Seven-Year-Old Girl Escapes Kidnapper in Grand Terrace: (Eerie similarity to Van Dam Case)

abc7.com Los Angeles ^ | March 5, 2002 | abc7.com

[FresnoDA]

Seven-Year-Old Girl Escapes Kidnapper in Grand Terrace Eerie similarity to Van Dam Case

			GRAND TERRACE — 03/05/02-San Bernardino County sheriff's officials say a seven-year-old girl kidnapped from her bedroom early this morning escaped by jumping from her abductor's car when he stopped to look for his lost wallet. Sheriff's spokesman Chip Patterson says police found a wallet in front of the girl's Grand Terrace home and waited for the suspect at the address on his driver's license.

Dennis Martin Castro was taken into custody after three hours after the 3:30 am abduction. Patterson says the girl "is unharmed, aside from being frightened." The kidnapping occurred a little more than a month after another seven-year-old girl, Danielle van Dam, was reported missing from her San Diego bedroom. Her body was found last week and a neighbor has been charged with her murder. Copyright © 2002 KABC-TV and the Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Khepera]

They figure most people don't have guns to protect themselves I guess. Seems they don't.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

What's going on out there in California?

Don't know, I'm in a small town in NY, and where I live there's very little crime. 20 years ago I was California dreamin. Now I think I'll stay right where I am.

[Chemnitz]

I highly recommend a Sheltie. They are gentle dogs that take their guard dog roles very seriously. Ours watches all the doors, wakes for any unusual sounds, and includes anyone in the house as part of her little herd. If I walk outside or appear outside any gate, Precious is up and growling a warning. (Her method is to bark and growl first, then see if the intruder is friendly.) Strange men elicit loud continuous barking. She even flips open the shower curtain to check if anyone is behind it (we leave it closed most of the time). She is our little cop.

Once we had two electricians in the house. After they were gone Precious walked through her territory with her lip curled and a gutteral growl coming out. My wife always feel safe when she is alone with the dog. If Precious is quiet, all is well.

[Righty1]

They recycle Susan Estrogen's pee!

[Righty1]

You may drown yourself pee-weee!

[2111USMC]

Wish we could have a dog. Timing just isn't right at this point.

However, we practice the following in protecting our home and children:

alert parents, locked doors, PUMP SHOTGUN!

[blam]

Bravo for Precious.

[Squantos]

Good on ya for knowing when your ready for a pup. I see too many folks who have em and forget em. If ya can't treat em like the friend they are folks should wait like you are till they can do right by all involved ......two or four legged ....

My 4 rott's, 2 inside and 2 out (defense in depth :o) should keep me from having to pick up the eeeeeevil AK or 1911 but it's a tool, there if needed.

Stay Safe !

[Righty1]

After the arch perv Westerfield struck we picked up a small scrawny female rescue dog for just that purpose. This dog was on the street for awhile in a town with many coyotes. She is simply brilliant compared to our brave but stupid WFXTs. The first night that we had her I let her clean a steak bone then retrieved it and stuck it in the trash behind a cabinet door. The next morning I had to retrieve it again. She won't let anyone or anything from the outside near the yard. Unfortunately, she ate our backyard bunny. I wouldn't want to try and snake my hand in any door or window around this beast!

[Demidog]

San Bernadino is about 4 hours north of San Diego up I15.

It's N. East of LA.

It's not in the vicinity of the area where the other girl was taken but it's not that far either. It'd be hard to rule it out but just as hard to rule it in. I'd at least run the fellows picture by the Van Dam's though. Thing is he apparently lives in the San Bernadino area so it doesn't make alot of sense that he'd travel all the way down to San Diego to kidnap the Van Dam girl.....unless....the Van Dam's might have put ads in one of those swingers magazines and he answered the ad and decided to kidnap their daughter. </sarcasm>

[FresnoDA]

We have a Shelty, and she is a great watch dog. I concur. In fact, I give you a Shelty Bump!! Ruf..

[FresnoDA]

Shelty = Sheltie ooppsss....

[Squantos]

Yeah ,.....if you treat em right they will pay ya back with laughs, love and safety......

Stay Safe !

[isthisnickcool]

This kind of thing happens a LOT more than many people realize. Pretty constant.

See here from another thread.

I know a couple that lost a child to one of the monsters. It's been several years and still when I see them the pain in their eyes is beyond description. I don't know how they go on.

When these types are caught they should be put to death. They cannot be fixed. They were born devoid of humanity. But if they happen not to kill the child and get caught we keep letting them out. And they will do it again. And again. And again.

[scholar]

I have a Chow-Golden Retriever mix. He can hear a mouse fart a mile away so I tend to ignore his warnings. He is also so docile he would probably lead someone to the family treasure.

Recently found out that I need to pay more attention to his growls in the middle of the night. He may be a wuss but he is my early warning system.

[Jim Noble]

>>Hopefully the scum will get life so he can't do it again<<

If it was my daughter, you wouldn't have to worry about the sentence.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Eva]

Most people who lived in Southern California in the eighties, put locks on all windows and doors, so that they could not open more than a few inches. Screens were the way the night stalker was entering houses.

[FresnoDA]

Padlock for garage: $10


Leather whips and chains: $150


Marijuana: $45

State of the art Alarm system: $2000

Pizza: $20

Late Night Dinner for a "small group" of friends: Priceless

 

[Jaded]

Things that make you go hmmmm.