Apparent Remains Of Danielle Found: (11:00 P.M. Update)

Union Trib ^ | February 27, 2002 11:00 P.M. | Jeffrey J. Ros

[FresnoDA]

Apparent remains of Danielle found

'It is a high probability it is her,' police say

By Jeffrey J. Rose
SIGNONSANDIEGO

February 27, 2002

EL CAJON – The remains of a young girl were discovered Wednesday afternoon off Dehesa Road near the Singing Hills golf course by searchers looking for 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, missing from her home for more than three weeks.

"It is a high probability it is her," said Lt. Jim Collins, a San Diego police investigator at the scene.

Forensic investigators photographed the scene, and other evidence collection was expected to continue through the night as lighting equipment and generators were brought in. Authorities said it was likely that the body would not be recovered until Thursday.

The remains were found 25 to 30 feet off the road among a cluster of oak trees in a grassy area, across from a quarry east of the Singing Hills Resort and Country Club.

A group of searchers from the Danielle Recovery Center discovered the body after 2 p.m. and immediately called sheriff's deputies, saying they believed they had discovered the girl, Collins said.

"Obviously we appreciate the effort of the volunteers," he said. "This shows the volunteers are a very vital part of the overall process. They can cover much more area than we can."

Jeff Dusek, the lead prosecutor in the case against David Westerfield, the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Danielle, went to the scene. The primary police homicide unit investigating Danielle's disappearance had been in the desert during the day but traveled to the discovery area.

Authorities closed Dehesa Road for a time, diverting traffic at Willow Glen and Harbison Canyon roads.

Capt. Ron Newman, head of the San Diego police homicide unit, visited Danielle's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, at their home in Sabre Springs. Later, a priest visited. The parents made no immediate statements.

San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano described the body found as that of a 3- to 4-foot white female with blond hair visible from the back, wearing a plastic necklace similar to that seen in photos of Danielle. One earring was visible, which appeared to be the same type of earring Danielle was reported to be wearing the night of Feb. 1 when she disappeared.

Bejarano, speaking at a downtown news conference Wednesday night, said it likely would be at least 24 hours before a positive identification was made using dental records, and if that wasn't possible an identification using DNA would take three to four days.

No weapons that might have been used in the victim's death were apparent at the scene, Bejarano said.

District Attorney Paul Pfingst, who joined Bejarano at the news conference, said the investigators' preliminary assessment was that the victim had been killed elsewhere and the body dumped at the site.

DAVID HARDMAN / Union-Tribune

Parts of the body were in an advanced state of decomposition, Pfingst said, and earlier reports that the body may have been partly burned likely were in error.

Discovery of what likely is Danielle's body changes the nature of the case against Westerfield, Pfingst said.

"The body is the most fertile source of clues," he said.

The district attorney said the investigation at the scene would take time.

"At this point speed is not an issue," Pfingst said. "We'd rather do it right than do it fast."

Westerfield, 50, a neighbor of the van Dams, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of murder, kidnap and possession of child pornography in connection with Danielle's disappearance. A judge Wednesday morning ordered the search warrants in the case unsealed.

Westerfield, a self-employed engineer, was arrested Friday outside his attorney's office after weeks of being labeled a potential suspect in the case by police. He is being held in the county jail downtown without bond.

[scholar]

sedatives in them by now to paralyze a water buffalo,

Sedatives will definitely cause a flat emotional affect.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

The mean,evil,and nasty side of Republicans is being exposed here,and tells us all a lot about why people who SHOULD be on our side hesitate to join us.

There is nothing mean, evil or nasty about curiosity and observation. We all make judgments based on what we see and our own life's experiences.

I don't think it is so much a case of assigning guilt (at this point) as much as it is looking at the whole picture and seeing some things that don't ring true.

If those of us who find the parents as less than ideal are wrong, we are wrong. But there are more than a few things that APPEAR strange here.

It is only reasonable to look at all aspects of a crime to get a clear picture. Not one of us knows what happened that night and thorough investigation requires consideration of Westerfield, the van Dams and any others who may have been in and around the home at the time of the crime.

You want to chastise those that disagree with you, but it is just as irresponsible to give the parents a pass merely because they are parents. Sadly, we all know that some parents expose their kids to the unimaginable, harm them, and yes, even kill them.

Time and a good investigation will reveal more about the details in this case. Perhaps we will all have a better feel for what actually happened at a later date. Until then, we are all left to speculation. That applies to both "sides".

[crystalk]

You're right I know nothing about that part of the country.

However, would you be willing to recant what you have said about poor Westerfield, if someone ELSE's DNA is found on the corpse, and he is found not to have been the one who molested her? Found not to have been the one who killed her? Maybe the corpse just planted on his property or in his vehicle?

[homeschool mama]

Well said.

[It's me]

When Russell Yates came home after his wife called him, he "threw a lawn chair, dropped to the ground pounded his fists into the ground" and was yelling something I can't remember right now. That was his initial reaction.

What was Damon's - at any time?

[FresnoDA]

par·ent   Pronunciation Key  (pârnt, pr-)
n.

1. 1. One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother.
2. 2. An ancestor; a progenitor.
3. 3. An organism that produces or generates offspring.
4. 4. A guardian; a protector.
5. 5. A parent company.
6. A source or cause; an origin: Despair is the parent of rebellion.

[crystalk]

It is just so neat. Might he have freaked if this body, especially molested and in horrible condition, was nude in the back of his truck, especially if he had already driven somewhere when he discovered it was even there?

It is just too neat a framing. Maybe I am just crazy but I still think Daddy did it.

[sneakypete]

Sedatives will definitely cause a flat emotional affect.

I'm just guessing about that,but what I KNOW is that if it were me,they would have me walking around with a morphine drip hanging out of my arm,just to keep me from exploding. There is no more horrible crime than a baby murder.

[ecru]

I can't judge the parents because I don't know what they are like when the media aren't snapping pictures of them. All I know is that if I were in their shoes and my daughter was missing/or dead, my once private life was blasted all over newspapers (no matter what I did or didn't do thatwas deemed appropriate to people), and I had to deal with reporters camped out on my doorstep. I would be acting all weird too. Especially if I was grieving and on some tranquilizer, (which no doubt they must be on). I would be a zombie...

[sneakypete]

You want to chastise those that disagree with you, but it is just as irresponsible to give the parents a pass merely because they are parents.

No,there is a HUGE difference between assuming innocence when there is no evidence of them comitting a crime,than there is in assuming they are guilty because you don't like the "look in their eyes". There will be plenty of time to condemn them later if the evidence leads to their involvement. Until then,they have suffered about as bad a experience as it is possible for humans to suffer,and they need some consideration. I can't even begin to imagine the nightmare they are living through right now,and I don't like to see the self-righteous here piling on to that.

Sadly, we all know that some parents expose their kids to the unimaginable, harm them, and yes, even kill them.

This is true,and the parents are always the first suspects the police look at in cases like this. These parents don't seem to be under any official suspiscion,though. Plenty of time to condemn them if this changes.

[sneakypete]

and I had to deal with reporters camped out on my doorstep.

I don't even think they make a sedative powerful enough to keep me from strangling the first reporter who asks,"How does it feel....?". I'd probalby have to spend the rest of my life in restraints.

[crystalk]

but he DIDN't get away with it, and if he had had a lick of sense he would have known he wouldn't, and why (if he had done something to the girl) would he go ahead and go to bed and stick around and not even leave the neighborhood to midmorning, knowing the alarm would probably be raised in the wee hours...and all of this with the girl right there in his vehicle, and him knowing she was there? Is this likely?

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

All I know is that if I were in their shoes and my daughter was missing/or dead, my once private life was blasted all over newspapers (no matter what I did or didn't do thatwas deemed appropriate to people), and I had to deal with reporters camped out on my doorstep. I would be acting all weird too. Especially if I was grieving and on some tranquilizer, (which no doubt they must be on). I would be a zombie...

Do you realize that your statement also makes the case for those who find the parents suspicious? You state what you would do "IF".

People who find the parents' behavior odd are making the same type of judgment and simply applying a different observation and opinion.

Reality is that we all sit at home and watch coverage. We then come to certain conclusions and wait to see if our speculations may be validated. There is no right or wrong way to see this right now.

Everything is on the table and each of us decide in which chair to sit. Once the reliable details emerge, we may change our minds or settle where we first sat. Only time will disprove or confirm any of the thoughts expressed here.

[ecomcon]

How do you feel about profiling?

[MickMan51]

Can't you read their faces ?? They are obviosly greiving parents who have finally accepted the awful truth.

Sheesh. Put the tinfoil hats away.

[LoneGOPinCT]

That's what I don't get. If the security system had been breached, why didn't half the neighborhood hear the siren? How could people asleep in the house not hear it?

I don't know all of the details, but I suppose it could be a silent system. The thing with silent systems, though, is that once they are tripped the alarm company (ADT, Wells Fargo, etc.) silmultaneously calls the police or fire department (depending on the trigger) and the residence to confirm any problems. I'm unaware of any silent systems that do not have a emergency response aspect to it. I personally don't have one but I know them fairly well between my Grandfather's house and the one we have at work.

[One4Indictment]

IMHO, this man should be sentenced to life without parole and placed in the main prison population. This will be tantamount to receiving the death penalty because I don't think he would last a month before being shanked in prison. The positive outcome in this scenerio is that the tax payer will not have to house, feed, and medically care for this murdering bastard for the 14+ yrs he will spend on death row.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Perhaps this has been mentioned before, so forgive me if it is old ground.

While I tend to believe that Westerfield is probably guilty, it is interesting to look at the position of Paul Pfingst, District Attorney. I happen to like him and plan to vote for him in the primary next Tuesday. But..........

I hope in the desire to make an arrest, there has not been other evidence overlooked or disregarded. I have always been puzzled that we have heard so little about other characters in this drama, such as the "swinging" participants, etc. Who else was around in the hours preceding and immediately following Danielle's abduction and the discovery of it? Are they looking at Westerfield with no allowance for the possibility of more than just him being involved? I hope not.

[spectre]

SOMEBODY got away with entering the house and abducting the girl. We have to go with the Westerfield scenerio because he has been charged. He could have taken the child to the motor home, had his way with her, killed her and hid the body in the motor home until the next morning. Maybe he was too drunk to drive that night. Anything is possible.

It's also possible he didn't do it.

sw

[scholar]

I'm unaware of any silent systems that do not have a emergency response aspect to it.

I have been wondering about this all along--what kind of a security system has nothing but a flashing light that could go unnoticed or simply ignored?