- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 4
-
Sparkle (0)
Wednesday, April 8 was a fairly normal day. People in Woodstock, Ontario got up, sent their kids to school, and went about their business much the same way they did the day before. That evening the town was turned on its head as it started searching for eight-year-old Victoria "Tori" Stafford, who did not come from school that day. Video surveillance cameras outside the school captured her talking to and leaving with a woman in a puffy white jacket. She hasn't been seen since.
The police did not issue an Amber Alert on Wednesday. She was missing, not taken. At first I understood that (mostly)...until the video came out of Tori walking away with an unknown woman. There was still no Amber Alert I'm trying really hard to understand, but I can't. I do realize that the police are not giving us all the facts and I respect that. They have their reasons and I do believe that it's best that the public not have access to all the information that the police have. I know they are working on following up tips and that they called off the ground search because they believe she's alive and out there. Somewhere. What I'm trying so, so hard to understand and utterly failing is why when a eight year old girl is shown walking away from her school with an unidentified woman and her family doesn't know where she is - why is that girl "missing" and not "abducted"? Intellectually I realize there is, in all probability, a different legal definition. My brain can see that, my heart cannot.
These bloggers are struggling with it as well.
What's a Girl Gotta Do doesn't understand why we must distinguish the ways that children go missing before issuing an Amber Alert.
I have been following the story of Victoria Stafford quite closely and I am so confused and upset with the fact that an Amber Alert was not made as soon as she was reported missing. When dealing with young children I don't think it's right to separate the cases into "missing person" and "abduction." In today's day and age if a child is missing and her parents can't find her she is most likely in danger and an Amber Alert should be issued. I don't think ANYONE would be upset if an Amber Alert was made and it was a "false alarm." I understand that the Woodstock police didn't have enough information about the possible abductor, but again I don't think any one person would have a problem with an Amber Alert being sent out with a description of the child and advising people to be on alert and watch for suspicious behaviour.
Hazel needs an explanation for why abduction are only "forceful".
“Because”, explain our fearless leaders in blue…
“Video surveillance showed the Grade 3 student leaving her school “willingly” with an as-yet-unidentified woman. “An abduction says that it’s taken by force. We have her willingly walking away,” police Const. Laurie-Anne Maitland.
Firstly “it” is a little girl. Secondly an abduction can occur through deception and or coercion and not simply through brute force.
Hazel goes on to present a scenario where a child is taken through coercion. In school we were taught about strangers. We were taught that we shouldn't go with people even though they were really nice and promised us puppies or candy. We were taught that even though we might know the person we still shouldn't go with them. We were not taught that if the person didn't physically grab us that we were not being abducted. It doesn't make a child any less gone.
People throughout Canada, and particularly those close to Woodstock, are holding the children in their lives a little bit closer this week.
Breeze Daze is more fearful.
Today I went to Woodstock to do some shopping. I took my children with me and while I don't live my life in fear there is something that makes you stand up and take notice when your three year old disappears from sight suddenly in a store covered in the posters of a missing child. Your heart skips a beat, your thoughts go to that unthinkable "what if?" and you pick her up and carry her, holding her close, unable to be angry in the gratitude you feel that she's with you when another mother cannot hold her baby close.
Written Inc. is left wondering "what if".
I'm left wondering why not even a
