If they had stiffer penalties these scumbags would not do this. tragic: EL CAJON, Calif. (Feb. 27) - Authorities said Wednesday they believe they have found the body of a 7-year-old girl who disappeared from her San Diego home 26 days ago. Volunteers who have tirelessly searched for Danielle van Dam since she vanished Feb. 1 discovered the body in a cluster of oak trees in a rural area east of San Diego. A plastic necklace similar to one Danielle was wearing was found on the body. An earring matching the description of a pair the missing girl wore was also found, said San Diego County District Attorney Paul Pfingst. ''Tonight we believe that Danielle van Dam's body has been found,'' he said. A positive identification of the body could take several days. Earlier, a sheriff's deputy at the scene 25 miles east of the city had said the body had been partially burned. But authorities declined late Wednesday to discuss the condition of the remains, pending an autopsy, except to say they were badly decomposed. ''At this point we cannot positively confirm that it is Danielle,'' San Diego police Lt. Jim Collins said. ''However, we don't have any other young children missing in the county that have been reported. It's a high probability that it is her.'' Danielle was last seen on Feb. 1, when her father put her to bed in her family's San Diego home. She was discovered missing the next morning. Authorities have charged a neighbor of the family with killing the girl. David Westerfield, 50, pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges of murder, kidnapping and possession of child p*rnography. Westerfield, a twice-divorced father of two grown children, has a 1996 drunken driving conviction but no violent criminal history. He has said he was at the same bar where Brenda van Dam was spending time with friends the night Danielle disappeared. Her husband was home with their daughter and two sons. Westerfield spent the weekend of Danielle's disappearance traveling around San Diego County in his motor home, stopping in the desert east of the city. Police have received permission to search a dry cleaner in suburban Poway for Westerfield's bedding and clothing. Westerfield reportedly had taken seat cushions from his motor home and clothing in for cleaning after his weekend in the desert. Police have also searched Westerfield's home and examined three of his vehicles. In warrants, police said they were looking for child p*rnography, children's pajamas or clothing and a set of Mickey Mouse earrings. Police also sought any ''binding materials'' such as tape or rope, leather or rope collars.
I thought this ******* was a sexual offender ? I thought thats how the police were on to him so quick ?? So why was he a suspect,almost from the start? This is very tragic and I'm afraid there may be more to the story than we know. Damm straight.It's really sad how light of sentences these perverts get. I have a 10 yr old daughter that hardley ever is out of the site of an adult.I wish it was like when I grew up and kids could play on their own street without fear.
Don't know if it's true, but the story I've heard is that the parents are swingers/swappers. The mom brought the neighbor home from the bar that night, and they did a little swinging... And the girl disappeared during the night. There were no signs of forced entry (into the house, I mean), and the parents weren't alerted to any intruders. Sounds like when the neighbor left he took a souvenir... The cops later searched the neighbor's home and found a bunch of kiddyporn inside. Wierd case. I guess the moral of the story is: don't have swinger sex with your child-molesting neighbors while the kids are at home...
Treeman I believe you are correct but of course the parents will deny this for the simple reason that they could be charged with child endangerment or some drummed up charge as well. This means if this is actually true the parents must have been stone cold drunk or stoned not to see there little girl being carried off by the scumbag. I have no kids but I have 3 little cousins who I partially raise as my own and bulletproof glass would not stop me from grabbing him if he did that to them. Clearly hes wearing the bulletproof vest but his head is an open target!
AHHHH!!!! Sorry, sometimes I just have to yell. God this is disgusting. I hope we can21 find Rachel Leigh Cook from Georgetown.
The capital punishment thread... I don't really want to get into that one, but one crime I 100% support the death penalty for is child molestation. History has shown over and over again that these people have no hope of really changing. This is one crime you should die for. Murder-rape of a child? Jesus, I literally cannot think of a more horrible crime... TroyBaros: It's my understanding that at least the mother was pretty drunk. I don't know where the father was. I've heard other reports that one of the mom's friends came home with her from the bar, and that daddy did a little swingin' too... They've got to be devastated about losing their child, but I can't help but think that if this is all true, they could be brought up on child/reckless endangerment charges. Truly bizarre case.
Maybe we could bring back The Roman Circus: hungry lions anyone? We need to make the punishment fearful, swift, and certain. I once dated a woman who swore to me that she wouldn't kill an intruder who was trying to harm her daughter. We didn't see one another for too very long after that! I have 3 daughters: 15, 2, and 4 months and for the life of me can't comprehend anyone not supporting the death penalty for this kind of crime. These kind of criminals are virtually irredeemable.
I agree with Treeman Child molesters who murder deserve to die. but lethal injection is too easy and he may sit in prison for years before he is put to death. THAT IS THE PROBLEM clear cut cases like this should be swift and fast instead of allowing these scums to sit on deathrow. If laws were changed this would eventually end! Now I do not agree with executing the mentally r****ded thats one thing if it is proven they are infact mentally r****ded I do not agree with putting someone to death. I know this is off the subject but I watch the show OZ on HBO and its maybe the best show of that type I have seen in a longtime. In that show they use the Chair or lethal injection and its swift and to the point and even though it is just a show its very real You kill someone you should also be willing to accept death as your punishment. Again my heart goes out to the family of Danielle. I visited their website often and checked for updates. May she rest in peace and her killer be brought to justice and may it be swift ! I can almost bet with the system we have in place now her killer made a deal with prosecutors on where the body was in exchange for him not getting the needle. He gets off easy with life and I hope someone puts a bullet in his head on the way out of the courthouse. That is swift justice!
Treeman, are these the folks that had that press conference not too long ago, defended their choice of lifestyle, and said it had absolutely nothing to do with Danielle's disappearance? Jeez...this is horrible... x34
this story is so amazingly sad and disturbing all at once...when i heard they found the little girl's body, i looked over and saw my 2 year old son playing with legos in his playroom...without getting too sappy here, i began to cry and ran over to hold him....he looked at me like, "geez, dad!! what's wrong?" i just love him so much and can't imagine the pain these people must be going through...i can't even begin to imagine how someone could hurt a child.
I've been thinking a lot about this story since I happened to read it early on when she was missing (no leads at that point), and I've been following it ever since. I just feel so awful for that family and that poor little girl. It's really impacted me and made me think more about how important my daughters are to me... I have one turning three very soon and another 7-8 months old. When you have daughters, something like this affects you even more. You see them when they're scared, or have a nightmare, or need help, and they call your name... To think you weren't there, and they no doubt were crying and calling your name (instinct alone) while this sack of monkey **** is doing these unspeakable acts, and eventually killing your baby girl.... it would push me over an edge. What would keep you from doing a vigilante act against such a sick individual? That's my question. I would think about my family... my wife and my other daughter, how I would never get to be with them again, but I doubt intelligence would win out against my emotional state after such a traumatic incident. My heart <I>really</I> goes out to that family.
Clutch : Thats some really powerful, heart breaking stuff you just said, It just makes Capital Punishment not seem enough. Now tell me after reading Clutch's post you would like to see this guy spend the rest of his life watching TV.
This is the thing I don't understand either.Most of the people responsible for making the laws are themselves parents.They know what a special joy it is to give life and nurture a child. I posted a link to the sexual offender database a few weeks ago.Heres the link to the thread. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28803&highlight=sexual+offender+database I was really shocked at the light sentences MOST of these perverts receive.Crimes like aggravated sexual assault of an 8 year old child and only a 2 year sentence
Guys, I have 3 yr old boy/girl twins and a 15 mo old daughter so I am very saddened by this story. While everyone can sympathize, one cannot truly understand the gravity of this crime without having children of their own. However, my feelings toward capital punishment are ambiguous at best. I think in these cases there is a punishment worse than a merciful, painless death. You put these guys in general population for life. Do you guys know what happens to these child molesters/murderers in jail? If he is smart (after being proven guilty) he will off himself prior to sentencing.
B-ball freak's got a good point. If some one is convicted of child molestation, it's not like he's getting off easy in prison. Once word gets out in the general population, his stay is going to be hell on earth. That said, I think the sentences are often too light for these pervs. There's nothing scummier on the face of the earth than someone who harms children.
B-ball is right on the money. It's always open season on sex offenders in prison. My guess would be that if this guy does go to prison, he is essentially getting a death sentence. Of course, the means of execution will be an eating utensil or being beaten to death, not lethal injection.
I think you guys have been watching to much tv. My guess is that these perverts are treated differently by other inmates IF it's known what they have done.It's not like they have a sign around their neck that says what they did.It could be possible that a guard could let slip out what they are in for.I'd guess they just lie about why they are there. I think they also house prisoners with similar sentences.So some guy with a two year sentence isn't likely to harm another prisoner and extend his sentence.
Well I'd agree since this case is so high profile....but I don't think it's the same on the typical sexual offender.They do these light sentences and get out and repeat the crimes... So it can't be that bad.
