8 Year Old Victoria “Tori” Stafford Missing Since 4/8/09 in Ontario, Canada

[Tracygirl]

All I can say is if my child was missing the last thing on my mind would be my dog. No offence to the animal lovers out there.

Snipped from the above article

Although many of McDonald's family members have called the clinic demanding that they be allowed to pick up the dog, Qureshi said they're legally bound to release the dog only to its owner

Just let the dog go to the family members? Sheesh give the lady a break!

[victorian]

All I can say is if my child was missing the last thing on my mind would be my dog. No offence to the animal lovers out there.

Snipped from the above article

Although many of McDonald's family members have called the clinic demanding that they be allowed to pick up the dog, Qureshi said they're legally bound to release the dog only to its owner

Just let the dog go to the family members? Sheesh give the lady a break!

This is more about Tara's character, not just about the dog. Also the point being that Tara said the dog was 'missing'. It was quite by accident that the public found out the truth.
Daryn has been missing the dog which coincidentally disappeared a day or so after Tori disappeared.
So I have an issue with mom 'fibbing' to her son about the family pet's whereabouts.
It was a topic avoided at today's presser as well. It's just plain wrong any way I look at it.
Heck, people have been donating money, if she said something early on she would have been helped out by the community.
I'm not trying to damn the woman, but I really think she suffers from some personality disorder(s)

[cookie]

why doesn't she just go pick up her family dog? the son wants the dog, and if it gives him some comfort...go get the darn dog! If she doesn't want the dog anymore, then let it be adopted out...but to just let it remain in the vet, racking up more bills, keeping it away from the son, let alone the dog's misery from being in a strange place, away from his family..... go get the dog! jmo....
I know that is not a priority right now with her daughter missing....but her son wants the dog! Most pets are like members of the family...and yes, why lie about the dog's whereabouts especially to her son who obviously loves the dog, is already grieving and missing his sister?

[pink angel]

Mom writes love letter to missing daughter Tori
Wed, May 13, 2009
Tara McDonald said Mother's Day was emotionally devastating for her
   
By RANDY RICHMOND, LONDON FREE PRESS

WOODSTOCK -- Her missing daughter's reminder to "love your enimese (sic)" prompted Tara McDonald to vow she'll try to do just that to bring the little girl back.

Despite an emotional Mother's Day letter she wrote to her daughter, Victoria (Tori) Stafford, promising to put aside anger, an emotional McDonald said yesterday she doubts she could ever forgive Tori's captors.

"I'm not sure about that," she said in a halting voice. "I'd like to but, I mean, they've caused such pain."

McDonald and Tori's father, Rodney Stafford, were both at a daily news conference yesterday -- one day after McDonald suddenly canceled her appearance.

"I just didn't have the strength to come out here," McDonald said of her no-show Monday. "Mother's Day was really, really tough."

She dismissed rumours of Tori being seen in Alberta, where the homes of her brother and her brother's mother were searched last week.

"Those are my nieces, those are his (her brother's) children that are being sighted. They are Victoria's cousins so maybe there is a little bit of similarity," McDonald said.

One of her nieces is eight and one is 10.

"Somebody could very well mistake my youngest niece for Victoria," she said. "I think it is just people grasping at straws."

In the absence of any news again about her missing daughter, much of yesterday's conference focused on the letter McDonald wrote to Tori on Mother's Day and read aloud to reporters yesterday.

"I have never felt so empty and so helpless as I did that day," she wrote to her daughter.

"Not hearing your sweet little voice saying "Happy Mother's Day" absolutely broke my heart in a trillion pieces."

McDonald held up a small heart-shaped piece of paper on which Tori had written "Love your Enimese," days before being taken.

"I am trying very hard to do what you learned at Sunday school shortly before you were taken from me," McDonald said, reading from her letter.

"You taught (us) that we need to love our enemies. So I have given up on trying to figure out why this awful person or persons have done this to our family."

Instead, McDonald promised, she would take the "negativity, the anger, the pain" to fuel her determination to get Tori back.

"I am going to love my enemies and while I am praying for you and your safe return I am going to pray for whoever it is who has my princess will find the compassion within their own hearts to do the right thing."

McDonald said she decided to share the letter with the media so Tori's captors understand how deeply they have hurt the family.

"Just let her go."

Tori went missing April 8 after dismissal from Oliver Stephens public school. She was seen on a video surveillance tape with a woman walking north away from the school on Fyfe Avenue.

McDonald has been criticized on Facebook pages created since the abduction for not showing emotion at those conferences.

Yesterday, her voice was thick with sobs as she read the letter.

"One of the many things that keeps me strong and keeps me fighting is the thought of holding you in my arms and smelling your hair, stroking your little ears and hearing your sweet little voice saying 'I love you momma and I missed you,' " she read.

"Victoria, I need you home so badly and I will stop at nothing until you are here and that's a promise. You are a very (big) part of me and you have to know that I cannot live without you."

Randy Richmond is a Free Press reporter.

There is video at the link of her reading the letter. To the side is also a great archive of all the videos about this story. There is 30 of them.

http://is.gd/zuiZ

[Tracygirl]

All I can say is if my child was missing the last thing on my mind would be my dog. No offence to the animal lovers out there.

Snipped from the above article

Although many of McDonald's family members have called the clinic demanding that they be allowed to pick up the dog, Qureshi said they're legally bound to release the dog only to its owner

Just let the dog go to the family members? Sheesh give the lady a break!

This is more about Tara's character, not just about the dog. Also the point being that Tara said the dog was 'missing'. It was quite by accident that the public found out the truth.
Daryn has been missing the dog which coincidentally disappeared a day or so after Tori disappeared.
So I have an issue with mom 'fibbing' to her son about the family pet's whereabouts.
It was a topic avoided at today's presser as well. It's just plain wrong any way I look at it.
Heck, people have been donating money, if she said something early on she would have been helped out by the community.
I'm not trying to damn the woman, but I really think she suffers from some personality disorder(s)

This speaks of her charachter as well....

Snipped from Angel's article

In the absence of any news again about her missing daughter, much of yesterday's conference focused on the letter McDonald wrote to Tori on Mother's Day and read aloud to reporters yesterday.

"I have never felt so empty and so helpless as I did that day," she wrote to her daughter.

"Not hearing your sweet little voice saying "Happy Mother's Day" absolutely broke my heart in a trillion pieces."

You know if you have ever lost someone close to you then you know you are not thinking like everyone else. To be honest with you, she may not be thinking of her other child right now and I think that is understandable. I lost someone very close to me once, broke my heart, I could not function enough to open a can of soup for my son who was sick. Did that go to my character? No, it meant I was terribly upset and others needed to hold me up and help me.

I don't mean to argue, we all have our own opinions but I don't see how bashing a mother who's daughter has been kidnapped is doing any good. Maybe as mothers and fathers we should all read the book that tells us just how to act in the event our children go missing so the public supports us rather then judges our every move. So far there is no evidence that links this mother to the kidnapping and when and if there is I choose to support her with understanding and compassion.

How can we find out what the police have investigated so far. In Canada is there anyway to find out?

[victorian]

All I can say is if my child was missing the last thing on my mind would be my dog. No offence to the animal lovers out there.

Snipped from the above article

Although many of McDonald's family members have called the clinic demanding that they be allowed to pick up the dog, Qureshi said they're legally bound to release the dog only to its owner

Just let the dog go to the family members? Sheesh give the lady a break!

This is more about Tara's character, not just about the dog. Also the point being that Tara said the dog was 'missing'. It was quite by accident that the public found out the truth.
Daryn has been missing the dog which coincidentally disappeared a day or so after Tori disappeared.
So I have an issue with mom 'fibbing' to her son about the family pet's whereabouts.
It was a topic avoided at today's presser as well. It's just plain wrong any way I look at it.
Heck, people have been donating money, if she said something early on she would have been helped out by the community.
I'm not trying to damn the woman, but I really think she suffers from some personality disorder(s)

This speaks of her charachter as well....

Snipped from Angel's article

In the absence of any news again about her missing daughter, much of yesterday's conference focused on the letter McDonald wrote to Tori on Mother's Day and read aloud to reporters yesterday.

"I have never felt so empty and so helpless as I did that day," she wrote to her daughter.

"Not hearing your sweet little voice saying "Happy Mother's Day" absolutely broke my heart in a trillion pieces."

You know if you have ever lost someone close to you then you know you are not thinking like everyone else. To be honest with you, she may not be thinking of her other child right now and I think that is understandable. I lost someone very close to me once, broke my heart, I could not function enough to open a can of soup for my son who was sick. Did that go to my character? No, it meant I was terribly upset and others needed to hold me up and help me.

I don't mean to argue, we all have our own opinions but I don't see how bashing a mother who's daughter has been kidnapped is doing any good. Maybe as mothers and fathers we should all read the book that tells us just how to act in the event our children go missing so the public supports us rather then judges our every move. So far there is no evidence that links this mother to the kidnapping and when and if there is I choose to support her with understanding and compassion.

How can we find out what the police have investigated so far. In Canada is there anyway to find out?

I guess I'm a hardnose sometimes. A quote from a letter is not enough to sway me after watching Tara's daily pressers from day one.
I don't think I have been bashing her, but I have an odd feeling around this case. Something I can't put my finger on.
I do understand grief affects people differently, but does that include lying? Maybe going to the bar every Saturday night is her way of coping during this. None of us know do we?
In her defense, I would say her visible lack of emotion during pressers may be due to the methadone treatments she receives. That is a common side effect.
I don't want to believe she has any part in her daughter's disappearance, and if she doesn't unfortunately the damage has been done in the media.
How did we get from a missing child case to 90% of the followers thinking she's guilty?
How and why did this happen? Is this common in missing children cases?

[victorian]

How can we find out what the police have investigated so far. In Canada is there anyway to find out?

The police have been very tight lipped. There has not been a presser for over 5 days I believe.

[Edward]

We have seen this all many times before..
Spain
Portugal
Aruba
Escandido
New york
Florida

Same old story from detectives.. Notta
Time has passed and LE has lost the edge..
That little girl is so far outisde of Canada by now... Could be almost anywhere..
Saudi Arbia
Cambodia
South America

Terrible situation.. This was very professional.. LE acts like they are looking for the kreepy man who lives down the street.
NOT!
jmho

[Tracygirl]

How can we find out what the police have investigated so far. In Canada is there anyway to find out?

The police have been very tight lipped. There has not been a presser for over 5 days I believe.

I think there is a lot of rumors going around about this woman. I stand by what I first say, until there is evidence linking her to this kidnapping, I am going to do what I do, support the parent of the missing child. She can drink everyday, use drugs, swear, lie cheat, sleep with every man in town, and kick the family dog, that doesn't mean her child should be kidnapped and she be put through living hell. JMHO. If everyone thinks she is guilty, fine, but where is the proof? There is none that I can see. No one has to be friends with her, just give her a break and stop putting her under a microscope, again just my humble opinion. We are going to have to agree to disagree. And btw, lets pretend of a moment she is involved? I will be on the bandwagon of making sure she gets put in jail.

In the Sandra Cantu case people started going after the mom, they did the best thing, appointed a spokes person. Maybe that should be the first chapter in the book, "how to act if your child is kidnapped" !

To bad about the police being tight lipped. Sometimes it works against an investigation I think.

Edward I am beginning to believe you are right, although I pray you are not.

[victorian]

Media Interest Fades in Stafford Case

Written by Adam J. Nyp
http://www.1047.ca/news.php

It looks like the end of the 1 o'clock news conferences in front of Tara McDonald's house.

The mother of missing 8-year-old Tori Stafford was not home today when just three reporters showed up for the daily interview.

The reporters were from Heart FM, Rogers TV and Woodstock-Sentinel-Review. It signifies the first time since the day the story broke where only local media were covering the story of the missing girl.

Since Tori went missing, McDonald has been holding daily news conferences infront of her home to keep the story in the spotlight.

However, local reporters showed up with no subject to interview today.

Neither Tara McDonald nor Rodney Stafford was present.

Police say they have no new information to provide on the case.

[victorian]

How can we find out what the police have investigated so far. In Canada is there anyway to find out?

The police have been very tight lipped. There has not been a presser for over 5 days I believe.

I think there is a lot of rumors going around about this woman. I stand by what I first say, until there is evidence linking her to this kidnapping, I am going to do what I do, support the parent of the missing child. She can drink everyday, use drugs, swear, lie cheat, sleep with every man in town, and kick the family dog, that doesn't mean her child should be kidnapped and she be put through living hell. JMHO. If everyone thinks she is guilty, fine, but where is the proof? There is none that I can see. No one has to be friends with her, just give her a break and stop putting her under a microscope, again just my humble opinion. We are going to have to agree to disagree. And btw, lets pretend of a moment she is involved? I will be on the bandwagon of making sure she gets put in jail.

In the Sandra Cantu case people started going after the mom, they did the best thing, appointed a spokes person. Maybe that should be the first chapter in the book, "how to act if your child is kidnapped" !

To bad about the police being tight lipped. Sometimes it works against an investigation I think.

Edward I am beginning to believe you are right, although I pray you are not.

It's very unfortunate the amount of rumours. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I think what happens in situations like this is people's lifestyle choices are what put them under the microscope. I'm not saying that's right or fair, but humans are judgmental creatures.

I would never entertain for a moment that her lifestyle caused or deserved her child to be abducted. Far from it. But I do wonder if LE didn't take it seriously enough based on the family history. Especially her boyfriend having a criminal record.

I do think you're right about getting a spokesperson. I believe this is where much of the damage was done.

I also think the biggest error in this case was right from the start not sending an Amber Alert out.

[Lovinlife]

Sorry to hear that interest in this case is waning.  What about the car?  What about the big reward offered by the mystery person?  I have a bad, bad feeling about this one.

GOD BLESS TORI & THOSE THAT LOVE HER!!!!!

[victorian]

Sorry to hear that interest in this case is waning.  What about the car?  What about the big reward offered by the mystery person?  I have a bad, bad feeling about this one.

GOD BLESS TORI & THOSE THAT LOVE HER!!!!!

Well the media certainly has grown weary and critical. I will try and find a Globe&Mail article which references Tara' inability to shed a tear.

Here's today's explanation for the no-shows at yesterday's presser:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/05/14/9452961-sun.html
It's very unfortunate that Tara didn't forewarn Rodney or the media. This won't bode well for her.

As for the reward? The mysterious limo ride? Police said it didn't 'cause them concern'. 

It has to also be one of the strangest cases I can recall. I don't think anyone seriously following it has been able to unravel their complex family tree either. 

I too have a bad feeling about it all and it weights heavy on my mind everyday she's missing.

[canadianmonkey]

I wonder if interest in the case is waning because the general feel is that Tara is somehow involved in Tori's disappearance and people are just plain tired of trying to figure out what's going on.  They need to focus on the fact that Tori is still missing, not that the dog is at the vets, or Tara's emotional state.  Another 8 year old girl has gone missing in Edmonton, Alberta yesterday.  Hopefully she will be found soon. 


 http://www.canada.com/Police+looking+missing+girl+Edmonton/1595655/story.html


 

[Edward]

EDMONTON - An eight-year-old girl who went missing after school was found shortly before midnight Wednesday night at a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Police arrived after a worker at the store notified them that Katawnie Bieganek, who had been missing since 4 p.m., was there.

The girl appeared to be uninjured, police said. They are still determining what happened to the girl over the last few hours.

[Edward]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Eight+year+girl+missing/1593679/story.html

[canadianmonkey]

Thank you Edward.  I'm still new to this.  I guess i should have looked into it a little further.  Sorry.

[Edward]

Nothing to be sorry about had you not reported it I would not have gone looking for more information..

All is good 2 missing children found and one 3 year old child who saved herself from an attacker in California..

This is a good day.
I hope we see Tori found today too.

[Tracygirl]

I wonder if interest in the case is waning because the general feel is that Tara is somehow involved in Tori's disappearance and people are just plain tired of trying to figure out what's going on.  They need to focus on the fact that Tori is still missing, not that the dog is at the vets, or Tara's emotional state.  Another 8 year old girl has gone missing in Edmonton, Alberta yesterday.  Hopefully she will be found soon. 


 http://www.canada.com/Police+looking+missing+girl+Edmonton/1595655/story.html


 

Yes! This is true. Tori is still missing. Everyone needs to realize, the mom is never going to act the way people want her to.  I just don't get it to be honest with you. No matter what she does or doesn't do, it is getting thrown at her and good. Is this a class thing?

[canadianmonkey]

I wonder if interest in the case is waning because the general feel is that Tara is somehow involved in Tori's disappearance and people are just plain tired of trying to figure out what's going on.  They need to focus on the fact that Tori is still missing, not that the dog is at the vets, or Tara's emotional state.  Another 8 year old girl has gone missing in Edmonton, Alberta yesterday.  Hopefully she will be found soon. 


 http://www.canada.com/Police+looking+missing+girl+Edmonton/1595655/story.html


 

Yes! This is true. Tori is still missing. Everyone needs to realize, the mom is never going to act the way people want her to.  I just don't get it to be honest with you. No matter what she does or doesn't do, it is getting thrown at her and good. Is this a class thing?

I'm baffled myself.  Everyone was very supportive until the sketch came out.  Then things started to turn.  I know on Facebook they are brutal to her.  I think Victorian was right.  A spokesperson would have been best.  I think there is some "mob mentality" happening...meaning that once one person says something then everyone just jumps on the band wagon, with the ability to post on Facebook it's easy to fall in with everyone else's opinion.  I would certainly hope it's not a class thing but it could be.