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American Morning

Danielle Van Dam Abduction Case Has No Leads Yet

Aired February 05, 2002 - 09:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to move now to a very troubling story from the West Coast. Authorities in California are looking for a missing 7-year-old girl. Danielle Van Dam vanished from her home near San Diego on Friday. Police believe she was abducted.

Reporter Mark Matthews from CNN affiliate, KGTV, has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK MATTHEWS, KGTV REPORTER (voice-over): Brenda and Damon Van Dam came out to talk with reporters twice. The first time to read a prepared statement.

DAMON VAN DAM, FATHER: Our hearts are aching for the safe return of our very special girl.

MATTHEWS: Second time they answered questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you take a lie detector test.

BRENDA VAN DAM, MOTHER: Yes, we did.

D. VAN DAM: Let's just...

B. VAN DAM: well, we're cooperating...

D. VAN DAM: We did. Okay.

B. VAN DAM: We're cooperating as much as we can and we did take a lie detector test. And we're doing everything that we can to get our daughter back and we just want her back.

MATTHEWS: Brenda Van Dam says she was out of the house Friday night, partying with friends, the night her daughter disappeared.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, they were having a good time. You know, playing pool with people and joking around.

MATTHEWS: Damon Van Dam was home with the three children.

D. VAN DAM: She goes to sleep on her own every night. And she was all cuddled in her blankets with her babies -- with her little babies and -- and she wasn't there the next morning. MATTHEWS: Brenda Van Dam says she got home about two in the morning, came into house with her friends and ate pizza until three. Neither she nor her husband checked on the children before going to bed.

Neighbors say they don't understand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For people that apparently kept to themselves, this one bizarre night they didn't, and you know, all these things happened, and I -- the pieces of the puzzle just don't add up. They don't seem to add up.

MATTHEWS: Pink and purple ribbons are everywhere in this Saber Springs (ph) neighborhood. Pink and purple, the favorite colors of Danielle Van Dam. At her school, counselors spoke with students. This whole community is worried.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My kids want to sleep with me now. They're scared at home. I don't know what to say. It's horrible. I can't even imagine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: So far, there are no suspects and no apparent leads in Danielle's disappearance. Obviously, it is still early on in the investigation.

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