Mother pleads with Tori's abductor to let child go
Police appeal for more help from public
Last Updated: Monday, April 20, 2009 | 1:36 PM ET
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Victoria Stafford, shown in a family photo from July 2008, has been missing since she left her school in Woodstock, Ont., on April 8. (Canadian Press)The mother of Victoria Stafford made another emotional plea on Monday afternoon to whoever has abducted her daughter: let the girl go free.
"If you have my child, please just bring her home," said Tara McDonald. "You cannot imagine how we are feeling and we are missing her so much that it hurts. Look into your soul and find the compassion to please just let her go and let her come home."
A weekend of intensified searching failed to turn up any new leads concerning the abduction of eight-year-old Tori, as she is called by her friends and family. She disappeared April 8 while walking home from school in Woodstock, Ont.
On Sunday police searched Pittock Lake in the north end of the city.
Provincial police divers and a boat using sonar equipment scoured the lake.
In addition to the search of waterways, 35 police officers did another sweep of swamp land and bush just a few kilometres from Tori's public school.
Police have now received more than 1,000 tips from the public.
But Const. Laurie-Anne Maitland said they want more help, especially tips that could identify the woman that Tori is seen walking with in a surveillance video.
"We're confident somebody has information and we're hoping that despite how small it may seem to them — or how insignificant — that they're going to come forward and share it, even if they think we already have it," said Maitland.
Police said the search for Tori Stafford will continue to focus on the city of Woodstock, where most of the evidence is pointing.
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