Woman whose seven-year-old neighbor was abducted and murdered by pedophile slams California Governor Gavin Newsom for commuting his death sentence

California Governor Gavin Newsom commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row, including David Westerfield, who was convicted of kidnapping and murdering seven-year-old Danielle van Dam. Christina Buttons, a neighbour who was 13 when Danielle disappeared, criticised the decision, saying it meant Westerfield would never be executed.

Danielle vanished from her San Diego home on 1 February 2002, and her body was found beside a remote road 25 days later. Evidence including Danielle’s blood in Westerfield’s motorhome helped lead to his conviction and death sentence. Buttons said the case caused lasting distress in her neighbourhood and affected her mental health; Newsom said he believed executions were incompatible with justice and human decency.