CHAPTER 64: TORI STAFFORD

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Victoria Elizabeth Marie "Tori" Stafford was born July 15, 2000 to parents Tara and Rodney. The couple also had a son born 2 years earlier, but they ended up separating shortly after Tori was born. Both parents had drug addictions, but with the help of close family, both kids remained in their mother’s custody with Rodney having visitation rights through the years. Tori was known to be a happy, friendly little girl, who liked getting dressed up in little dresses, earrings and pretty headbands before heading out to play in the mud or find worms. Tara and her kids moved into a new house at the beginning of April 2009, and this house was only a couple of blocks from the school both children attended. The first day back to school after easter break, April 8, Tori was excited to go back to see her friends. Her mom would say that the morning was a little out of the ordinary because Tori was happy, she didn’t fuss, she got ready for school, borrowing a little headband and some butterfly earrings from her mom, and even applying a lil bit of lip gloss before leaving on time with her older brother.

Normally, Tori would walk home from school with her brother as well, but on this day, her brother walked 2 other kids home first. The plan was for him to be back at the school to meet up with Tori within 10-15 minutes for them to walk home together. This is exactly what her brother did, but when he got back, Tori was nowhere to be seen.