MOUNT FOREST, Ont. — Police say remains found in a rural area northeast of Woodstock, Ont., are those of a child but they can’t confirm yet they are those of Tori Stafford.
Rod Freeman of the Oxford police told a news conference today the sex of the remains is not yet known and that identification will come through Toronto’s Centre of Forensic Sciences.
He says evidence at the scene shows the remains had been exposed to the elements for quite a number of weeks.
Freeman says officers are still scouring the scene for more evidence.
Remains believed to be those of a “young child” were found in a rural area near Mount Forest, Ont.
The area is just northwest of where police had been focusing their search efforts for the missing Woodstock, Ont., girl. Two people have been charged with Stafford's murder.
Police have not yet said if the remains are Tori’s, but provincial police Commissioner Julian Fantino strongly hinted that leads are pointing in that direction.
“We have some very strong leads that cause us to believe that we have in fact located the human remains of Tori Stafford,” Fantino told CP24.
“As sad as this is,” added Fantino, “we’re hopeful this will bring some closure to a very tragic and dastardly crime.”
"Whether or not these are in fact remains of Tori Stafford still remains to be seen," OPP Sgt. Dave Recktor said this morning, adding the remains are being classified as "suspicious" for now.
In pictures: The search for Tori Stafford
Officers in the joint OPP-Oxford Community Police Service have been following up on nearly 5,300 tips received from the public. Their search efforts have been focused on the Guelph and Fergus area.
The human remains were located yesterday in a rural area off Hwy. 6, in the Wellington County town about 60 km northwest of Guelph, Recktor said today.
Click here to see a map from where the ‘suspicious’ remains were found
Woodstock Mayor Michael Harding told CBC Radio that the possible discovery of Tori’s remains will “reopen some wounds here (and) re-open a whole body of feelings that everyone will go through.”
Harding said he had no plans to contact Tori’s family.
“What they don’t need is a politician sort of hanging off them and I’ve chosen to keep my distance since it’s their issue more than it’s my issue,” he said.
Tori, who would have turned nine years old last Wednesday, was last seen leaving her school on April 8 with a dark-haired woman.
Woodstock residents Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty both stand charged in her kidnapping and murder.
Lawyers for the accused don't expect the trial to begin until some time in 2010.
With files from The Canadian Press
