brainsmile
07-25-2002, 09:41 PM
I haven't really done so very carefully but I was wondering if anyone else was.
For those outside of san diego, ca here's a little background
http://www.courttv.com/trials/westerfield/
Police arrest suspect in case of missing San Diego girl
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Police arrested a neighbor Friday in the case of a 7-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom in the middle of the night three weeks ago. The girl was still missing.
David Westerfield, 49, was arrested for investigation of kidnapping after little Danielle van Dam's blood was found on a piece of his clothing and in his motor home, Police Chief David Bejarano said.
DNA tests confirmed the blood was the girl's, he said.
"I can't stress enough how strong that link is," the chief said.
Westerfield had come under suspicion almost immediately in the case and police had questioned him several times. His sport utility vehicle, motor home and other property also had been impounded.
Police released no information on the fate of Danielle, who was reported missing the morning of Feb. 2 when her parents went to check on her in her bedroom.
"We are very happy that police have made an arrest... But the fact still remains that we don't have our daughter. We still need to find Danielle," the girl's mother, Brenda van Dam, said outside the family home.
Officials said searchers were still needed over the weekend.
Westerfield, a self-employed engineer and divorced father who lives two doors down, appeared calm as he was led into an unmarked police car.
Damon van Dam, the girl's father, has previously said that the family did not know Westerfield well.
"He's an acquaintance. He's not a friend," van Dam previously told reporters. "We've seen him since we moved in. We wave to him. We say hello to him when we drive by."
Calls to Westerfield's attorney were not immediately returned.
Westerfield has told reporters that he saw Brenda van Dam at a bar near their home the night before Danielle was reported missing. Westerfield also said he went away that weekend and later showed police the locations in the desert east of San Diego.
Danielle was last seen when Damon van Dam put her to bed about 10 p.m. on Feb. 1. He stayed home with Danielle and her two brothers while Brenda was at the bar.
Brenda van Dam came home around 2:30 a.m., then stayed up for an hour with her husband and friends. She said she made sure the children's bedroom doors were closed to keep from disturbing them, but didn't check on the children.
Danielle's disappearance was featured on the crime-fighting show "America's Most Wanted."
For those outside of san diego, ca here's a little background
http://www.courttv.com/trials/westerfield/
Police arrest suspect in case of missing San Diego girl
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Police arrested a neighbor Friday in the case of a 7-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom in the middle of the night three weeks ago. The girl was still missing.
David Westerfield, 49, was arrested for investigation of kidnapping after little Danielle van Dam's blood was found on a piece of his clothing and in his motor home, Police Chief David Bejarano said.
DNA tests confirmed the blood was the girl's, he said.
"I can't stress enough how strong that link is," the chief said.
Westerfield had come under suspicion almost immediately in the case and police had questioned him several times. His sport utility vehicle, motor home and other property also had been impounded.
Police released no information on the fate of Danielle, who was reported missing the morning of Feb. 2 when her parents went to check on her in her bedroom.
"We are very happy that police have made an arrest... But the fact still remains that we don't have our daughter. We still need to find Danielle," the girl's mother, Brenda van Dam, said outside the family home.
Officials said searchers were still needed over the weekend.
Westerfield, a self-employed engineer and divorced father who lives two doors down, appeared calm as he was led into an unmarked police car.
Damon van Dam, the girl's father, has previously said that the family did not know Westerfield well.
"He's an acquaintance. He's not a friend," van Dam previously told reporters. "We've seen him since we moved in. We wave to him. We say hello to him when we drive by."
Calls to Westerfield's attorney were not immediately returned.
Westerfield has told reporters that he saw Brenda van Dam at a bar near their home the night before Danielle was reported missing. Westerfield also said he went away that weekend and later showed police the locations in the desert east of San Diego.
Danielle was last seen when Damon van Dam put her to bed about 10 p.m. on Feb. 1. He stayed home with Danielle and her two brothers while Brenda was at the bar.
Brenda van Dam came home around 2:30 a.m., then stayed up for an hour with her husband and friends. She said she made sure the children's bedroom doors were closed to keep from disturbing them, but didn't check on the children.
Danielle's disappearance was featured on the crime-fighting show "America's Most Wanted."