Where To Put Danielle's Flowers Sparks Row
Questions Arise Over Where Public Should Express Grief
POSTED: 2:45 pm PST March 6,
2002
UPDATED: 3:37 pm PST March 6,
2002
SAN DIEGO -- People who placed mementos near the East County site where the body of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam was found are angry that the makeshift memorial has been dismantled.
Volunteers Monday removed a carload of flowers, stuffed animals, wreaths and photographs placed at the Dehesa Road site by hundreds of people who visited the location following last week's discovery of the partially decomposed body."How dare they?" Cindy Moore of Spring Valley told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Although Danielle's parents have requested that people remember their daughter at a Sabre Springs neighborhood park near their home, they did not request that the Dehesa Road memorial be taken down, a family spokesperson told the newspaper.The van Dams requested Tuesday that any additional flowers and stuffed animals dropped off at the East County location be left in place, according to the Union-Tribune.The volunteers who removed the memorial on Monday said they were acting on their own and that they had taken the mementos to the park in Sabre Springs, the newspaper reported."They didn't leave anything," said Moore's sister, Connie Munzer. "It's upsetting. It's not right."Moore said that people have the right to grieve for the slain second-grader in a location of their own choosing and that Sabre Springs is a long drive from East County."Nothing will ever change that her body was dumped in this spot," Moore said. "There will never be a time that I come up here that I won't think of her."Meanwhile, the 4th District Court of Appeal is still deciding whether to release search warrant affidavits of the investigation into David Westerfield.Westerfield's lawyer, Steven Feldman, also filed another request for a gag order to provent investigators and prosecutors from talking to the media. His first request, made during Westerfield's arraignment last week, was put on hold. A hearing on the new request is scheduled for friday.
![]() DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 DONATIONS The Danielle van Dam Family Trust Mail donations to: Community Bible Church 9919 Carroll Center Road San Diego, 92126 For donations for funeral or memorial services, contact: Susan Wintersteen (858) 735-6735 Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, CA 92150 DISCUSSION |
Previous Stories:
- March 5, 2002: Danielle's Parents Speak Out
- March 4, 2002: Westerfield Affidavits To Remain Sealed
- March 3, 2002: Experts Try To Determine Danielle's Cause Of Death
- March 1, 2002: Body Found Believed To Be Danielle's
- March 1, 2002: Autopsy Confirms Body Found Is Danielle's
- February 27, 2002: Search Warrants Show Police Sought Child Porn
- February 27, 2002: Danielle's Parents Respond To Neighbor's Arraignment
- February 26, 2002: Trial Set For Accused South Bay Boys' Killer
- February 26, 2002: Van Dam Neighbor To Be Arraigned
- February 26, 2002: Westerfield To Be Charged With Murder
- February 25, 2002: Danielle's Blood Found On Neighbor's Clothing
- February 21, 2002: Search For Danielle Extends To Mexico
- February 21, 2002: Marines Assist In Search For Danielle
- February 20, 2002: Governor Shows His Support For Van Dam Family
- February 20, 2002: Police Use Old Murder For Clues In Van Dam Case
- February 20, 2002: Crime Lab Personnel Return To Van Dam Home
- February 18, 2002: Search Continues For Danielle van Dam
- February 15, 2002: Police: Break In Missing Girl Case Expected
- February 14, 2002: Police Search Neighbor's House Again
- February 13, 2002: Marc Klaas Lends Support To Van Dam Family
- February 13, 2002: Reward For Danielle Reaches $185,000
- February 13, 2002: 'Better Trained' Dog Joins Danielle Search
- February 12, 2002: Rewards Grow In Search Of Missing Girl
- February 11, 2002: Missing Girl's Family Offers $25,000 Reward
- February 8, 2002: Police: Westerfield Had Child Porn
- February 8, 2002: Investigation Operations Base Leaves North County
- February 8, 2002: Search For Danielle Goes Nationwide
- February 7, 2002: Parents Plead For Help Finding Missing Daughter
- February 5, 2002: Police Question Neighbor In Missing Girl Case
- February 4, 2002: Parents Plead For Daughter's Safe Return
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