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DA: Danielle's Body Found

Body Found Believed To Be Danielle van Dam's

Posted: 3:35 p.m. PST February 28, 2002
Updated: 3:59 p.m. PST February 28, 2002

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst confirmed Thursday that the body of a young girl found dumped off a road near El Cajon is that of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.


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San Diego County medical examiner's office investigator Chuck Bolton said that dental records were used to make a positive identification.

Danielle's body was found by a volunteer search team looking for the looking girl Wednesday afternoon.

The discomposed body was behind some heavy foliage, near a trail and scattered rocks off the north side of Dehesa Road, just east of Willow Glen Drive.

Danielle's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, are said to be "devastated" by the news. The couple had made numerous pleas to the community for their daughter's safe return.

Meanwhile, neighbors are hoping the community can begin to heal from what has been an emotional ordeal.

Body is Danielle's
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WITH REALVIDEO
A medical examiner confirms that the body of a girl found Wednesday is that of missing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. The cause of death cannot immediately be determined.

FYI, interesting facts about the good police work.

"...At the urging of The San Diego Union-Tribune, a judge opened to public view yesterday parts of search warrants obtained by police investigating Danielle's disappearance. Other search-warrant material, including lists of what the police found and the justifications for the searches, remains sealed.

However, the owner of a Poway dry-cleaning business said police seized clothing and bedding that the 50-year-old, self-employed engineer brought in two days after Danielle was reported missing Feb. 2.

Many, if not all, of the items had been cleaned by the time police seized them from Twin Peak's Cleaners & Shirt Laundry. However, DNA tests identified Danielle's blood on one of the items – a jacket – a law enforcement source said yesterday.

Investigators haven't ruled out the possibility that other items seized from the dry cleaner might still yield evidence, said the source, who like others confirmed details in this story on the condition of anonymity..."

I wonder how did LE know to go to the dry cleaners. Did they follow him? Tip? Time to get a warrant cause a delay?