Van Dam's Mom Recalls Meeting Suspect

ByABC News
March 15, 2002, 12:03 PM

S A N  D I E G O, March 15 -- After three days of testimony, a judge ordereda man accused of killing a 7-year-old girl whose body was foundalong a rural road last month to stand trial.

The girl's mother, Brenda van Dam held back tears as shetestified Thursday at a preliminary hearing for David Westerfield,50, who has been charged with kidnapping, murder and possession ofchild pornography. He has pleaded innocent.

"I have reasonable cause to believe that Mr. Westerfield isguilty," Judge H. Ronald Domnitz said in issuing his decision.

Under cross-examination by the defense, van Dam, 39, at timesgrew frustrated and repeatedly said she couldn't recall detailsabout events surrounding her daughter's disappearance from thefamily's home Feb. 1.

"I've been through a lot," she said.

Van Dam recalled meeting Westerfield when she and her daughter,Danielle, went to his home in their north San Diego neighborhood tosell Girl Scout cookies last year.

She testified that she had little contact with thetwice-divorced engineer until earlier this year when she ran intohim at a local bar while she was out with two girlfriends.

Days later, she went to Westerfield's home with Danielle and oneof her sons to again sell cookies, she said. As the childrenexplored the home, van Dam said she chatted with Westerfield. He said he often hosted "adult parties" and barbecues andinvited van Dam and her husband.

She said she thought it odd Westerfield mentioned "adultparties."

"I didn't know what he meant by that," she testified.

Under cross-examination by the defense, van Dam, 39, at timesgrew frustrated and repeatedly said she couldn't recall detailsabout events surrounding her daughter's disappearance. "I've been through a lot," she said.

Van Dam said she and her two girlfriends met on Feb. 1 andshared a marijuana cigarette in van Dam's garage before going out.

The girl's father, Damon van Dam, 37, testified he also smokedmarijuana with the women in the garage, but went back inside toplay video games with their sons while Danielle read a book.