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

[victorian]

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 know we have to agree to disagree on this subject, but correct me if I'm wrong...are we simply to ignore any red flag behaviour because she's the mother? Are we not supposed to look at a parent? Is this tabu?
How can any investigation move forward without scrutinizing ALL involved?
No one is feeling hinky about the father. Mind you, he's been straight up and honest from day one.
May I also ask you if you have watched each daily presser? Have you been watching Tara live?

This is where the media has worked against her. Prior to one presser, a reporter was overheard saying are we ready for 'The Tara Show'?
Here is the Globe and Mail with another negative swipe at her:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090416.wblatch16art2236/BNStory/National
She held off tears most of the day, until a television reporter, with one of those questions designed to elicit emotion, was rewarded on her third try with several drops.

[victorian]

I forgot to add. If you can keep an open mind in the face of all that has been presented...I commend you.
I don't know how to react when on live tv she said she's done nothing last week to help find her daughter. But she's on facebook. I find it painful.
Is it a class thing? Maybe so.
I don't want her to be guilty, but I can't help but look at 'anything' odd in the hopes of there being a lead or clue in finding this little girl.

[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?

I know we have to agree to disagree on this subject, but correct me if I'm wrong...are we simply to ignore any red flag behaviour because she's the mother? Are we not supposed to look at a parent? Is this tabu?
How can any investigation move forward without scrutinizing ALL involved? No one is feeling hinky about the father. Mind you, he's been straight up and honest from day one.
May I also ask you if you have watched each daily presser? Have you been watching Tara live?

This is where the media has worked against her. Prior to one presser, a reporter was overheard saying are we ready for 'The Tara Show'?
Here is the Globe and Mail with another negative swipe at her:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090416.wblatch16art2236/BNStory/National
She held off tears most of the day, until a television reporter, with one of those questions designed to elicit emotion, was rewarded on her third try with several drops.

I don't feel you are looking at anyone but the mom, that is what gets me. Who else do you have on your radar? Anyone? Because the person who took Tori is not the same person in that video. They are 2 different people. Tori is missing and all I read is she is wearing a white coat, she is not crying enough, she is not picking up the puppy, she had a press conference, she missed a press conference, she went to a bar, she, she, she....She most likely didn't do this and there needs to be focus elsewhere. Do you rule out the mom? No, no one including the dad is ruled out, you have to look elsewhere as well.
Such as, there has been suggestions posted on what else could have happened, but it is being ignored and the mom is the focus. You know when Sandra was missing from may area for gosh sakes I followed a psychic lead! No stone is left unturned, so far I only see one stone from you and others on facebook. Mean while, the little girl is missing and wants and needs to come home. I wish I could find out who is at that nursing home, names of people that work there, names of volunteers at the school....

Canadian Monkey, thank you for response and the explanation.
I don't think the look like the mom, it looks like her friend though, I thought. IMHO that doesn't mean the mom is involved.

[victorian]

I don't feel you are looking at anyone but the mom, that is what gets me. Who else do you have on your radar? Anyone? Because the person who took Tori is not the same person in that video. They are 2 different people. Tori is missing and all I read is she is wearing a white coat, she is not crying enough, she is not picking up the puppy, she had a press conference, she missed a press conference, she went to a bar, she, she, she....She most likely didn't do this and there needs to be focus elsewhere. Do you rule out the mom? No, no one including the dad is ruled out, you have to look elsewhere as well.
Such as, there has been suggestions posted on what else could have happened, but it is being ignored and the mom is the focus. You know when Sandra was missing from may area for gosh sakes I followed a psychic lead! No stone is left unturned, so far I only see one stone from you and others on facebook. Mean while, the little girl is missing and wants and needs to come home. I wish I could find out who is at that nursing home, names of people that work there, names of volunteers at the school....

Canadian Monkey, thank you for response and the explanation.
I don't think the look like the mom, it looks like her friend though, I thought. IMHO that doesn't mean the mom is involved.

Please don't make the assumption that I am only looking at Tara as a suspect. Om my radar is her best friend Sara, her boyfriend, and her step-brother. Maybe not directly involved but I suspect know something.
I have not ever looked at this abduction from a single dimension. It is your comments concerning Tara that have prompted me to give feedback of her in return.

You still have not answered my question...have you watched any of the pressers over the last 5 weeks?

From day one of the sketch being released, to me it only looks like Sara.

And for what it's worth...I'm not a poster on Facebook.

[victorian]

Because the person who took Tori is not the same person in that video.

What? Can you clarify?

[cookie]

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.

if you think this case is strange and hard to unravel the complex family tree, you must not have been over on the Haleigh Cummings thread!  now that is a cast of characters that is hard to keep up with...we even have a separate thread just to keep all the cast straight!
xxxxxx

[cookie]

The Susan Smith's of the world have ruined it for other parents of missing children imo...how one should act or not act when a child is missing....the public saw a crying mother who had already sent her children into a watery grave but was pleading on tv for her children to be returned to her...Emma Barker's mother, Casey Anthony...too many to mention who have murdered their own children and make up stories....Am not saying  that Tori's mom is involved in her disappearance, just that everyone is needs to be looked at until cleared imo....have no opinion of the mother at all...other than I don't think that she is involved....
Main thing is that Tori is missing and that we all want her home...

[Lovinlife]

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/canada/2009/05/14/9462641.html

Tori's Mom fighting drug demon
By RANDY RICHMOND , SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 14th May 2009, 6:15pm


WOODSTOCK — The mother of a missing eight-year-old girl admitted today she’s fighting an addiction to Oxycontin, facing straight-on the rumours drug use has something to do with her daughter’s abduction.

“If I was still a drug user, then maybe people could throw stones. But I have made the step into going and getting help, so people should look at that as a yeah for me and not a nay for me,” Tara McDonald told The Free Press.

“Instead of putting me down for it, they should be saying at least she has recognized that she’s had a problem and she’s doing something about it.”

McDonald said she was introduced to the drug about four years ago. It eased the pain of struggling as a single mother without a high school diploma, trying to feed and clothe and raise two children mostly on her own.

“It makes everything so happy when you’re not happy, when you are worried and depressed and upset. It masks the problems,” she said.

About two years ago she started going to a methadone clinic in Woodstock, McDonald said.

Doctors prescribed her the opioid methadone, often used to help people get off more harmful painkillers like Oxycontin.

Just more than a year ago she relapsed, McDonald said.

“I said I don’t need it. I can do it on my own. The last year I went back and probably in the last seven eight months I’ve been doing better than ever.”

The rumours of a drug addiction have shadowed McDonald ever since her daughter, Victoria ‘Tori’ Stafford vanished after school April 8.

There’s been talk the abduction is somehow linked to a drug debt or drug deal gone bad, which McDonald denies.

Today, she dealt directly with the talk about addiction.

“There is so much speculation about it and I’m tired of people talking about it like I’m still kind of drug addict.”

Police have investigated her addiction and her effort to battle it, McDonald said.

“I am not going to get into the depths of it, but it has been looked into. The recovery has been looked into and everybody can say I have been doing extremely well.”

If there was ever a time when she’d relapse, it would be after the abduction of her only daughter, McDonald said.

“You would think that this would cause a hard-core relapse, and I have been doing so well.”

McDonald allowed herself a rare laugh in a wide-ranging interview about her struggles.

Before she was addicted, she weighed 300 lbs, she said.

On Oxy, also known as hillbilly heroin, she dropped to 150 lbs.

“If my weight at all (now) doesn’t tell you that I’m doing better, then I don’t know what does,” she said.

At no time did her addiction ever hurt her ability as a mother, McDonald insisted.

“It doesn’t make you any less of a mother because you are struggling with an addiction. It can happen to anybody.”

She dismissed rumours she and her boyfriend ran up thousands of dollars in drug debts, which prompted dealers to kidnap her daughter.

“I have never incurred any debts that way. When I was using drugs I never incurred any debts whatsoever.”

Between one private and police donors, about $60,000 has been put up for reward money, McDonald noted. An anonymous benefactor also promised whatever it took to bring Tori home, she said.

“If it was about money, then that would have been taken care of.”

McDonald spoke in the backyard of her Frances St. home after her daily news conference.

At the news conference, Tori’s father, Rodney Stafford, said he believes there are many people still withholding important information from police.

“I see these people just as responsible for Victoria’s disappearance as the people who have my daughter,” he said.

With all the teachers, parents, children, high school students, bus drivers, passersby and drivers near or at the school where her daughter vanished, someone must have seen something, he said.

“I have addressed everybody out there from Victoria to the general public, the media, everybody,” Stafford said.

“I haven’t had a chance to address anybody out there with any valuable tips who has not come forward. Please, please, I’m asking . . . please get it out there. I want to bring my daughter home.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  GOD BLESS TORI AND HER FAMILY!  Keep them strong during this difficult time!   Lovinlife

[canadianmonkey]

http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1570148

100 officers on Tori case
Posted By Bruce Urquhart, SENTINEL-REVIEW
Updated 2 hours ago
 

Thirty-five days after the abduction of Victoria "Tori" Stafford, the joint OPP-Oxford Community Police Service (OCPS) investigation remains a substantial operation.

And despite the number of officers dedicated to finding the little girl, OCPS Chief Ron Fraser said the investigation would continue until there "is some resolve to this." While the sheer number of officers means that some other investigations have been temporarily suspended, Fraser said the priority remained reuniting Tori with her loved ones.

"This investigation is massive by anybody's standards," Fraser said Thursday. "We have (OPP) officers from all over the province."

At the moment, the investigation involves 20 to 25 OCPS officers and roughly 80 OPP officers, including members of the emergency response team. These officers are supported in the investigation by a seven-member civilian support staff that helps deal with the tremendous amount of information being investigated.

"It takes a lot of resources to continue with this investigation because of the large amount of information that comes in," Fraser said. "We follow up on every piece of information."

Because of the size of the investigation, operations have largely moved from OCPS headquarters to the former Timberjack building on Devonshire Avenue.

---

VICTORIA "TORI" STAFFORD

Tori is four-foot-five inches (134 centimetres) tall and weighs 62 pounds (28 kilograms).

She has blue eyes and blonde hair cut just below her ears.

She was wearing a green shirt, a denim skirt, black and white shoes, and a black Hannah Montana jacket with a white fur-lined hood.

Continued After Advertisement Below

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She may have been carrying a purple and pink Bratz shoulder bag.

Email your comments, story ideas and letters to the editor or visit us online at

www.woodstocksentinelreview.com

[Tracygirl]

I don't feel you are looking at anyone but the mom, that is what gets me. Who else do you have on your radar? Anyone? Because the person who took Tori is not the same person in that video. They are 2 different people. Tori is missing and all I read is she is wearing a white coat, she is not crying enough, she is not picking up the puppy, she had a press conference, she missed a press conference, she went to a bar, she, she, she....She most likely didn't do this and there needs to be focus elsewhere. Do you rule out the mom? No, no one including the dad is ruled out, you have to look elsewhere as well.
Such as, there has been suggestions posted on what else could have happened, but it is being ignored and the mom is the focus. You know when Sandra was missing from may area for gosh sakes I followed a psychic lead! No stone is left unturned, so far I only see one stone from you and others on facebook. Mean while, the little girl is missing and wants and needs to come home. I wish I could find out who is at that nursing home, names of people that work there, names of volunteers at the school....

Canadian Monkey, thank you for response and the explanation.
I don't think the look like the mom, it looks like her friend though, I thought. IMHO that doesn't mean the mom is involved.

Please don't make the assumption that I am only looking at Tara as a suspect. Om my radar is her best friend Sara, her boyfriend, and her step-brother. Maybe not directly involved but I suspect know something.
I have not ever looked at this abduction from a single dimension. It is your comments concerning Tara that have prompted me to give feedback of her in return.

You still have not answered my question...have you watched any of the pressers over the last 5 weeks?

From day one of the sketch being released, to me it only looks like Sara.

And for what it's worth...I'm not a poster on Facebook.

Yes I have watched the pressers via the net. I do not get the feeling the mom did it or from what I can gather, the evidence does not point to her. What is her motive? Money? How does she get the money?  It doesn't connect in my opinion, who knows though and because "who knows" every angle needs to be explored such as the nursing home, the school, any outside activities etc....

The person in the video is not her because it is the wrong dimensions. She is smaller then the mom, you can see that. But doesn't it strike you funny that the person is meant to look like her? It does to me. Deenie made good points in her posts, it seems as though the person is convincing Tori to go with her or reminding her of who she is. I see that through body language. If it was her mother or someone Tori sees everyday or a relative she knows and loves I think there would be a different reaction, This is a strange reaction, in my opinion.

Cookie I agree with you, everyone needs to be looked at, but not at the exclusion of others, in my opinion. Wouldn't you agree, most times then not, a parent is not involved? If the evidence pointed to her then that is one thing, but the reasons people are gossiping about her have little to do with anything.

Now on to this missing little girl and where could she be! In Canada, do they do back round checks on volunteers at a school? One thing that Tara said is, "why didn't anyone notice Tori go off with a stranger and why did the school not do anything about it? Maybe it was not a stranger to the school? Didn't tori and her brother walk home together most days? Where did they meet up? Why was he not there? Did someone hold him up or distract him? There doesn't seem to be a lot of kids around, only Tori and the other student, what time was this at? Is this exit one few people take? Is it her usual way of leaving the school? 

I am done debating the mom for now. If you wish to talk of evidence or leads then I will engage, but in my opinion, this is doing nothing to bring Tori home to her family. I would appreciate it however if someone from Canada can help me to understand some of the rules regarding school policy. Information in Canada is very difficult to get. Is it right you all don't have a sex offender registry?

[canadianmonkey]

I don't feel you are looking at anyone but the mom, that is what gets me. Who else do you have on your radar? Anyone? Because the person who took Tori is not the same person in that video. They are 2 different people. Tori is missing and all I read is she is wearing a white coat, she is not crying enough, she is not picking up the puppy, she had a press conference, she missed a press conference, she went to a bar, she, she, she....She most likely didn't do this and there needs to be focus elsewhere. Do you rule out the mom? No, no one including the dad is ruled out, you have to look elsewhere as well.
Such as, there has been suggestions posted on what else could have happened, but it is being ignored and the mom is the focus. You know when Sandra was missing from may area for gosh sakes I followed a psychic lead! No stone is left unturned, so far I only see one stone from you and others on facebook. Mean while, the little girl is missing and wants and needs to come home. I wish I could find out who is at that nursing home, names of people that work there, names of volunteers at the school....
Canadian Monkey, thank you for response and the explanation.
I don't think the look like the mom, it looks like her friend though, I thought. IMHO that doesn't mean the mom is involved.
[/quote]

Tracygirl, the privacy laws are SO completely different in Canada then in the States.  It's really hard to get information about anyone in a nursing home unless you are actually a member of the family and even then it can be difficult.  I do believe someone posted something about it being Tara's grandfather that was in the nursing home. 

[victorian]

Now on to this missing little girl and where could she be! In Canada, do they do back round checks on volunteers at a school?

 I would appreciate it however if someone from Canada can help me to understand some of the rules regarding school policy. Information in Canada is very difficult to get. Is it right you all don't have a sex offender registry?

Each province is different as each State can be for certain laws.
I can't comment on the Ontario School system until I look up policy.
I do know in my school district a criminal record check is not required for parent volunteers, but is required for staff.

Canadian Sex Offender Registry:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/12/15/sex-offender-registry041215.html

[Lovinlife]

http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1570148

<snip>

At the moment, the investigation involves 20 to 25 OCPS officers and roughly 80 OPP officers, including members of the emergency response team. These officers are supported in the investigation by a seven-member civilian support staff that helps deal with the tremendous amount of information being investigated.

"It takes a lot of resources to continue with this investigation because of the large amount of information that comes in," Fraser said. "We follow up on every piece of information."

<snip>

I'm feeling positive to hear that they are still getting leads and continuing to work diligently on every lead. 

[victorian]

if you think this case is strange and hard to unravel the complex family tree, you must not have been over on the Haleigh Cummings thread!  now that is a cast of characters that is hard to keep up with...we even have a separate thread just to keep all the cast straight!
xxxxxx

No I haven't been over there. 
I should probably wait until I have some spare time. 

[Lovinlife]

Now on to this missing little girl and where could she be! In Canada, do they do back round checks on volunteers at a school?

 I would appreciate it however if someone from Canada can help me to understand some of the rules regarding school policy. Information in Canada is very difficult to get. Is it right you all don't have a sex offender registry?

Each province is different as each State can be for certain laws.
I can't comment on the Ontario School system until I look up policy.
I do know in my school district a criminal record check is not required for parent volunteers, but is required for staff.
Canadian Sex Offender Registry:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/12/15/sex-offender-registry041215.html

My son's school requires all parent volunteers to have FBI fingerprint screening.  This is very important!  I'm not sure if this is a district or State law (we're in OH).  Please fight to get this mandated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lovinlife]

<snip>
Now on to this missing little girl and where could she be! In Canada, do they do back round checks on volunteers at a school? One thing that Tara said is, "why didn't anyone notice Tori go off with a stranger and why did the school not do anything about it? Maybe it was not a stranger to the school? Didn't tori and her brother walk home together most days? Where did they meet up? Why was he not there? Did someone hold him up or distract him? There doesn't seem to be a lot of kids around, only Tori and the other student, what time was this at? Is this exit one few people take? Is it her usual way of leaving the school? 

<snip>

IIRC, her brother went to a friend's house after school and that is why Tori was not with him.

[canadianmonkey]

Now on to this missing little girl and where could she be! In Canada, do they do back round checks on volunteers at a school?

 I would appreciate it however if someone from Canada can help me to understand some of the rules regarding school policy. Information in Canada is very difficult to get. Is it right you all don't have a sex offender registry?

Each province is different as each State can be for certain laws.
I can't comment on the Ontario School system until I look up policy.
I do know in my school district a criminal record check is not required for parent volunteers, but is required for staff.

Canadian Sex Offender Registry:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/12/15/sex-offender-registry041215.html

victorian and tracygirl...I'm in Ontario and both my husband and I have volunteered at the school for various things and no crimal record check is required.  I'm sure if they were volunteering for a lunch supervisor or library assistant or something similar then one would be required but I'm not sure. 

I know that just dropping my kids off at the school, some of the other kids recognize me and have no issues walking with me and talking...I don't live in as small of a town as Woodstock so I can see how it could happen.

[Tracygirl]

Thank you for your responses. Yes it was her grandfather at the nursing home, that is what hit me one day, that and it being so close to the school. I wish we could get a list of people who work at the nursing home, this maybe a start. It is common for sex offenders or molesters to employ themselves at these places from what I have unfortunatly learned, yuck!

Yes, schools need to do backround checks on everyone that comes into contact with children, including all volunteers and people conducting assemblies. Can you believe in my area, the pedo capital of the USA right now, the schools are fighting me on this? Crazy! I will win....These people are no longer strangers to our kids, I fear it may confuse some kids and may fall prey to them.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/12/15/sex-offender-registry041215.html

Sex offender registry now in effect
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 | 9:32 PM ET
CBC News
A national sex offender registry came into existence Wednesday, but past offenders who have already finished serving sentences won't be listed on it unless they commit new crimes.
INDEPTH: Sex offender registry

The $2-million project has been in the works since February 2002. That's when the federal government gave in to years of lobbying and agreed to establish a registry that would require sex offenders being released from jail to let police know their whereabouts.





They will be charged if they don't do so, or if they fail to update the information if they move.

Those convicted of serious sex crimes might have to continue updating police about where they're living for the rest of their lives.


FROM MAY 14, 2003: Ontario calls for national sex offender registry

The law creating the registry received royal assent on April 1 of this year.

Ontario already has a similar registry for sex offenders released within its borders, but has no jurisdiction to monitor people if they move to another province.

In Alberta, information about some high-risk offenders appears on a government website that any member of the public can read.

Police database will contain detailed information

The national registry starts out empty. Offenders will be added as court officials from the provinces determine who should be on the list from among the population of prisoners being released or finishing conditional sentences in the community.

The information will be available to police forces nationwide through the Canadian Police Information Centre database, and will include fingerprints and physical descriptions, as well as photographs in some cases.

In cases where they feel the community is at risk from a certain person, individual police forces can decide to issue a public warning.

Some skepticism over registry's effectiveness

Police and victims of sexual assault have long been calling for such a registry, but some critics are already questioning how effective it will be.

To stave off constitutional challenges, Ottawa decided to allow offenders to challenge their inclusion on the registry.

Ontario's three-year-old list of more than 6,000 offenders is now being challenged through the courts because it is a mandatory one, with no appeal avenues for people who object to letting police know where they are.


FROM JULY 1, 2004: Ontario judge rules province's sex offender registry is unconstitutional

As well, the rules for including someone on the list could vary across the country.

Justice officials within each province will decide which offences are sexual in nature, and come up with a system to let the thousands of convicted sex offenders now in the prison system know about their obligation to register.

Judges will hear challenges and could decide to take people off the list based on different criteria established in each province.

Finally, the federal government decided not to include people who have finished serving their sentences because of fears the law could be challenged on privacy grounds.

Still, Ottawa expects the registry to include several thousand names within a year.

(none)

[Tracygirl]

Her brother had plans to visit a friend? Hmmm, I wonder who knew that and if this was common place?

[Lovinlife]

Tracygirl~I know that SO issues have touched your community deeply, prayers to all of Tracy, CA that they may continue to heal and fix what is broken to avoid another tragedy like the Cantu case.  The bureaucracy is difficult to overcome but people are standing up and our voices will be heard.  Lovinlife

P.S. I left you a message in Billy's thread.