Associated Press
EL CAJON, Calif. – 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 found 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 pornography.
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 pornography, 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.
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