Danielle Van Dam Research Paper

Danielle Van Dam, 2002 A little girl…a twisted world…a life taken far too soon… this is the story of Danielle Van Dam and how her family finally received justice for the loss of their daughter. Danielle Van Dam was a seven-year-old girl from the Sabre Springs community in California was and continues to be a well-ranked neighborhood and location for many families to raise their children. Although this is a beautiful place, a monster was lurking. On February 1st, 2002, a man acted on his terrible thoughts. The criminal, David Westerfield, took young Danielle from her room. Previous to the kidnapping, Danielle’s parents reported that her mother had gone out for a few drinks with her friends and when they came back they smoked marijuana with

Brian Blackbourne at the scene, where she was found. One of his first observations was that her body was in a deep state of decomposition and that much of her body had been eaten by different animals and insects, to the point that much of her body tissue, left foot and genitals were missing. Dr. Blackbourne reported that her skin was “mummified”; the medical examiner was able to place an approximation to the time of her death at about two weeks prior to being found. Forensic professionals may learn that the state of decomposition of a body, may tell the observers about what time the person became deceased. For example, in a hot, humid area like California, mummification takes about two weeks, while a body in an enclosed area, would take a few months. The rate of decomposition allows investigators to gather a greater understanding of when the victim may have passed because of the incremental change in body temperature, location, and the environment. After the initial estimate from Dr. Blackbourne, Danielle’s body underwent an autopsy the next day. Her cause of death was undeterminable and since her genitals were gone, he was also unable to determine if she had been sexually assaulted. After the autopsy, Dr. Blackbourne reported that “she had died at least 10 days prior to being found and as much as six weeks earlier”. Investigators who study the decomposition process

James Watkins Jr., a computer forensic examiner oversaw images on computer materials in David Westerfield’s bedroom and office. This investigator found video and picture evidence which drafted children under eighteen years old involved in sexual acts. Watkins also discovered “anime” files that did contain “storyboard” type drawings of young girls being taken, bound, and raped. This evidence signified that Westerfield was aroused by some sort of fantasy, which correlated with the case. The digital evidence uncovered aided investigators in the criminal case because it revealed information about the M.O. of the defendant and elevated him as the proper