Associated Press
SAN DIEGO — Police seized a sport utility vehicle Tuesday from a neighbor of a missing 7-year-old girl who they believe was abducted.
For a second day, investigators searched the man’s house, which is less than 100 yards from the two-story home where police said Danielle van Dam was abducted Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Police said the man, whose name was not released, is not a suspect.
"This is a process of elimination," said police spokesman Dave Cohen. "We have gotten some information, and we wanted to take a little closer look at his vehicle and his residence."
Danielle, who has blue eyes and shoulder-length blond hair, was last seen Friday night when her father put her to bed in their home about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Her parents said they found she was missing Saturday morning when her mother went to wake her up.
"We have no reason to believe she walked away," Cohen said. "We would have found her already if that was the case."
Police said Danielle’s parents are not suspects in her disappearance.
"Please drop her off safe somewhere," Brenda van Dam said Tuesday on NBC’s "Today" show. "Just drop her off and leave and let her come home to us. Our only concern is getting her back. We just want our baby back."
Investigators questioned registered sex offenders in the area, and the FBI was offering assistance but was not actively investigating because there was no evidence Danielle had left California, spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said.
The family moved three years ago from Florida to the suburb of Sabre Springs. Their quiet neighborhood has immaculate subdivisions and a new elementary school.
Neighbors found it hard to believe a stranger could have seized the girl from her bedroom.
"For the peace of mind of the neighborhood we need to know if this was random," said Gretchen Barnett, a mother of three who lives nearby. "It would put us at ease to know that there’s not somebody scoping out the neighborhood looking for the next kid."
On the Net: The family’s Web site: daniellemissing.tripod.com
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