A Tragedy Unfolds

On the morning of February 2, 2002, the parents of Danielle van Dam were forced to face their worst nightmare when they discovered the empty bed of their 7-year-old daughter. Danielle was last seen the night before when Damon van Dam put his beautiful blue-eyed daughter to bed. The distraught parents immediately reported Danielle as missing, and an extensive search involving hundreds of volunteers began. Authorities assumed that the innocent young child was abducted from her bed while she slept on the night of February 1, 2002.

Only 4 days after the young victim disappeared, police began keeping a 24-hour surveillance of their main suspect, Daniel Westerfield, a 50-year-old self-employed engineer and twice-divorced father of two. Westerfield lived two doors down from the van Dam family. Police quickly focused in on him when they learned he had left for a solo camping trip to the desert the same morning Danielle was discovered missing. As soon as Westerfield returned from his camping trip, police began investigating his activities.

While under investigation, Westerfield was reported as being extremely cooperative. Police obtained warrants to search Westerfield's home, RV, and car. The searches turned up valuable evidence, including the following:

* Child pornography on Westerfield's computer

* Danielle's fingerprints in Westerfield's RV

* A drop of Danielle's blood in Westerfield's RV

* A drop of Danielle's blood on Westerfield's jacket

* Fibers similar to Danielle's bedroom carpet in Westerfield's RV

* Dog hairs that could have come from the van Dam's dog in Westerfield's RV

* Blond hairs that could have belonged to Danielle in Westerfield's RV and house

Although Danielle was still missing by February 22, 2002, it was assumed that she was no longer alive and might never be found. Westerfield was presumed to be responsible for her alleged death and was arrested. On February 26, 2002, he was arraigned on charges of kidnapping, murder, and misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

On February 27, 2002, almost a month after she was reported missing, the body of Danielle van Dam was discovered 25 miles away from her home along a desert road east of San Diego. The evidence found during the investigation of Westerfield and his suspicious alibi provided a convincing case for the prosecution during the trial. However, his defense lawyers presented a significant amount of evidence to raise doubts in the minds of the jurors.

Uncertainly Guilty

The prosecution could not present any evidence that directly linked Westerfield to Danielle. There were no traces of evidence that Westerfield had been in the van Dam's house. No one saw Westerfield and Danielle together, and none of his DNA was found on her body. The defense asserted that only someone who was familiar with the van Dam's house could have been able to sneak in and take Danielle undetected.

The lifestyles of Brenda and Damon van Dam, Danielle's parents, were also brought into question during the trial. The two admitted to smoking marijuana the night before Danielle was abducted and also to openly having sex with other...