Mourners gather at site where Danielle's body was found
Posted on 03/01/2002 4:04:47 PM PST by FresnoDA
Mourners gather at site where Danielle's body was found
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 By Seth Hettena ASSOCIATED PRESS March 1, 2002
"The memory of her soul compelled me to come down here and say a last goodbye," Davis said Friday, cradling her 7-month-old daughter and wiping away tears. "To actually see the place where her innocent sweetness was lying under a tree." Davis, 26, added white flowers to a growing memorial of messages, bouquets, a pink teddy bear and a stuffed blue bunny that marks the place where authorities believe a neighbor dumped Danielle's body weeks ago. Dental records confirmed Thursday that remains found by a rural roadside 25 miles east of San Diego were those of the little girl, who vanished from her bedroom Feb. 2. The cause of death could not immediately be determined – and may never be – because of the body's state of decomposition, said Police Chief David Bejarano. Further tests were under way. Danielle's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, said the unflagging efforts of more than 2,500 volunteers who searched a vast area stretching from the ocean to the desert left them with "an overwhelming sense of gratitude and closure." "With love for an innocent child and for one another, the community has brought her back to us, and for that gift we offer our most sincere and heartfelt thanks," the van Dams said in a statement. "Even though the final outcome is horrible, we could not have imagined the rest of our lives without this closure." A memorial service is expected later this month. A neighbor, David Westerfield, 50, was charged Tuesday with murder, kidnapping and possession of child pornography. He has pleaded innocent and is being held without bond. Authorities said they found traces of Danielle's blood in Westerfield's motor home and on an article of his clothing. The self-employed engineer spent the weekend of Danielle's disappearance traveling in his motor home, stopping in the desert east of the city, authorities said. A hunch led volunteers to the area – the remote road was one Westerfield might have taken the weekend Danielle disappeared, said Bill Garcia, a private detective who coordinated searches. Nearby residents said they were unsettled by the discovery of Danielle's body so close to home. "It kind of sickens us," said Charles O'Neill, 28, who lives about a mile away. "We've been driving by this road every day for the past month and knowing she's that close is something we never would have imagined." |
You're probably right.
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Dad's sounds more inviting than it is when you enter. The game room and bar area don't seem very family friendly, but if you venture further in, you'll find a pleasant separate dining room and a very nice enclosed porch. The place is really jumping at night, when they have dancing, or when sports fans fill the bar area.
The specialty list includes steaks and prime rib, homemade meatloaf (prepared fresh daily), baby back ribs with "private reserve" barbeque sauce, and chicken Florentine. Portions are definitely he-man sized, and there are several hearty sandwiches offered for lunch, including turkey Reuben, prime rib, tuna, and avocado melt — all low priced. Big breakfasts (served all day long) are another hallmark of Dad's, and the omelets and pancakes are very popular.
My morals say that if the mom had a bad reputation as you would say she did, then she would not have so many upper-middle class people expressing how wonderful the family is. (read all the sweet things/quotes about them...at the san diego site...it's full of compliments)
Rick Roberts is the immoral guy who spends his time feeding the fear and anger of parents who also care about their children. If you will notice, his allegations came AFTER the pitbull lawyer was hired. If we are all into conspiracie theories, than I suggest the lawyer is behind all the rumors and gossip.
Now that is a mouthful. Unless the purpose of the "bar trips" are in fact recruitment trips, for the cookie sells, of course. I suppose after meeting prospects, Brenda VD then brings them home, where they go in the garage, and all sample some of her cookies??? /innuendo now is off/ FDA
Where did she go with her friends after the restaraunt closed?
It all seemed to have started a week before Danielle vanished. Danielle's mother, Brenda van Dam with with her girlfriends at a local hang out. David Westerfield was also at the club that night. Brenda knew Westerfield lived in her neighborhood, but didn't know him socially. It seemed as though Westerfield tried to change that.
BRENDA "He did buy us drinks, but we didn't talk to him at all. We didn't interact with him at all"
Four days later Brenda and Danielle were selling Girl Scout Cookies. Westerfield's house was on the route.
When I went to sell him Girl Scout cookies he said " Your friends look like a lot of fun, why didn't you introduce me to them" and I said... ' I don't even know your first name. And he said tell your friends that you have a rich neighbor who would like to meet them, and I said that I would be going up there next friday, but I don't know if I can get a sitter or not."
That friday Brenda and her girlfriends went to the club, Westerfield showed up. Westerfield said ' Ladies don't buy their own drinks, let me buy you a drink." I turned my back to him. Then I felt bad that I turned my back on him. He sat there staring at me the rest of the night"
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Danielle was last seen wearing blue flowered pajamas with flowers
Her favorite colors are pink and purple
Danielle belongs to her local Brownie troop
Family friends have set up a website at: http://daniellemissing.tripod.com
San Diego police are scouring the Sabre Springs area for 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. Police say Danielle's parents, Damon and Brenda van Dam, reported her missing when they discovered Danielle was not in her room at about 9 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2002.
Damon told police he put Danielle and her two brothers to bed at around 10:30 Friday night while Brenda was out celebrating with friends until about 2 a.m. Saturday, a send-off for a woman who was leaving the area, detectives said. When Brenda arrived home with four friends at about 2 am, police say they ate pizza with Damon and talked for about an hour. Shortly after the friends left, police say Damon and Brenda told them they noticed lights blinking on their burglar alarm panel and found a sliding glass door and a side garage door open. Police say the alarm was not set, but the panel is a type that indicates when doors and windows are opened and shut at all times. The couple told police they closed the doors and went to bed, and did not check on the children. (!!) FDA
Saturday morning, police say the couple told them a friend stopped by at about 9 a.m. to see Danielle. Damon and Brenda told police that they thought Danielle was still sleeping and Brenda went to wake Danielle. That is when police say the couple discovered Danielle was missing from her room and called 9-1-1.
Police began investigating immediately, using helicopters, horses and dogs to search the area canyons for Danielle, a second-grader at Creekside Elementary School in Sabre Springs. Officers also conducted neighborhood searches and provided the Border Patrol and Customs Service with photos of Danielle to keep watch for her at the border. Detectives additionally interviewed family members, neighbors, schoolmates and friends about the disappearance, hoping to develop leads, but had no luck. A door to door search of over 200 homes in the area was then conducted.
Since then police have concentrated their search on an area of the desert near Danielle's house where a neighbor told them he camped that weekend. The neighbor came under suspicion after the police searched his home during the door to door search. There has been much speculation about the neighbor but police have not arrested him.
Danielle was wearing blue pajamas with flowers on them when last seen. She is white, 4 feet tall and weighs about 58 pounds. She has blue eyes and blond hair.
Danielle's parents are offering a $25,000.00 reward for her safe return. Additionally, a $60,000.00 reward is offered for information leading to a conviction in Danielle's disappearance.
Oh you are priceless. Anonymous "compliments" trump her own bar stories??????
For all you know these "upper-middle class" are her swinger friends. Geeeesh !!!!
Where was Mrs.VD for the four hours between 10PM and 2AM? The place closes at 10.
It is interesting that the links on the jon and ken web site (and posted here by FDA at #445) cannot be accessed by the links. The sound tracks are there, you just have to cut and paste the url into media player.
Maybe the restaurant closes at 10pm but the bar remains open until 2am?
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EL CAJON – Laura Davis said she felt drawn to the quiet patch of shade under an oak tree where searchers this week found the body of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.