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What allowed this to happen was a sick sadist named Westerfield! Make no mistake about that!

No one suggests the Van Dams actions that night were anything representing responsible behavior. That does not in the least dimission the reason this happened was a sick sadistic bastard named Westerfield decided a 7 year old girl was his sexual play thing, and used killed and dumped like roadkill.

Lapses in judgement occur, had the Van Dams not investigated the alarm because they fell immediately to sleep that evening would you be so vehement in your zeal? Elizabeth smarts father left the garage open all night, and his child disappeared.. should his children be removed?

I agree that their actions that night were highly lapsed, but that does not in the least make them responsible for the actions of Westerfield, no more than the rape victim is at fault because she didn't lock her door that night.

There is no evidence that the parents actions contributed to their daughters disappearance. If they had checked the alarm and found she was missing that night would she have been found alive? Perhaps, or perhaps not.. you cannot know. The culprit here is Westerfield, a sick, sadistic evil bastard.

I would not engage in the activity they did that night, but you are drawing incredible indefensible conclusions trying to argue their children should be taken from them, IMHO. Had they VD's been busy having crazy monkey sex with no one else around and didn't hear anything would you be calling for their children to be removed?

Westerfield is the reason that little girl is dead, pure and simple, your suggestion otherwise if repugnant.