Officer describes scene where Danielle was found (Preliminary hearing)

Union-Tribune ^ | March 11, 2002 | By Jeffrey J. Rose

[Dog]

Wait a minute..... Westerfield's lawyer will have a field day with this case.....ME can't even say what the cause of death was....

Or if this child was indeed even molested..

This will be an interesting case to watch..

[spectre]

Do you think it is going to go to trial? I'm betting Feldman will tie it all up and we will KNOW what happened before this prelim is over. I could be wrong...of course.

If this is the Prosecution's A-Team, then I'd hate to see the rest.

sw

[CAPPSMADNESS]

They think it was decomposition that made the body appear to be burned. I think the medical examiner said the body did not appear burned. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

you are correct. With some cases of advance decomposition, especially when a body has been exposed during a very dry weather period, a body will turn black and appear "burnt".

[brooklin]

I haven't been following this case very closely, but the families activities seem a bit odd. If the neighbor "stole" into the house and kidnaped the girl, where was the father? Something smells here.

[lady reaper]

I hate to say it, but so far Westerfield is not linked directly to this case. However, he is not exempt either.

Damon Van Dam's actions are suspect to say the least. Why would one vacuum the home, after finding out his daughter is missing? Removing evidence, I would say; this is the last thing one would do.

Perhaps this was an accidental death, but it's hard to imagine the Van Dams knew what happened to Danielle beforehand. Okay, I'm going back and forth with this, lol...

[chriscraft]

The DA will only put on enough evidence to bind Westerfield over for trial. They will hold their cards for later. There is no way Westerfield will not be bound over.

[crystalk]

What if the father molested her, not for the first time, a little rougher perhaps...had a bit more booze, hash, cocaine in his system...

And then suddenly there was All This BLOOOD!

Freakout time!

[mewzilla]

I've got a question. Why would Westerfield have to drag Danielle's body? He's a large guy, isn't he? And she was small in stature? Why would he need to drag her to where she was found?

[UCANSEE2]

Here is a summary of the 'things' that have added up, so far, in my mind.

Dad supposed to be home, babysitting. But is out with with neighbor woman.

Westerfield has wanted to join in 'reindeer games' but not allowed due to red nose (no partner to swap).

Mrs. VD could have 'danced' with Westerfield, turned him on, then dissed him. Or she could have been doing it with someone else and made Westerfield 'jealous'.

Westerfield returns home at 1030pm.

He goes over to talk to Mr. VD, thinking maybe he will 'let him in the club'.

BUT, Mr. VD isn't home.

Danielle is awoken by the doorbell and answers the door.

Maybe Westerfield decides he will tell Danielle about her mother's activities. Takes her to the garage to show her the evidence. Get's excited, wants to party, gets carried away and hurts Danielle or she won't cooperate.

You can take it from there..... But this would explain the reluctance of the parents to come out with the full truth. They left their children HOME ALONE, and could loose all of them, not just the one they already lost.

[UCANSEE2]

Sorry, Lose all of them......

[crystalk]

You have forgotten the $$$ VDs would have collected for making Danielle available.

[lady reaper]

Well, SOMEONE appears to have dragged this poor girl's body. After all evidence points to drag marks not only at the scene of the crime, but outside the Van Dam home!

Even though a lot is suspect now, we still cannot exempt Westerfield either.

[Bonaparte]

"Why would Westerfield have to drag Danielle's body?"

May have done so to duck-walk under overhanging bushes, while still bringing the body with him. Also, may have wanted to avoid getting any (or more) of her blood on him. Then again, maybe he was just angry at her, possibly for resisting him, and dragged her out of contempt, even when she was dead or nearly dead.

At this point, though, I don't think we know whether he did the dragging. Remember what the coroner said? Animals had gotten to her body after it was dumped. Ever see coyotes or hyenas eat dead prey larger than they are? I have, and they drag the body in the process of trying to tear off flesh and/or to position the body where they can see anything about to attack them.

[spectre]

The dreamer in me would want the crime to be solved in the preliminary.

The realist has to agree with you. It will go to trial..

sw

[chriscraft]

Well said.

[mewzilla]

Oh, I'm not about to exempt Westerfield. And I wondered about the critters.

[UCANSEE2]

Money or influence, or both.

[crystalk]

Are you saying it was Danielle's Weimeramer that drug her off?

[crystalk]

This OUGHT not to go to trial, unless we have a lot more than we know about now!

The reasonable doubt that any crime was even committed, when combined with the reasonable doubt that it was Westerfield who did it, if it was done, ...creates a loophole through which all of Southern California from Claremeont to Chula Vista could pass.

Van-Dammit.

[Freedom2specul8]

Actually,they are saying that the prosecution is the A team, not the investigators. :)