I vividly remember the story depicted in this telefilm. I saw it back in 1991 (I was 13 years old), and gave me nightmares for about a week. The fact that a father had the guts to actually burn his kid alive, along with the graphic images of David, all horribly disfigured, shook me to the bone.
However, I wonder, if anyone can update me: What ever happened to David? I assume he is all grown up now, since this took place over 20 years ago.
do you have any info?
shareDave is now Dave Dave, a commercial director.
He befriended Michael Jackson as a boy or something. Then he met a man who claimed to be Michael Jackson's cousin. The man asked him to allow him to live in his condo with his girlfriend, and Dave said yes.
It seems the man is not Jackson's cousin, and he managed to steal the condo from Dave. The issue is now in court. I don't know much about it, but I feel sorry for Dave.
How horrible about what that imposter did!! That is just despicable! Where did you hear that story from? Thanks!
sharehttp://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060818-1943-ca-burnvictim-jackson.html
share7:43 p.m. August 18, 2006
LOS ANGELES – A man who was set ablaze by his father and befriended by Michael Jackson during his recovery reclaimed a condominium Friday that someone posing as the pop star's cousin bilked from him.
A superior court judge signed a default judgment returning the property's title to Dave Dave, formerly known as David Rothenberg, said his attorney, Brian Oxman.
Dave was also awarded $93,000 in damages, according to Oxman, who said he took on the case at Jackson's request.
“This is a case where the most vulnerable was taken advantage of,” Oxman said.
Dave, 28, was 6 when his father doused him with kerosene and set him on fire at an Orange County motel room during a custody dispute. Over 90 percent of Rothenberg's body was burned.
Dave alleged in a lawsuit filed in February that Darnello Jackson posed as Michael Jackson's cousin to gain his trust and tricked him into signing over his $335,000 condominium in Inglewood.
The two met in 2003 at Jackson's Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos.
Darnello Jackson did not appear for the hearing or file court papers.
“All I can say now is that there is another side to this story,” said Darnello Jackson when contacted by phone, adding that he'd speak out about the case at a later date.