Posted on 02/27/2002 6:36:59 PM PST by FresnoDA
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POLICE BELIEVE FOUND BODY IS THAT OF DANIELLE VAN DAM
( 02-27-2002 ) - San Diego Police are investigating a report that remains of a young child were found Wednesday in the Dehesa area east of El Cajon.
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A Sheriff's Department official says the remains were found by volunteers who have been searching for 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.
District Attorney Paul Pfingst started a press conference by saying, "We believe Danielle van Dam's body has been found."
Pfingst said preliminary findings at the sight include:
- 3' - 4' young white female with blonde hair
- around her neck is a plastic necklace similar to the one Danielle is wearing is the search flyers
- one visible earring similar to the one Danielle was wearing the night she disappeared
- advanced decomposition is evident in some areas of the body
- the body was apparently dropped off at that location
- no homicide instruments have yet been found at the scene
- no obvious cause of death is currently known
San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano said the family has been notified and that authorities will remain with the family as long as necessary.
The crime scene will take 12 to 18 hours to process and that the earliest identification of the body will be within 24 hours if dental records are used. If that is not possible, DNA processing could take three to four days.
The Sheriff's Department got the report shortly after 2 p.m., sent out its homicide unit and alerted the San Diego Police Department, which also sent detectives.
The corpse was found behind some foliage, near a trail and scattered rocks, off Dehesa Road, between Willow Glen Drive and Sloane Canyon Road.
Police tape has been put up around an area of Dehesa Road, near the Singing Hills Resort at Sycuan and Singing Hills Memorial Park cemetery.
Late Wednesday afternoon, a motor home was brought to the scene, apparently to serve as a base for investigators who will secure the site overnight.
Until further notice, all searches have been postponed.
Authorities say this has been the most extensive search by volunteers in San Diego, if not California history.
As for the Van Dams, my heart goes out to them. At this point the stories about their lifestyles are just that, stories with no name or face to back them up, just annonymous "reliable sources". These folks have lost a child. Their sons have lost a sister. Instead of criticism right now they need prayers and support.
Your new gun?...Yeah, grip it tightly by the barrel use it to smash his head in...Why waste a bullet?
My wife & I have raised 3 daugthers. Relating to what the parents must be going through makes it so personal.
My prayers will be with them.
Police Say Body Likely Missing Girl
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 By SETH HETTENA Associated Press Writer February 27, 2002 news://newsclip.ap.org/GO105022721@news.ap.org--> news://newsclip.ap.org/200202262339-335.ra@news.ap.org--> EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) – Volunteers looking for 7-year-old Danielle van Dam in a rural area east of San Diego found a partially burned body Wednesday that is apparently that of a child. The age and gender of the body were not immediately known, but San Diego police Lt. Jim Collins said there was "a high probability" the body was that of the missing second-grader. A deputy at the scene 25 miles east of the city said the body had been partially burned. Collins would not confirm that. A positive identification of the body could take several days. "At this point we cannot positively confirm that it is Danielle," Collins said. "However, we don't have any other young children missing in the county that have been reported. It's a high probability that it is her." Danielle was last seen on Feb. 1, when her father put her to bed in her family's San Diego home. She was discovered missing the next morning. Authorities have charged a neighbor of the family with killing the girl. David Westerfield, 50, pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges of murder, kidnapping and possession of child pornography. Westerfield, a twice-divorced father of two grown children, has a 1996 drunken driving conviction but no violent criminal history. He has said he was at the same bar where Brenda van Dam was spending time with friends the night Danielle disappeared. Her husband was home with their daughter and two sons. Westerfield spent the weekend of Danielle's disappearance traveling around San Diego County in his motor home, stopping in the desert east of the city. Police have received permission to search a dry cleaner in suburban Poway for Westerfield's bedding and clothing. Westerfield reportedly had taken seat cushions from his motor home and clothing in for cleaning after his weekend in the desert. Police have also searched Westerfield's home and examined three of his vehicles. In warrants, police said they were looking for child pornography, children's pajamas or clothing and a set of Mickey Mouse earrings. Police also sought any "binding materials" such as tape or rope, leather or rope collars. |
Sad if it is, but sad no matter what.
There wouldn't need to be reports in that county. Heck, kids wind up missing half way around the world. county borders dont stop abductors.
Our laws no longer meet out justice. Are these parents really expected to sit around an watch this creep get life and out in five while they get to live the rest of their lives knowing their dtr's life was cut down at the tiny age of seven?
Westerfield appears to have been figured for "dirty" early on. Perhaps the SDLE were given details about him which made him a suspect early in the investigation.....
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