Creepy footage shows Madeline Soto prime suspect Stephan Sterns hover in the back of mom's interview just days before he was arrested when Florida teenager's body was found in woods

Footage of 13-year-old Madeline Soto's murder suspect shows him lingering in the background of an interview with her mother shortly before his arrest last week.

Stephan Sterns, Jenn Soto's boyfriend, was the last person to have seen the middle-schooler alive before she disappeared last week, not having shown up for school that day.

The teen's body was found on Friday in Osceola County, Florida in woods off of Hickory Tree Road about four days after she was first reported missing.

Sterns, who was arrested Wednesday, was not granted bond during an initial hearing.

Ahead of his arrest, however, Sterns, 37, is shown oddly hovering in the background of a video interview his girlfriend - Madeline's mom - was giving.

As she speaks about her missing child, he wanders in-and-out of frame, before taking a seat in the background. 

Stephan Sterns, 37, the primary suspect in Madeline Soto's killing, is seen hovering behind her mother in an interview following her disappearance last week

In the wake of his arrest, footage also emerged of Sterns giving a tearful interview with local news just a day after Madeline went missing,

Madeline was reported missing last Monday night in Orlando, Florida, after initial reports said she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. 

However, cops have since said she may have already been dead during her final sighting.

Sterns, who has been identified as the prime suspect in her murder, was arrested on child porn charges and sexual battery after police recovered photos and videos on his phone which were described as 'disturbing'. 

He has not been charged in connection with the girl's murder. Video has emerged of an interview Sterns gave to Orlando’s WFTV 9 on Tuesday.

'I dropped her off [at school] early, I could have waited longer,' he said tearfully. 

'She looked okay she was walking towards the school. I went on with my day. We don’t know where she could be, and we’re scared. I just want her home.'

He added: 'It just keeps coming in waves, reality keeps hitting. We don’t know where she is, we don’t know if she’s safe. It’s a living nightmare. I just wanna wake up.' 

Deputies say they believe Madeline was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning, and was dead before then.

They said Sterns allegedly moved her body in the morning hours of Monday after killing her in Kissimmee.

On Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office held a press conference in which that stated that they were 'confident' the girl was dead.

Sheriff John Mina broke the 'devastating news' to Madeline's mother Jenn on Thursday night.

'We believe he moved her body in those early morning hours, and all that is still under investigation,' Sheriff Mina explained.

Jennifer Soto (left) - Madeline's mother - is pictured next to her 13-year-old daughter

Stephan Sterns, 37, the suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, has not appeared for his first appearance in court as footage has emerged of him saying 'it's hard not to blame myself'

Madeline Soto, 13, was reported missing last Monday night in Orlando, Florida after she was last seen that morning near Town Loop Boulevard and Hunter's Park Lane. She is pictured celebrating her milestone 13th birthday last Sunday

Police found the teenager's body a short distance away from where she lived

Video evidence shows Stephan Sterns discarding items that included Madeline's backpack and school laptop in a dumpster at the family's Kissimmee apartment complex at 7:35am. on Monday, February 26

Police say they believe the teenager was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning having been killed hours earlier in Kissimmee.

After Sterns' arrest last week, investigators said they discovered 'disturbing images' when they looked through his phone, along with proof that he attempted to delete evidence of the related material.

Following his arrest, Sterns invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak during his interview. Investigators said he was also the last person to see the girl. He did not appear in person during his initial court appearance.

Last Friday morning, Sterns was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County.