General

“I want the killers dead”

Tori Stafford’s mom lashes out at the suspects—and police

In her first interview since learning that her daughter is not coming home, Tara McDonald said she wants the suspects “dead”—and the police to apologize. Two people, 28-year-old Michael Rafferty and 18-year-old Terri-Lynne McClintic, have been charged in connection with the little girl’s abduction and murder. But in the weeks before the arrests, McDonald says detectives repeatedly accused her of being responsible for Tori’s disappearance. “The three times I was interviewed by police, they said: ‘We know it’s you,’ ” she said. “One officer came into my house and said: ‘You are my prime suspect. I have been doing this job as long as you have been alive and I have never seen a mother behave like you.’ ” While eight-year-old Tori was still missing, McDonald was often criticized for her apparent lack of emotion (she held a daily press conference on her front lawn, and somehow managed never to cry). But during an interview with the London Free Press, she repeatedly fought back tears, saying that police owe her family an apology. “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this,” she said. “All I kept thinking, all along, was that she’s somewhere; she’s fine; someone is taking care of her. They just wanted a beautiful little girl for themselves and they took my beautiful girl.” Investigators are still searching for Tori’s remains.

London Free Press

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