Posted on 03/03/2002 7:49:10 AM PST by FresnoDA
CAUSE OF GIRL'S DEATH COULD REMAIN MYSTERY
Police say they may never know how Danielle van Dam died, or when. The seven-year-old girl disappeared from her San Diego home February first. Authorities are now confirming that a child's body found by volunteer searchers Wednesday is that of the missing child. The district attorney says an autopsy performed confirmed her identity yesterday. The identification was made through dental records because of the condition of the body. Medical examiners are trying to determine the cause of death, but Police Chief Dave Bejerano says it's possible that we'll never know how, or when she was killed. A neighbor has been charged with kidnapping and murdering her. Authorities say they found the girl's blood on his clothing and in his motor home. He has pleaded innocent. |
Westerfield's life is destroyed, regardless if he is acquitted, Genovese said. "The media is killing him."
Some neighbors said they didn't really know Westerfield. A few noticed he would often spend part of the weekend washing his motor home or repairing cars in the driveway, something unusual for the neighborhood.
"He seemed a fish out of water to me," Patricia Erikson said.
Westerfield's rather anonymous, suburban life exploded into chaos when he was tagged by police as the focus of the investigation days after Danielle's disappearance. He also told The San Diego Union-Tribune that he had run into Danielle's mother, Brenda van Dam, and two of her friends while at a popular Poway bar and restaurant the night Danielle was last seen. Westerfield told reporters he danced with Brenda van Dam and had a few drinks before leaving. Brenda van Dam said she saw Westerfield that night, but that the two did not dance. He simply asked her to introduce him to a friend, she said.
Yesterday, he was arrested as he left the very same office, again showing little emotion as officers handcuffed him and put him in a police vehicle. He put up no resistance.
Good golly, they look like they just came from there.
You are right, gossip is a sin. Suffice it to say that what we are doing here is exploring scenerios that may be played out over the mass media in one years' time at the trial. If Westerfield maintains his innocence, and if the van Dam's continue to parade themselves as mother and father of the year, you will see a trial introducing filth and perversion the likes of which has never been viewed. Child porn and mate swapping will become household words in the course of the trial. Both sides, in an effort to overcome the other, will drag out and present for view the worst of human activities and moral decay.
Get into the mind of the defense attorney, and into the mind of the prosecuter who has to respond.
At FR we are days, weeks and sometimes months ahead of the times. Get ready. It will not be pretty.
I think that's a weird statement about the neighborhood...they have swingers who may have hundreds of people coming by the house at night; a father who's having an affair, allegedly, with a woman down the street; a mother who, allegedly, has been having sex with the accused murderer; but fixing a car is something unusual. hmmmm. Stepfordsville, here we come.
I'm not assuming that the guy is innocent, but it seems that there is precious little evidence (PUBLISHED) that could prove him guilty, either.
It's true, the media IS crucifying him, and all these neighbors and tow truck drivers and child advocates coming out of the woodwork has flashing lights and alarm bells going off in my head.
It just ISN'T a "style" thing that a little girl would normally wear.
Most parents would discourage it because of the link to bondage idea.
I'd drop the bondage angle. Chokers of a certain type may be associated with bondage but just take a little trip down to Neiman Marcus and you'll find chokers galore ... they're fashionable and go with certain types of necklines. The child also died with one of her Mickey Mouse earrings on. Is there an association of Mickey Mouse earrings and bondage as well?
Well said, crypt, and I agree. Alissa, for the most part, this is exactly what's occurring here, with some exceptions. We are not discussing our personal friends and critiquing them and their lifestyles on open forum; we are discussing allegations made against the VD's and how that may have played a part in their daughter's abduction, as well as their and the accused's innocence/guilt/blame.
It was while selling the cookies that brenda made arraingements to meet westerfield at the bar friday nite (according to AMW).
HOWEVER, when mother VD was directly asked about the swinger rumors (at least twice, that I know of and saw, Larry King, and a newsreporter on camera), she WOULD NOT DENY those "rumors." She changed the subject. None of her friends have come forward, either, to deny any of these swinger "rumors." I would vehemently deny those charges and I know my friends would also come forward, denying that kind of lifestyle. The VD's have not. Raises more than eyebrows.
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