Even thinking about the horrors she suffered leaves a feeling in my chest like a lump of lead. Regardless of their lifestyle,her parents deserve a LOT of sympathy,too. After all,they lost a child to murder. As far as that goes, Westerfield's family is deserving of some sympathy,too. It's not every son who has a father who tries to blame HIM for the father's possession of child porn,or who tries to shift blame for the rape and murder of a child off on him.
None. Zip. They are nullities until and unless they can confront their own gross failings toward their child. They should not be treated unkindly or shunned. But neither should they be fawned over and allowed to wallow self-indulgently in the maudlin tears of others either. Heedless self-indulgence was and is their core problem. Why encourage it?
Their selfish, self-indulgent, heedless, sordid lifestyle was destroying the little girl psychically, emotionally, and spiritually before Westerfield kidpapped, abused, and murdered her. Only hedonist atomists (and there are many who infest FR) would deny that. Only hedonist atomists believe each person's behavior choices are hermetically sealed off from the rest of civilization, that they can be as "nasty as they wanna be," and still live in a secure, clean, and pleasant society. They are deluded. Society is secure and pleasant only to the extent that there is a majority of decent and self-disciplined people who work hard to keep it that way. The filth dwellers freeload off the efforts of the moral and self-disciplined.
I ache for Danielle when I think of the many times she must have been lying in her bed, acutely aware of what mom and dad and various strangers were doing just scant feet away. It sickens me that her parents would be so surpassingly callous and heedless.
I would have sympathy for Danielle's parents at this late date only if they genuinely and personally felt overwhelming remorse and shame for their lifestyle and how it undoubtedly impacted their daughter. They must face and accept the consequences of their own acts--otherwise they are simply freeloading off the sympathy of people who want to give them a pass.