‘It Isn’t Over Yet’:SDPD Chief Bejarano talks about latest developments in van Dam Case

Newsweek-Website ^ | March 1, 2002 | NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE

[sneakypete]

As a Christian parent, I would not let my children be alone with any adult in circumstances that could even lead to accusations. Its not prudent for my child.

Good for you! There are no 100% guarantees,but that is as close as you can get to it.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"He's been operated on. "

Ooops. Hadn't thought of that one.

[Mrs.Liberty]

Chances are they had been having trouble with false alarms,and had the "notify" part of it turned off. They said earlier that the alarm came with the house when they bought it,and that they really didn't understand it.

Pardon me for being fixated on the open doors. Certainly they understand an open door? And understood it enought to shut it, but were not able to comprehend that a blinking alarm and an open door (twice) might warrant some investigation especially at 1:30 (when Damon alleges he saw the open door and the alarm,and shut it) and later (2:30-ish)?

[Petronski]

So tell me it's normal to lock yourself in your garage getting stoned and not check your kids for 11 hours, even after running into the house for munchies and noticing open doors and alarm panel lights on TWICE?

If anyone would tell you this is normal, it would be him.

[Petronski]

The dog was "debarked," had his voice box removed. He could bark, but only very softly. Maybe to prevent the incessant barking at all the strangers filtering the house.

Is this for real? It's sick.

[GSWarrior]

So do you believe that the girl paid for the sins of the parents?

[sneakypete]

Your post #113 is one of the best summations, excellent, even sneakypete will be speechless.!!!

Don't bet on it.

[Amore]

Is this for real?

No.

[FresnoDA]

Ha, you are a crackup!! Thanks for the levity on such a macabe matter....FDA

[Valpal1]

Something else that bothers me about this and other similar cases is the parents' willingness to be all over the media. If it were, God forbid, my children who were the victims, I don't think I would want to talk to reporters, or feel a need to make a 'statement'. In fact, I would likely run the reporters off my property with a shotgun.

Execpt that the professionals and experts in this field are now recommending doing this to create a media blitzreig in hopes of frightening abductors into releasing their victims unharmed, and as a deterrent to other predators.

A child snatched here in our county last year was released raped, but alive and the predator admitted in court that the publicity is why he didn't kill her. He became very fearful of being caught and didn't want a murder charge.

Many communities have set up plans with area media for this purpose. Our county was one and it worked.

[bwteim]

Don't agree with the last comment: parent bashing.
I also have read exchanges up to this point and think that posters commiserate on the fate of Danielle and demand someone be held accountable. Altho the neighbor is charged, I think the point that Travis, lady lawyer, grlfrnd, and others made is that parental care is part of equation, too. If a person can be charged with neglect/ or even accused of it when a phone rings and a child drowns in a pool because somebody is not minding the child for five minutes, what could a possible 11 hours bode...?

[SlickWillard]

Do you read what you post?

No, I read what you post, you insipid moron.

[sneakypete]

You know, a lot of people who don't consider themselves religious still have principles when it comes to loyalty to spouses, not having orgies in the house, etc.

Yes,I know. I'm one of them.

You obviously dislike religious people for some reason, but you don't have to be religious to think that the VD's "lifestyle" was wrong, and that they were bad parents for carrying on like that under the same roof with their children.

No,I don't think their lifestyle was "wrong" for them,even though it would be "wrong" for me. People have sex under the same roof where their children are all the time. Or do you go out in the yard to "do it"? Maybe you think there is a different kind of sex swingers have than other people?

The only "bad" thing I know of they have done was go so long without checking on their children. This isn't saying things would have turned out differently if they had checked ever 30 minutes unless they happened to check at the same time the kidnapper was in the room. You check on them to see if they are sick,choking in their sleep,have the covers on,etc,etc,etc.I doubt anybody normally does a "kidnap check".

[GSWarrior]

Execpt that the professionals and experts in this field are now recommending doing this

As leery as I am of 'professionals' and 'experts' telling me how I should react in crises, I have to admit that this makes sense. Thanks.

[Valpal1]

You are not very well informed about media and journalism deceit, dishonor and generally destroying the constitution that protects them, are you?

[sneakypete]

a plea arrangement will totally seal the release of what actually happened over the evening of Friday, February 1 and the early morning hours of Saturday, February 2, 2002!!!

No,it wouldn't. Not unless you know something about this specific case I don't know. A "normal" plea bargain in circumstances such as this would be to drop the death penalty in exchange for a full and complete confession. If he doesn't say what happened,he gets the death penalty.

[GSWarrior]

You seem to be Free Republic expert on how to entice children into a life of pornography. Stay away from my house. On second thought, drop by sometime. You better be packing more than just your low IQ if you want to leave in one piece.

[FresnoDA]

In review...

Parents Appeal For Daughter's Return
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 5, 2002

The parents of a missing 7-year-old girl who police believe was abducted appealed for her return Tuesday.

"Please drop her off safe somewhere," Brenda van Dam said on NBC's "Today" show. "Just drop her off and leave and let her come home to us. Our only concern is getting her back. We just want our baby back."

Brenda and Damon van Dam and daughter Danielle (CBS/AP)Danielle van Dam, who has blue eyes and shoulder-length blond hair, was last seen Friday night when her father put her to bed in their suburban home. Her parents said they discovered she was missing Saturday morning when her mother went to wake her up.

Investigators say they have no suspects and few leads. "We have no reason to believe she walked away," police spokesman Dave Cohen said. "We would have found her already if that was the case."

Police said Danielle's parents were not considered suspects.

Investigators questioned registered sex offenders in the area, and the FBI was offering assistance but was not actively investigating because there was no evidence Danielle had left California, spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said.

Authorities believe Danielle left her home between 10:30 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday, when her older and younger brother woke up.

The girl's father, Damon van Dam, told investigators he woke up around 1:30 a.m. Saturday to let the dog out and noticed a burglar alarm light was blinking. He discovered a sliding glass door was open and he closed it. He said he did not check Danielle's room at that time.

Brenda van Dam, who came home from a bar around 2:30 a.m. and stayed up for an hour with her husband and friends, said she made sure the children's bedroom doors were closed to keep from disturbing them, but she said she didn't check on them.

The family moved three years ago from Florida to Sabre Springs, about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Their quiet neighborhood has immaculate subdivisions and a new elementary school.

Neighbors found it hard to believe a stranger could have seized the girl from her bedroom.

"For the peace of mind of the neighborhood we need to know if this was random," said Gretchen Barnett, a mother of three who lives nearby. "It would put us at ease to know that there's not somebody scoping out the neighborhood looking for the next kid."

---

"For the peace of mind of the neighborhood we need to know if this was random. It would put us at ease to know that there's not somebody scoping out the neighborhood looking for the next kid."
Gretchen Barnett, neighbor

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

What I don't understand is why Danielle didn't scream when the 'stranger' went into her bedroom and took her. Obviously her parents wouldn't have heard her but I would think that her brothers would have and the dog too, if it was able to respond. Was she 'tasered' a la Jon Benet or did she know this person?

[sneakypete]

The primary control is not to let them be alone in private with anyone.

Bingo!