ALERT: 50-Person Search Team Deployed Next to Disney World

A child in the Walt Disney World Resort area has gone missing and is now considered “endangered”.

While many associate Disney World, and by proxy, Orlando, with theme parks, magic, fun, and vacation, there are instances in which things do not end up as magical as one would imagine. In the Orlando area, Orange County sheriffs are ramping up the search for a young 13-year-old female who went missing on Monday, February 27, 2024.

Madeline Soto was last seen wearing a green jacket, black, shorts, and white Crocs, and now, a team of over 50 people have been deployed to find Madeline now that a missing child alert has been shared. Police describe Soto as a 5 foot 1 inch tall white female who is 110 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and has a mole on the left side of her nose and on the right side of her chin.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Madeline Soto was last seen around the 13500 block of Town Loop Boulevard in Orlando. For reference, this is around a 10-minute drive from Walt Disney World property.

Below, this missing child alert can be found.

Related: Multiple Abandoned Children Reported at the Magic Kingdom

The Orlando Sentinel reported, “The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which maintains a missing persons database, listed Madeline as “endangered”. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also issued a statement, “The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is concerned for Madeline’s safety, and our teams have been working around the clock in this investigation. We will send out any substantive updates as we get them,” the statement said.”

Just one week ago, we shared that an Amber Alert went out to a majority of Walt Disney World guests, including our reporters who were in the theme parks, after a mother reportedly kidnapped her child. As an update to that story, CBS reported that “Hours later, the mother and daughter were found at a mobile home park in Pembroke Pines.”

According to Davie police, Amelia Martinez was picked up by her father, Jacob Howard, from her daycare on Tuesday and then handed over to her mother Arys.

A witness recounted the events: “A SWAT team member was seen carrying a child to a truck parked down the street. Shortly after, they emerged with the woman in handcuffs,” he stated. Howard was also taken into custody and charged with interfering with the custody of a minor. The Davie police further revealed that both of Amelia’s parents had recently lost their parental rights.

Thankfully, if a child is ever lost at Walt Disney World, whether that be Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, either water park, or even your Disney resort, cast members are trained to assist the child in locating their parents. Disney is also covered in cameras, which can pick up on what is happening to nearly any guest in public areas.

If you have any information about Soto, please call the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at (407) 254-7000 or call 911.

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