SAN DIEGO -- The preliminary hearing for a neighbor accused of abducting and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam is currently in session.

DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 Watch Danielle Video Montage DONATIONS The Danielle van Dam Family Trust Mail donations to: Community Bible Church 9919 Carroll Center Road San Diego, 92126 MEMORIAL SERVICE Public Service at La Jolla Shores March 16, 10 a.m. Shuttle bus available at Torrey Pines Glider Port DISCUSSION Share your feelings, thoughts about the case Danielle Web site Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, CA 92150

David Westerfield (pictured, right), a 50-year-old self-employed design engineer, is charged with murder, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography in connection with the second-grader's disappearance and death.

The first witness called to the stand in today's hearing was San Diego police Lt. Jim Collins.

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Lt. Collins Describes Danielle's Body

He told the courtroom that the body of Danielle was nude, in an advanced state of decomposition and missing a foot when it was found.

"I saw a body of a young female," Collins (pictured, right) said.

"There was an advanced state of decomposition. She was laying on her back. Her head was facing a tree. Her head was turned to the east. The torso was in an advanced stage of decomposition," he added.

Later, Chief Medical Examiner Brian Blackbourne testified that Danielle's body had no clothes when found and showed signs of considerable "animal activity."

Blackbourne said skin and muscle tissue was missing from many parts of her body. Also missing was her genitalia, which could make it difficult for prosecutors to prove a sexual motive in her death.

Asked how long van Dam had been dead, Blackbourne responded, "It's certainly consistent with the three-and-a-half weeks she'd been missing."

He testified that the manner of death was homicide, and that the cause of the child's death is still to be determined, pending additional testing.

The preliminary hearing is expected to last more than one day, at which time Superior Court Judge H. Ronald Domnitz will decide whether there is enough evidence to try Westerfield on the charges.

The victim's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, reported their daughter missing from their Sabre Springs home the morning of Feb. 2.

After weeks of searching, the girl's partially decomposed body was discovered Feb. 27 off a road in Dehesa.

Westerfield was arrested days earlier when police announced that lab tests had detected the child's blood on his clothing and in his recreational vehicle.

In addition, traces of DNA found on one of Danielle van Dam's garment in her room matched Westerfield's, police Chief David Bejarano said. He called the genetic evidence a "very, very strong link" between the defendant and the missing girl.

The chief offered little insight into what might have motivated Westerfield -- a divorced father of two -- to take Danielle van Dam from her home and family.