At the time, I thought perhaps my friend was getting nervous over too much publicity of the case or something (and a mother's natural worry over such a pretty little girl), but it does look like there might be cause to think this is bigger than just the Van Dams and such. How do they afford all this? How does Westerfield, as well? You can be living in the dirt and have patents, having patents doesn't mean anything, really. Perhaps he/the Van Dams/the CHP & dispatcher wife did come by all that much money honestly. Still, makes you go "hmmm."
"Brenda and Damon van Dam, both from south Florida, married 13 years ago. Danielle was born in Texas, and the family lived in a suburb of Dallas while she was a baby. They moved to Arizona and stayed less than a year before Damon van Dam found a new job in California. "
(SNIP)
"Damon van Dam, the son of two teachers, spent the past nine months working as a contractor for Qualcomm.
Before that, he worked for Nuera, a high-tech company in Sorrento Valley.
Damon travels regularly for business, and the family was planning to accompany him Feb. 11 on a two-week trip to Italy."
Brenda was apparently a stay-at-home mom, and folks who work in California and know the job market say that for what Damon does, he should only earn about $75,000.
As for Westerfield, his patents do pay off, apparently. They are for medical devices that have found a good, paying market.