Posted on 03/15/2002 6:08:11 PM PST by The Right Stuff
Disquieting Disclosures -
The Unbearable Sadness of the Danielle Van Dam Story
by Jennifer King, Senior Editor
March 15, 2002
"The Heretical Housewife"
There should be no quarter given to those who abuse and defile the trust placed in them by an innocent child. Child molesters are heinous creatures, destroyers of the future who themselves deserve to be dispatched in the most hideous way possible. Whoever murdered Danielle Van Dam (right), whoever dumped her soft little body into dirty scrub brush by the side of the road to be mauled and desecrated by the fangs of wild animals, deserves to die an equally painful and inglorious death. And, Danielle’s parents, Damon and Brenda Van Dam, deserve our heartfelt sympathy for the disastrous loss of their little girl in such a horrid manner.
However, disquieting revelations have been floating around this case since Danielle disappeared on February 1st, 2002. First disclosed by radio talk-show host Rick Roberts, these rumors have been linked to an unnamed San Diego Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). The rumors alleged that the Van Dam’s were “swingers”, who had a special room set up in their garage - with inside locks - where eager participants had orgies replete with heavy drinking and pot smoking.
The Van Dam’s, on their appearances on Larry King Live and America’s Most Wanted, seemed evasive, dodging questions about their personal lifestyle. They also almost immediately hired a PR firm, whose spokesman likewise deflected this line of questioning without denying it outright.
Thursday, in court hearings, both Brenda and Damon Van Dam seemed to verify some of these allegations. At the very least, the Van Dam behavior and home life can be said to have been highly unusual.
Brenda Van Dam (left) gave some staggering testimony. Among the stunners were the revelation that she had left 7-year old Danielle alone, trying on clothes, in Mervyn’s, while she hunted down her 5 and 10-year old sons who were “at other stores” in the same mall. Then, Brenda admitted that she had noticed her neighbor, David Westerfield (right), the accused killer, at a Poway bar, “Dad’s”, the previous Friday, January 25th. Van Dam, who was with two friends, Barbara and Denise, admitted under questioning, that the three women had been dancing together, suggestively, with Barbara even attempting to fondle Brenda’s breasts.
According to testimony, the following week, Brenda Van Dam, Danielle and her brother went over to Westerfield’s house in order to sell him some Girl Scout cookies. Westerfield asked Van Dam why she hadn’t introduced him to her friends, who, he allegedly said, “looked really fun“. She also testified that Westerfield had told her that he often had “adult BBQ’s”, at which, according to Van Dam, he said, “He would provide the salad, but everyone had to bring their own meat.“ Van Dam testified that she told Westerfield to meet her and her friends at "Dad’s" the following Friday, and she would then introduce him to her friends.
On February 1st, the day Danielle would disappear, the following events transpired, according to Van Dam’s testimony. Brenda returned with the kids at approximately 5:30, then went out to pick up pizza for dinner, leaving the children alone in the house. After dinner, her two girlfriends, Denise and Barbara, came over and stayed about 15 minutes. The three women each had a beer, then they and Brenda’s husband Damon, met in the garage, where they smoked part of a joint (marijuana cigarette).
At approximately 8:30 p.m., the three women went to “Dad’s” where they met up with Westerfield. Westerfield bought them all drinks (Brenda testified that she had three cranberry-vodkas, one shot of tequila and one Red Bull). Westerfield says he danced with Van Dam, she initially denied it, but testified under oath that she “couldn’t recall.” She did admit to “slow dancing” with an older man, and testified that Denise and Barbara were “sexual dancing” with each other and with other women in the bar.
Van Dam also testified that the girlfriends met up with two men named “Rich and Keith.” Rich was alleged to be the pot connection, in later testimony given by Damon Van Dam. Supposedly, Keith was very interested in Barbara, and confided to Brenda that he had “popped a “V”, apparently referring to a Viagra pill. He allegedly asked Brenda to facilitate a tryst between the two.
At 2:00 a.m., when closing time was announced, the three women got in Brenda’s truck (allegedly taking hits from the same joint they had smoked earlier) and the two men drove in another vehicle to the Van Dam home. Damon, who was allegedly asleep in his underwear in his own bed, was awakened by Barbara, who climbed on top of the bed. Damon admits to “kissing” Barbara, and “rubbing her back”.
Brenda Van Dam came upstairs about 15 minutes later, informed the couple that they were being “rude” and that they should join the rest of the ensemble downstairs. Yet, after pizza, the remaining guests allegedly left. The Van Dam’s assert that they went to bed at approximately 2:30 a.m. They did not consider checking on their children then, and did not realize that Danielle was missing until approximately 9:30 a.m. the next morning.
Danielle’s naked and decomposed body was found by volunteer searchers on February 27th.
Whether her parent’s lifestyle had anything to do with her death is debatable. Surely, the Van Dams love their children, aged 10, 7 (Danielle) and 5. Yet the Van Dams appear to have engaged in a lot of activities which could be directly and indirectly injurious to their family. There aren’t too many families, for example, where the mother leaves her young children alone while she runs out to pick up dinner. There aren’t too many devoted mothers who routinely spend Friday nights dirty-dancing at the local bar. Wise parents who exercise sound oversight do not partake in the heavy drinking and pot smoking which appear to have occurred on a regular basis in the Van Dam household.
And, most parents simply do not invite a group of drunken, pot-addled barflys over to their home at 2 o’clock in the morning, while their innocent children sleep only a few rooms away. One wonders whether either Damon or Brenda’s “friend” Barbara, ever considered what the children would think should they awaken and find their father with a woman who wasn‘t their mother rolling around on their parent’s bed.
Many dark theories abound as to what might actually have transpired between the Van Dams and David Westerfield. According to the defense attorney, witnesses have offered to come forward to testify that, not only DID Brenda Van Dam dance with Westerfield, but she did so exclusively and in a suggestive manner. Nevertheless, Westerfield may indeed be solely responsible for the murder of Danielle, and if he is found guilty than he should fry.
However, the Van Dam’s do appear to have fostered, at the very minimum, a home environment where the least suitable people would often be around their most precious assets. Their little girl, unfortunately, was the one who paid the price. ***
© 2002 Jennifer King
COPYRIGHT © 2002 BY THE AMERICAN PARTISAN. All writers retain rights to their work.
One has to wonder what was going on in that garage that night, the night of "sexual ritual." Are the VDs sickos, or are we?
Who is Patricia Lee Kuzara, Age 7?
Pierce says he read some of little Danielle's writings, which he claims to be disturbing. “It says Daddy please forgive me. I will be better. Daddy please love me.”
Kim I thought people from Missouri had to see it to believe it?
What Feldman did to them during prelim is nothing compared to what's coming at trial. Count on it.
The collar/choker.
"She never took it off."
Why?
Given their lifestyle, do we know the children are theirs?
The Red Ribbon
This is a very old story, that I heard when I was about 7 or 8 years old from my best friends grandfather, and have continued to pass the story on.
Kristi was a very good little girl, she always did well in school, and did exactly what her mommy told her, until one day, her mother told her never to go into the old stable on their ranch. Kristi was soon so curious that she couldn't help it. Kristi went into the stable, and came out with a red ribbon around her neck.
In elementary school, she had a little boyfriend named Jonathan. Kristi always wore the red ribbon, and never took it off. Jonathan asked her why she never took the ribbon off of her neck. All Kristi would say was "Time will come, and I will tell." Then, in high school, Kristi and Jonathan were still together, Jonathan asked again, "Why do you wear the red ribbon around your neck?" Kristi just said " Time will come, and I will tell." For years and years this went on, and Kristi always said the same thing. Finally, Jonathan asked her one more time, "Kristi, why do you wear the red ribbon around your neck?" Kristi then took another red ribbon out of her dresser, and tied it around Jonathan's neck, saying a weird chant. She told him that since he asked so many times, and would not except her answer, that he would live through it. "Watch carefully," she said, " for this will soon become of you." Kristi untied the ribbon, and her head came loose, and rolled on the floor. Jonathan was terrified, He replaced her head, and the ribbon. Kristi was dead, but they all say she died of natural causes. No one ever bothered to listen to Jonathan's story.
Danielle was an obedient child, but was never supposed to enter the garage.
The killer had the opportunity to remove the ribbon, but because of the curse in doing so, decided to leave it in place.
Jokes aside, thanks for the vintage fairy tale. I enjoyed it.
Has anyone managed to track down a picture of Barbara yet? She's the one who groped Benda's breasts on the dance floor, hopped into bed with Damon upon arrival at the house, was enquired upon by Westerfield, and in whose honor the viagra pill was popped. Busy lady.
John and Ken of Radio KFI640 talked to a news anchor whose San Deigo station tracked down a picture, and she said that Barbara was a "double bagger," but that she had a nice body.
I started to read the first thread last night:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/647445/postsIt bothered me so much I had to quit reading after a couple of paragraphs or so. Sometimes things are so ugly, you'd almost rather have been wrong than be able to say, "I told you so."
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