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Victoria Stafford Abduction: 'America's Most Wanted' On the Case
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by Tina Kells | April 17, 2009 at 12:23 pm
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The Victoria Stafford case has been upgraded from a missing person alert to a child abduction and after 9 days it has garnered the attention of America's Most Wanted. The upgraded status means that Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will now take over jurisdiction from local law enforcement, and America's Most Wanted is featuring video footage of Victoria and her unknown female abductor on it's website.
See the America's Most Wanted web page dedicated to little Victoria Stafford.
8-year old Victoria Stafford went missing on April 8, 2009 and was caught on video in the company of a still unidentified woman. Described as in her 20's with long black hair the woman last seen with the missing little girl remains the target of an intense manhunt. Victoria appeared to be willingly walking with the woman which led local police to initially treat the case as a missing person.
The America's Most Wanted website will feature photos of Victoria Stafford and enhanced video footage of the unknown woman. Reports remain conflicted about who the woman might be but there has been suggestion that she may be known to Victoria's father. Other reports have the family stating they do not know the woman in question.
After Victoria's status was upgraded to an abduction her mother, Tara McDonald, spoke with press expressing both relief and frustration that it had taken 9 days to involve the OPP. She also rebuffed accusations that her daughter had been taken as a hostage to encourage the settlement of a drug debt.
The Victoria Stafford case remains open. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Victoria Stafford or the identity of the young woman last seen in her company you are asked to call 9-1-1, Ontario police at 
(519) 537-2323
or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 
1-800-222-TIPS.
The girl, known as Tori to friends and family, went missing after leaving school on April 8.
"America's Most Wanted" is running Tori's case on its website and Brown says it's possible it could be profiled on the TV show itself.
Spokesman Robert Brown says missing-children cases are heartbreaking and the show wants to help out whenever it can, but adds he does not know if the website profile had sparked any tips.
Oxford Community Police Chief Ron Fraser told a news conference this morning OPP Det. Insp. Bill Renton would become case manager, coordinating efforts of local and provincial police in the investigation.
Renton said the case, which until now was considered a missing person, was now officially an abduction.
Victoria, who is known to friends and family as Tori, disappeared on April 8 after leaving Oliver Stephens Public School, where she is a Grade 3 student.
She was last seen on surveillance video walking away from the school with an as-yet unidentified woman.
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Tina Kells
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at 09:57 on June 1st, 2009
This is strange but when i think of this sad sad horrible story i get this picture in my mind of a grey wood bin?? back alley homemade garbage container? like shes under/in somthing? im not psychic.... i just felt bad and was thinking how could someone do this and that is the strangest thought/vision that came to me.