping container door when someone heard her and unlocked the door.
She said she did not know how she ended up in the container. The circumstances are under investigation.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the Cocoa Police Department at 321-639-7620.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.