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 poor thing, is someone there forcing you to read threads that you aren't interested in?
They go way out of the way to keep from getting sued. As I say their fact-checking is arduous. As a result, much of it is reading how the story is presented in the tabloid. In other words, do they present the story as "fact" or as "heresay" (Such as saying that an un-named source said that Westerfield had said something).
Agreed, at least several grains of salt. But it could well complicate DW's trial, if true.
As I mentioned yesterday, the body was dumped just 2 miles from a casino that Westerfield is a member of. The casino operators were interviewed and said they had approached the police to offer information about Westerfield although there was no indication whether that was BEFORE or AFTER the discovery of the body. I don't know if Westerfield stopped there that night ... but if he did, that would be a clue.
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03-01-2002, 12:27 AM |
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A reliable source has disclosed that the San Diego Police Department knows a lot more than what has been revealed to the public about the murder of Danielle van Dam. This has to do with the identity of one of the searchers who knew exactly where the location of the body was.This searcher was a relative of the van Dams. This area had been searched previously and she wasn't found there at that time.Also, according to my information, the Accused was a welcomed visitor into the van Dam home the night Danielle went missing.Certain members of the S.D.P.D. are now investigating whether Westerfield might have been framed.The person who revealed this information to me has not been sworn to secrecy. The actual source of this information is reliable and is in a position to have access to records of the S.D.P.D. Hopefully these details, and other information regarding this case, will be forthcoming from the San Diego Police Department.Please don't be angry at me for revealing what I have been told.Cat |
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03-01-2002, 4:35 PM |
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To mfmangel: I am the Poster that you are referring to in your post dated 3-1-02 at 2:25PM. Please check my post dated 3-1-02 at 12:27AM. Please let me clarify what I said. The searcher who knew the exact location of where the body was is a male relative of the van Dams. The source of all the information stated in my above mentioned post is a San Diego Police Officer. I don't have anymore information than this, as this is all the information that was told to me. I don't have the missing pieces of the puzzle regarding the murder of Danielle van Dam. I am simply sharing the information that I do have with other Posters. I don't know enough as of yet, especially when considering all of this new information, to even form my own opinions. I do know that I feel deeply saddened by the murder of Danielle van Dam.Cat |
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Whew! I'm not the only one who thinks this is VERY odd to say after one has the killer in jail and found the body. Could he mean building a case? If it's something else then ...
I completely agree with you. I was sickened by the excess of the saccharine Princess Di "mourning".
Mourning is best done privately. Personally, I find it difficult to "mourn" someone I don't know. I can feel sad at this little girl's death, but "mourn" (as one would for a loved one) is a misnomer.
Okay, okay ... I was cutting corners. Let me check it out.
Read the posts by this user, CatLyn
Let me know what ya think??? Weirder and Weirder!!
It is great that so many volunteers helped to find the child, and amazing that they were at least able to find the corpse so quickly, which will undoubtedly help the case.
But at this time, they can do no good by gawking at the crime scene.
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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. 