Ontario police scour countryside for missing girl
The family of Victoria Stafford and local residents of Woodstock, Ont., attend a candlelight vigil Sunday evening for the girl, 8, who disappeared Wednesday. (CBC) The family of Victoria Stafford and local residents of Woodstock, Ont., attend a candlelight vigil Sunday evening for the girl, 8, who disappeared Wednesday. (CBC)
About 1,000 people, including relatives of Victoria Stafford, attended a candlelight vigil in Woodstock, Ont., on Sunday and prayed for the safe return of the eight-year-old girl, who went missing Wednesday.
The extended Stafford family gathered earlier Sunday night for Easter dinner before attending the vigil, which was held in the parking lot of a local department store at 8 p.m. ET.
Surveillance video showed the Grade 3 student, also known as Tori, walking with an unidentified woman as she left school Wednesday afternoon in the city of 35,000 east of London.
Investigators, who call the woman a "person of interest," are checking dozens of tips from the public about her identity, and are now working with a profiler to try to find out more about her.
"All police have to go on is that grainy surveillance video," the CBC's Christine Birak reported.
"Even the police and Victoria's parents have said it's strange because Victoria is not leaving against her will. It almost seems as if she knows who this woman is."
The woman in the video is described by police as between 19 and 25 years old, between 120 and 125 pounds, with straight long black hair in a ponytail. She was wearing a white coat and black jeans.
Police said they have no reason at this time to suspect foul play, but the search for Victoria has continued around the clock with more than 200 volunteers from the community helping police.
Birak said police are searching everywhere, including lakes and ponds and forests. "They've found nothing that will point to what has happened to Victoria," she said.
An organizer of the vigil, which began 8 p.m. ET in a department store parking lot, has asked for donations of candles and plastic cups.
"I think what's happening with members of the public is an expression of their emotions, their concern for this child. And I think that's good, in terms of the willingness of this community to step up," Mayor Michael Harding told CBC News on Saturday.
"As time goes on, we begin to worry more and more about the whereabouts and the condition of this little girl."
Stafford's parents, Tara McDonald and Rodney Stafford, separated last December. The father, who described the relationship as "an ongoing struggle," insisted that he doesn't believe any of Victoria's relatives are behind her disappearance.
"Nobody can even begin to imagine what our family is going through," Tara McDonald, the missing girl's mother, said at the vigil.
Surrounded by his family at the vigil, Victoria's father thanked the hundreds of people who have helped search for his daughter.
Victoria's mother made a tearful televised appeal Friday and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her daughter's safe return.
Anyone with information can call police at (519) 537-2323 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
With files from The Canadian Press
Victoria Stafford, eight years old, was sighted leaving her Woodstock, Ontario school on Wednesday afternoon with an unknown woman caught on video camera.  She has not been seen since.
Woodstock.
Victoria (Tori) attended grade 3 at Oliver Stephens Public School, and the video is from the College Avenue secondary school as Victoria and the unidentified woman walked along Fyfe Avenue.

"I've had a lot of problems come up in my life and stuff like that, and I haven't always been there for my kids, but this is my baby girl and it's absolutely hurting now," her father Robert Stafford said, "It's killing me, I want to let her know that I love her and I'll see her soon. One way or another I'll see her soon."

Police teams from Oxford, Waterloo and London have assembled together with rescue dogs and trained search and rescue personnel to find the child.

Police have called the search a criminal investigation, but have not yet issued an Amber alert as there has been no report of an abduction.

150 volunteers joined search efforts and to pass out flyers on the 10th. Police say they have no need of more volunteers at this time, however they would appreciate any tips or calls from anyone who may have seen either Victoria or the woman.  

The unidentified woman seen in the video is described as between 19 and 25 years old with straight long black hair. She weighs about 120 to 125 pounds and was wearing a white coat and black jeans in the video. Victoria was wearing a green shirt with a black pleated skirt. She was wearing black and white shoes and carried a purple and pink Bratz purse. She had on a black Hannah Montana jacket which had a white fur lined hood.

"I think what's happening with members of the public is an expression of their emotions, their concern for this child. And I think that's good in terms of the willingness of this community to step up," said  Michael Harding, Mayor of Woodstock.

Volunteers are making and handing out purple ribbons, Tori's favourite colour. A candlelight vigil will be held in the evening on Easter Sunday.