One fascinating incident occurred which illustrates how false memories can be created in children. The police raided the Sterling home one night and tipped off the media. The police uncovered incriminating evidence: issues of a porn magazine and a battery operated vibrator! This find was recorded by the TV crews. Because of the poor lighting on the scene, the vibrator appeared on the TV newscast as multi-colored (red, white and blue). It was in fact flesh colored, and of a uniform hue. A child apparently watched the program, remembered the tri-color vibrator and later incorporated it into his memory. He later reported being abused with a red, white and blue vibrator. But none was never found because it did not exist.
A second incident related to a rural building that the police thought was the "devil's church". They photographed the building thoroughly. Some interior pictures showed small wire bird cages on the wall. Later, some of the children recalled being confined in wire cages on the wall of the "church". The only problem is that the children were much larger than the cages; it would have been quite impossible for them to fit in.
The child interviews were conducted by a female police officer who had received essentially no training in safe, child interview techniques. She was motivated to uncover abuse allegations; she had herself been abused as a child. Her interrogations were extremely coercive and manipulative.
The Stirling parents were acquitted; charges against the police officers were dismissed. Travis and "Jane Doe" were found guilty, but these convictions were later overturned when it was discovered that all of the children's testimony was worthless because of the manipulative nature of the child interviews. As is usual in these cases, there was no hard evidence. David Dees, a Toronto ON journalist is currently finishing a book about Martensville.
Again, we believe that no sexual or ritual abuse occurred at Martensville.