Skip to main content

Rodney Stafford, father of slain eight-year-old Woodstock girl Victoria Stafford, reads his victim impact statement to the media following Michael Rafferty's sentencing hearing in London Ontario, Tuesday, May 15, 2012.Geoff Robins/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Below is the victim impact statement from Rodney Stafford, Tori Stafford's father.





It's been a little over three years since this horrible and most unthinkable act occurred, but yet the loss of emotion on the inside makes it feel as though it only happened yesterday. Having to relive the loss each morning and every day while hopping onto an imaginary emotional roller coaster.

Three months passed after Victoria was abducted and her remains were finally able to come home. Not Victoria, her remains. Three months, not ten minutes, not a day, nor a week. Three months passed. You know the emptiness you feel when your child runs ahead around a corner, or hides in a store out of sight? Take that feeling and live it minute by minute for three months. Emotionally and mentally drained.

What hurts the most about the events of April 8th, 2009 is having to relive the hurt and pain in my son's eyes each and every time I see him. There has been a tremendous loss for him in losing his younger sister and best friend. You can see the void in all of my family's eyes. I strongly believe that the major impact to hit all of us is the realization that evil does exist, especially now that one of our own, my own, was plucked from broad day light with very little answers.

Little answers as to why Victoria wasn't allowed to grow up, why Victoria wasn'a llowed to contunue being an innocent child growing up alongside her fmaily and friends. So much was stolen from Victoria, stolen from all of us.

Our dreams of watching our little girl grow into a beautiful young woman, turning sweet 16, learning to drive, graduate from school, walk down the aisle, even years down the road the possiblity of watching Victoria grow up and raise her own innocent childre, as we all the the right to, they are all gone.

Now, our only means of communicating with Victoria is tearful whispters through her headstone where her remains were laid to rest. You could not imagine the painful sorrow you feel standing at our eight-year-old child's gravfe site in order to say hi, instead of just being able to hold her in your arms.

Tehre are no words that can express the hurt and anger inside having to relive that horrific day and the last hours of Citoria's life without wanting to explode with rage.

Nothing will ever replace what was stolen from all of us. I human life, a child's life, my daughter's life. Victoria Elizabeth Marie Staffird, eight years old. Born July 15th, 2000 -- stolen April 8th 20009.

Sadly missed but will never be forgotten. Thank you.

This concludes the portion of the statement that was filed with the court. But in an unscripted aside Tuesday, Mr. Stafford spoke of the numerous milestones his daughter will never get to see, then concluded by admonishing Mr. Rafferty.

Stolen by you, you piece of shit.

Interact with The Globe