Victoria Stafford: what we all knew
Sorry people, I have nothing amusing are poignant to say. It is what it is:
The remains found in an isolated, wooded area of southern Ontario on the weekend are those of schoolgirl Victoria Stafford, police confirmed Tuesday.
Forensic scientists in Toronto using dental records "positively identified the remains as those of Victoria Stafford," said Det.-Insp. Bill Renton, who headed the joint OPP-Oxford Community Police task force.
Victoria, also known as Tori, disappeared just after 3 p.m. on April 8, minutes after leaving her elementary school in Woodstock.
The last image of the child was captured on a security camera. It showed her being led away from the school by a woman with dark hair who was wearing a white coat.
For more than a month, police searched for Victoria. That ended in late May when police arrested two people and charged them with first-degree murder.
On Monday, OPP investigators confirmed the discovery of human remains in an area near the small farming community of Mount Forest, about 95 kilometres north of Woodstock.
They couldn't say conclusively the remains were those of Victoria, but hinted strongly that it was the likeliest outcome.
Police said an investigator working on the case acted on some information and checked an area southeast of Mount Forest on Sunday. During the search, police located the body of a child.
Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty are charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder. (CBC)
Forensic testing in Toronto confirmed the findings, identifying Victoria by her dental records.
During Tuesday's news conference in Woodstock, Oxford police Chief Rod Freeman said he hoped "returning Victoria to our community and to her family will bring some sense of relief to Tara McDonald [Victoria's mother] and Rodney Stafford [Victoria's father] and all the family."
Freeman said the next step is "bringing this case to court."
Two Woodstock residents, Michael Rafferty and Terri-Lynne McClintic, are charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder in Victoria's disappearance.
Their trials are expected to begin next year.
posted by John Allore @ 7/21/2009 07:36:00 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
We have been discussing this case in CCF. (Chris's Crime Forum)
So the search for this missing child has come to an end, and two people have been arrested.
This is sad, of course, but at least there is closure. The hardest part is in the not knowing.
Thank you, John, for telling us.
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