Posted on 02/27/2002 10:38:50 PM PST by FresnoDA
Apparent remains of Danielle found
|
By Jeffrey J. Rose
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.
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. |
This looks life grief to me folks.
Every photo I HAVE seen of him, has dead, empty eyes and looking like a block of ice.
Maybe on the night of the girl's disappearance, he was doing his OWN wild thang. And has conveniently let it fall on the wife to look guilty.
Sleepwalking would see OUR doors/windows arranged so a kid could not make the 'great escape'. I'm sure if WE had an alarm system, that alarm would be INSTANT 'hit the ground running' for hubby or I.
Our daughter once went horseback riding on our OWN land. The horse came back riderless. Hubby was a man POSSESSED. Daughter came back, sun went down, hubby finally came back and was talking 'call the sheriff, get a search team'. Boy, was he ever mad to find out that daughter bailed out, off the horse, and let him come home alone, cuz she felt like walking home. Granted, it wasn't a horrible situation. But I don't know of many men who will NOT go into the 'possessed man on a mission' for his kids.
My gut instinct tells me the dad of the dead girl, KNOWS something/is somehow involved. I hope the cops somehow see past their 'easy target' and dig a little deeper.
HEAR HEAR! Get busy you San Deigo ppl!
Possible. But you always have to wonder when the parents look so composed in pictures too.
As I've posted before, there are things that walk the earth, the look human but are devoid of humanity. They will kill without any second thought. And the ones that prey on children are the most horrid devoids.
I still see Laura's parents from time to time. Their eyes are missing something. It's like part of the spark of their humanity died with their daughter.
If you are a parent keep watch over your children. Evil lurks.
Maybe, since Westerfield says he was at the same bar that the mother was at, something was going on between them.
If hubby was home with the kids, how did she disappear and get into Westerfield's hands?
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.