Partying at Dad's
The afternoon's second witness was a woman who observed Brenda van Dam and her two friend's at Dad's bar the night before Danielle van Dam disappeared says both the victim's mother and her friend Barbara Easton propositioned her.
Cherokee Youngs described the trio as "partying and having a good time" that night at Dad's in Poway.
"When I first saw her she tried to grab my hands and dance with me," Youngs said of Easton. Later in the evening, she was approached by Brenda van Dam, Youngs said.
"Brenda approached me along with Barbara when I was with my friend, Ryan." Youngs said. "She asked Barbara who these two people were and Barbara didn't know our names. We were just kind of walking away and she said, 'Are you together?' I said 'Yes' and Brenda made a comment that 'I'd like to take these two people home. I wouldn't mind taking them home.' "
Brenda repeated the request at least once, she testified, and Youngs says she declined. Youngs testified she made quick friends with her male companion, Ryan, though she had just met him that night because of the repeated propositions. "I said you are now my official boyfriend for the evening to try and keep her from being attracted to me, I guess."
Under cross-examination from prosecutor Jeff Dusek, Youngs testified she had been drinking -- at least two cocktails at Dad's and half a bottle of wine at dinner -- though she was the designated driver for the evening.
She never saw the defendant, David Westerfield, at Dad's, Youngs testified. She also admitted following some of the trial coverage on television.