Posted on 02/27/2002 10:38:50 PM PST by FresnoDA
Apparent remains of Danielle found
|
|
DAVID HARDMAN / Union-Tribune
|
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.
Damon and Brenda van Dam, parents of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, are seen outside the Sabre Springs search center on Saturday, Feb. 23 in San Diego. |
Calif. Police Find Body, Believe It's Missing Girl |
|
San Diego police and sheriffs' investigators gather near a stand of trees off of Dehesa Road in the eastern part of San Diego County after volunteers searching for missing seven-year-old Danielle van Dam came across what investigators are calling the burned remains of what appear to be a child, February 27, 2002. Police said there was a 'high probability' that the body was the missing girl. Photo by Reuters |
With the dead body, and her blood on his clothes, and in his motorhome, I shouldn't think it would take long, at all, for this esteemed "panel of prosecutors" to opt for the death penalty. It couldn't be much more clear, unless someone witnessed it.
DAMON VAN DAM COMFORTS WIFE BRENDA |
|
Damon van Dam (L) and Juliette Bolton (R) offer support to Brenda van Dam when she broke down after David Westerfield arrived at his arraignment to answer to charges of the murder and kidnapping of the van Dam's seven-year-old daughter in downtown San Diego superior court, February 26, 2002. Danielle van Dam disappeared from her home on February 1 and has not been seen or heard from since. Photo by Pool/Reuters |
I hope they have the guy. The doubt in my mind is that the child could have been taken to his RV by someone else.(and subsequently molested and killed) I hope the evidence gets better, now that they have the body.
I still can't get the negligent parents off my list.
Am I crazy for thinking there is no way this can have been there for a month, with no jogger, cyclist, hiker, picnicker, trash picker or dumper, or just getaway and sit in the desert-person...finding it? Might it have been dumped there only just hours or a couple days ago?
Assuming Westerfield were guilty, doesn't this leave a lot of running around to desert, beach, sand dunes etc as being unrelated to the crime, ...whoever put this body there went to absolutely NO trouble to dispose of it, just drove to the nearest area without apartments and houses immediately by, and threw it out on the shoulder of the road. Had no fear of its being found, wanted it to be found.
Could someone ELSE have found it in some remote area, and brought it into town so it WOULD be found?
Cant figure it.
This would not be out of the question. I have heard of this before. The guilt makes the perp want for a proper funeral and they make it happen. Forensics will figure that out if true.
Authorities believe body may be that of missing California girl
|
Volunteers who have searched for Danielle van Dam since her disappearance discovered the body near a cluster of oak trees.
A plastic necklace similar to one Danielle was wearing was found on the body. An earring matching the description of a pair the missing girl wore was also found, said San Diego County District Attorney Paul Pfingst.
"Tonight we believe that Danielle van Dam's body has been found," he said.
A positive identification of the body could take several days.
Authorities had not determined the cause of death. Pfingst said investigators believe the body was dumped at the site about 25 miles east of San Diego.
Earlier, a sheriff's deputy at the scene had said the body had been partially burned. But authorities declined late Wednesday to discuss the condition of the remains, pending an autopsy, except to say they were badly decomposed.
"At this point we cannot positively confirm that it is Danielle," San Diego police Lt. Jim 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. (?)
http://www.castleofspirits.com/redribbon.html
The Red Ribbon
This is a very old story, that I heard when I was about 7 or 8 years old from my best friends grandfather, and have continued to pass the story on.
Kristi was a very good little girl, she always did well in school, and did exactly what her mommy told her, until one day, her mother told her never to go into the old stable on their ranch. Kristi was soon so curious that she couldn't help it. Kristi went into the stable, and came out with a red ribbon around her neck.
In elementary school, she had a little boyfriend named Jonathan. Kristi always wore the red ribbon, and never took it off. Jonathan asked her why she never took the ribbon off of her neck. All Kristi would say was "Time will come, and I will tell." Then, in high school, Kristi and Jonathan were still together, Jonathan asked again, "Why do you wear the red ribbon around your neck?" Kristi just said " Time will come, and I will tell." For years and years this went on, and Kristi always said the same thing. Finally, Jonathan asked her one more time, "Kristi, why do you wear the red ribbon around your neck?" Kristi then took another red ribbon out of her dresser, and tied it around Jonathan's neck, saying a weird chant. She told him that since he asked so many times, and would not except her answer, that he would live through it. "Watch carefully," she said, " for this will soon become of you." Kristi untied the ribbon, and her head came loose, and rolled on the floor. Jonathan was terrified, He replaced her head, and the ribbon. Kristi was dead, but they all say she died of natural causes. No one ever bothered to listen to Jonathan's story.
There are coyotes and mountain lions in those parts...perhaps the killer buried her in a shallow grave, only to be dug up and dragged around by a wild animal...forensics will indicate if large animals have bitten into the corpse.
Maybe this wasn't his first victim? I have read about girls and young women being murdered in Mexico, maybe he was at work there as well. Anything is possible with someone who could commit such an act against a poor, defenseless child.
|
Body Found,
|
Possibly Danielle van Dam
|
|
||
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.