The Search for Danielle at Glamis

[Paige]

Forwarded from ASA -->

As OHV enthusiasts we do many things well, but I personally think what we do
best is rise to the occasion in a crisis. I'm asking for help in rising to an
occasion this weekend.

As you all know, a 7-year old girl, Danielle, has been missing from her San
Diego home since February 1st. The police believe she was abducted. There
have been no arrests and no suspects have been named. What must be relied
upon now is the awareness of strangers.

Because of the large crowds expected at Glamis this weekend we have been
asked to help spread the word about Danielle’s abduction by passing out
flyers and giving out information. We have also been asked to keep our eyes
open for any possible clues as to this child’s whereabouts. As you are no
doubt aware, searches are underway in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Several areas at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area must also be
searched. Who better to turn to for such a task than those who carry the
dunes in their hearts and souls.

WE WILL BE STAGING SEVERAL SEARCHES on Saturday, February 16, 2002. Wash 15
will be the staging area, with one search beginning at 11:00 a.m. and a
second search beginning at 2:00 p.m. The searches should not take long and
will involve a combination of walking and (slow) riding. As with the searches
in other areas, the ISDRA searches will be reconnaissance only, leaving the
true detective work to, well, the detectives.

Water and other supplies will be provided to the volunteers in this effort. I
need a headcount of how many will step forward this Saturday. I don’t need to
know which search you’ll participate in, just whether you will be there to
assist. Anyone with those little hand-held radios and GPS toys, please bring
them along. I understand CBs are not that receptive but those ham radios are
dandy.

PLEASE HELP.

Please e-mail Vicki at [email protected]



<font color=yellow>Paige<font color=yellow>

 

[rdc]

Hey Paige, how did things go at Glamis? I admire you for getting involved. It would be hard for me, with a seven year old of my own. The news said they are close to an arrest. They must have some good evidence, hope so.

Take Care, Ellen

 

[mgobaja]

I think it would be great if they made an arrest , but how about finding the little girl 1st.

 

[scott]

This isn't a funny subject, but I find it pretty screwed that the Lawmakers want to close Desert Areas such as Glamis or Pismo because of Off-road antics and how were all screwing up the environment, but yet in crisis when they want help from us, which is cool but they have to compromise someway. If all of Glamis was closed would they still ask for the help???? I wonder !!!!! Its a shame what happen to this little girl, and its too bad someone out in Glamis didn't find her tooling around on a 250R or something just having fun....

 

[rdc]

Obviously, finding that little girl is the number one priority. If they do or don't, I hope they catch the sicko that did it. I can't imagine what her parents are going thru right now, don't want to. Wouldn't that be great to find her out there riding a little Yamaha 80.


Ellen

 

[Ryno]

I was out at Ocotillo, and was talking about the whole thing from some friends that gave me some interesting info. I guess the neighbor that went out there had to be towed out from the dunes in his motorhome, and also burned alot of firewood. It takes about 10 gallons of gas to make a 180lb human being literally disappear. Consider 1/2 of that for a child. Then consider the winds on Sat night/ Sunday. Also, Dad came home a day early from the search? Every parent I know would go day and night to look for their kid. The parents seem a bit "fishy" to me.

Ryno

Build it like a Rhino, and Leave it be.

 

[Clifford]

That is very true Ryno. Also, consider the reports that the neighbor claims to have been dancing with the Mrs. the night she went out with the girls. As expected, she denies such a claim. There's more to this story than meets the eye.

 

[GoHardOrGoHome]

There was a TV report from Glamis, where they interviewed the tow-truck driver who got the motorhome out. (I now know how much tow @Glamis is, $150). You could see the sand dunes in the background. He said that guy was in a real hurry to get dug out. Makes you wonder. That's the last thing Glamis needs, an association with (alleged) child molesters/murderers.

You hear about all these murder cases, where the perpetrator drives to the mountains or desert to dump bodies (there was that really notorious case about the photographer who dumped that fashion model's body near Mt, Wilson). Makes you want to be a little careful about the people you meet out in the boonies.

"Go for the Gusto, Go for the Overall"
-- Robby Gordon, SCORE off-road champion

 

[Tyson]

That is all just disturbing, if my little boy got lost or was abducted "F" everything else, all I would be doing is looking for him - anywhere and everywhere day in day out. Sorry this stuff just makes me sick.

You may beat me in the flats, but watch out in the whoops! ! !

 

[Paige]

Hey Ellen, Thanks for asking. I emailed ASA and asked how the search went here is what- here is what they said ...

We had an excellent turnout and (thankfully) didn't
find anything worth mentioning.

We had over 200 people show up for the first search
and then had many more arrive throughout the day, so
there were many different search parties heading out
all day long. In the afternoon we staged another
large search but there were TV crews hanging around
and they kind of got in the way. We still managed to
search most of the washes by Saturday evening.

Damon van Dam stopped by on Saturday afternoon and
asked us if we would be searching tomorrow (Sunday)
also and although we had not planned to, we said we
would. So my brother went camp to camp Saturday night
passing out flyers and asking for volunteers. We had
well over a hundred people show up on Sunday to help.

It was great for Mr. van Dam to see the support of
strangers. He greeted people who were returning from
the searches and thanked everyone for helping. It
made it much more personal for me and I don't know yet
if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

We may organize more searches if we are asked to do
so. This family needs the kindness of strangers right
now, very much.

As far as an arrest goes - I'm not sure - I bet someone from SD will have more info as the news is more prominent down there - I hope it doesn't turn out like Jean Bennet Ramsey - but from what I heard the parents got a publicity rep right away... to strange.


<font color=yellow>Paige<font color=yellow>

 

[Tom_Willis]

The news reported the arrest of the neighbor. He had traces of the girl's blood in his house.

 

[rdc]

I don't get it...A suspect was arrested, the girl has not been found...and the parents instead of being out there looking for their daughter, they go to a baseball photo session...I don't have kids yet but you can be sure that if I was in a similar situation, I would not do anything other than looking for my kid...

 

[Paige]

ABCNEWS.COM
February 25, 2002

A neighbor charged in the disappearance of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam also will also be charged with murder and could face the death penalty, San Diego police and prosecutors said today.

Investigators said they have not found the girl's body, but they have concluded that she is dead and was killed by David Westerfield, who was repeatedly questioned in her disappearance before his arrest Friday.

"I must conclude that Danielle van Dam is no longer living and that she has been killed by her abductor," San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst said at a news conference today.

Pfingst said Westerfield, 49, would be charged with murder during the act of a kidnapping and be arraigned Tuesday on the charges. If convicted, Westerfield faces the death penalty or life in prison.

"Given that all the community has gone through, some may feel that a murder charge may be harsh," Pfingst said. "But it is the correct charge."

Blood Evidence Provides Link

Westerfield, who lives just two doors down from the van Dam family's suburban San Diego home, was arrested at his attorney's office in Hillcrest Friday. Investigators found Danielle's blood on an article of Westerfield's clothing and in his motor home, San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano said.

Investigators have focused primarily on Westerfield, who took his motor home to an area in the desert outside San Diego for the weekend on the same morning Danielle was reported missing four weeks ago.

Westerfield's home was searched more than once, his Toyota sport utility vehicle and motor home were both impounded, and he has provided a DNA sample for analysis. The Toyota was returned to him, but police still have the mobile home.

Investigators hauled at least 13 bags of evidence from Westerfield's home about a week after the girl was reported missing on Feb. 2. Her parents told authorities the last they had seen of her was when her father put her to bed after 10 p.m. the night before.

Among the bags of evidence were materials that appeared to be child pornography, according to ABC affiliate KGTV.

The van Dams have said they are not very well acquainted with Westerfield, though the man told reporters the week after Danielle disappeared that he had spent some time at a bar with Brenda van Dam and some of her girlfriends the night Danielle was last seen, and that he and the missing girl's mother danced together.

Searching Expanded

Investigators looking into the disappearance of the girl had extended their search to Mexico last week.

Closer to the van Dam family's northern San Diego home, more than 30 Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar also looked for clues in the brushy foothills off Highway 67 in the vicinity of Poway and Lakeside.

Though a murder charge will be filed against Westerfield, police say the search for Danielle will continue.



<font color=yellow>Paige<font color=yellow>

 

[scott]

Can you imagine that sick bastard has child porn in his house, admitted the death of the girl and that he did it, and now he entered a not guilty plea..... These lawyers are out of control...

 

[TrucksR4Girls]

He admitted to it?? I must have missed that part! I dont understand how someone could kidnapp a little innocent girl, and kill her!! You have to be seriously F****D to be able to do something like that!! makes me sick!!

" Hondas are like Tampons, Every Pu*sy has one!"

 

[DougM]

This all happened about 2 miles down the road from myself and my family- its gotten alot of folks who normally feel safe in the upscale area, to question how they go about their daily lives. Theres alot of info that hasnt come out yet I think. Once it does the s*^% is gonna hit the fan.

I still dont know what kind of parents dont check on their kids before they g to bed though?
They may never find her...

 

[Waldo]

This is kind of off the subject but it kind of relates. Anyone see the article a couple of weeks ago in People magazine. It had 31 women who had babies after their husbands died in 9/11. I was doing some morning reading and couldn't even finish the article. A total of 52 women (who lost their husbands) have had children after the attacks. God bless them and their families.

I have a 6 m/o daughter and can't imagine losing her or my wife...let alone thinking about her losing her dad! It sickens me to think that this little girl has been taken in a brutal fashion. Pray for her and her family and anyone who has ever been affected this way!

GODSPEED

BRAAAAAAAAP!

 

[rdc]

I believe they have found the suspect. But I have a really hard time with how he got her to begin with. I find her parents highly suspicious, not that hey helped but how did it happen. I think they are way to calm, I would be a basket case.

Ellen D

 

[V8Ranger]

Yeah it sounds pretty fishy but they did pass a polygraph test, not that they 100% accurate, but that does have to be a descent indicator.

 

[TrucksR4Girls]

Yeah, how could they not know there kid got taken out of there house esspecially from a 2 story, they said the alarm was brieched, wouldnt they immediatly check on there kids?? and wouldnt they hear or see something when they go to turn the alarm off?! And wasnt the dad supposed to be gone that weekend but decided to stay home?...just too many weird things happening to know who really did it, but if they found blood in the RV and on his clothes, well then .... I guess he has to be guilty

" Hondas are like Tampons, Every Pu*sy has one!"