Dental records ID Danielle's body

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Dental records confirmed Thursday that the decomposing body of a child found beneath an oak tree is that of Danielle van Dam, the gap-toothed second-grader who disappeared from her San Diego home nearly a month ago.

Searchers made the tragic discovery of the body Wednesday afternoon while combing a largely rural area of El Cajon, about 25 miles from the van Dam home where 7-year-old Danielle was last seen the night of Feb. 1 when she was put to bed wearing blue pajamas.

"Based upon a comparison of the dental records by well-known forensic dentist Skip Spurber, the identification of Danielle van Dam was made certain," San Diego County District Attorney Paul Pfingst said Thursday afternoon as he broke the news that had been expected since the discovery of the body by volunteer searchers.

Pfingst had said Wednesday night that the body appeared to match Danielle's physical description and was wearing costume jewelry that matched pieces worn by Danielle, including the choker necklace she was wearing in the photo used on countless missing person fliers distributed around the area.

"It has been a long three weeks for San Diego," Pfingst lamented.

The cause of the little girl's death remained unknown Thursday due to the decomposed state of the body, which apparently lay exposed to the elements for nearly a month. The medical examiner's office was continuing tissue tests in order to determine how Danielle died.

"There are tissue samples and other types of things that cannot be done within hours or minutes and those things still have to be done," Pfingst said, without being specific about the tests being run.

A neighbor of the van Dam's, David Westerfield, was arrested last week and faces charges of murder, kidnapping and possession of child pornography. Pfingst had stated earlier that his office was prepared to prosecute Westerfield on the basis of DNA evidence, even without a body.

"Obviously, the more evidence one has, the better off the case is," Pfingst said Thursday. "We had discussed a few days ago the difficulties of going ahead with a murder case without a body. Now, the body is there, and that issue is for all intents and purposes removed."

Pfingst refused to discuss specific details about the autopsy findings or any other evidence found at the scene.

Danielle's body was removed on a gurney late Wednesday night from the crime scene along Dehesa Road in a semi-rural area dotted with large homes and golf courses. A dirt path runs behind the clump of trees, which allows vehicles to pull off the road without being seen by passing traffic, according to residents.

"This is a main thoroughfare," longtime resident Gloria Chadwick told the Union-Tribune. "Transient traffic cars go back and forth. It's not familiar old-timer cars, where you say, 'There goes our neighbor.' We don't know anybody anymore."

The daily searches launched by a volunteer group were suspended Thursday, and the van Dam family remained secluded in their home after making nearly daily appearances for the media.

Police Chief Dave Bejarano was with the Van Dams at their home as Pfingst made the announcement. He said they did not watch the televised news conference, but asked a number of questions.

"There were a lot of tears and a lot of anger," Bejarano said as he emerged from the house with Capt. Ron Newman, the head of the SDPD's homicide unit.

"There was a little sense of relief," he said. "They mentioned that Danielle was in good hands now."

(Reported by Hil Anderson in Los Angeles)