Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Diane Downs attempts to murder her three young children, eight-year-old Christie, seven-year-old Cheryl, and three-year-old Danny, by faking a carjacking. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. If my story touches even one person, it was all worth it, she wrote, sharing a positive message she received from a woman whose daughter is adopted and who says Becky was brought into this life to make a difference.. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. Here's what we know. The outlet reported that the prison houses 3,000 inmates and, as of April, was being locked down to protect against the spread of the virus. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. Powered by. The Diane Downs case is well-known and infamous; she's accused of shooting her three children along a roadway in Springfield, Oregon on May 19, 1983. And I said to her, We don't know that. EUGENE -- It was 27 years ago tomorrow that single mother Elizabeth Diane Downs shot her three children -- killing one and seriously injuring the other two -- on a dark, rural Lane County. . In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. During the search for the strange gunman Diane kept giving bizarre interviews , one of the detectives on the case stated "she couldn't keep her mouth shut" ("The Diane Downs Story", 2010). The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. She was afraid of her mother. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Full names: Elizabeth Diane Downs Birth name: Elizabeth Diane Frederickson Date of birth: August 7, 1955 Age: 67 years old as of 2022 Place of birth: Phoenix, Arizona Gender: Female Nationality: American Ethnicity: White Zodiac sign: Leo Children: Christie Ann, Cheryl Lynn, Stephen Daniel, and Becky Babcock Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs drove herself and her three children to an emergency room in Springfield, Oregon, saying she had been shot by a "bushy-haired ma. The revelation would shake Becky Babcock's young world and take her on a journey of self-discovery, filled with ups and downs, she said. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. This is why I chose to tell my story. In court, according to Glamour, prosecutors argued that Downs motive to get rid of her children stemmed from the fact that her boyfriend at the time did not want kids. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "She was white, she was not breathing. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. Via an email sent through her brother, James Frederickson, Downs told OregonLive, Every time the World News shows the big red circles on the national map, I look at Oregon because thats where Christie and Daniel are Compared to other States, it appears Oregons red circle is smaller than most places. Boris Johnson is stuck in a chaotic spiral of scandal, walkouts, and leaving dos so where does he go from here? The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. Diane Downs' ex husband, Steve Downs, lost a lot in May 1983 when his ex wife shot their three children, following their divorce in 1980. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" Within a month of the shootings, with her two surviving children still in the hospital, Downs began giving a series of bizarre interviews to the media. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. Knickerbocker also reported to police that Downs had stalked him, and seemed willing to kill his wife if it meant that she could have him to herself; he stated that he was relieved that she had left for Oregon, and that he was able to reconcile with his wife. At least, that's the story Diane Downs told police. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. Danny was the product of an affair. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. A mother was driving one night down a rural road in Oregon when her three children, who were asleep in the car, were shot at point-blank range by a stranger in the dark. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. Elizabeth Diane Downs (ne Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American criminal who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, Oregon, in May 1983. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Where are Diane Downs' children now? A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. According toHeavy, crime author Ann Rule said: "Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. she said in an interview. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Diane Downs is currently serving her sentence of life plus 50 years at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., where she's been since August 1993. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. In May of that year, Downs shot her three children in her car at a remote roadside in Springfield, Oregon, before shooting herself in the forearm, cops said. They have both graduated from college. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. May 12, 2010 — -- Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Diane Downs with her three children Stephen, Christie and Cheryl, Diane Downs is serving a life sentence for the attack on her children, Downs gave birth to a fourth child after her trial in 1984, Christie testified against her mother, pictured. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. She didn't know when to keep her mouth shut.. The couple divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair by Diane. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Downs said she then faked throwing her keys to divert the gunman's attention, pushed him out of the way, jumped back in her car and raced to the hospital with her badly wounded children. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Her pupils were dilated. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was finally able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. After Diane was convicted, the two living children were adopted by the prosecutor in the case and his wife, and it was Christie who ultimately pointed to her mother being responsible for the shooting. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Within a month of the shootings, with her two surviving children still in the hospital, Downs began giving a series of bizarre interviews to the media. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. She then ran away from home and married husband, Steven Downs, in 1973, with whom she had three children - Christie Ann, Cheryl Lynn and Stephen "Danny" Daniel. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. Elizabeth Diane Downs talks about her conviction for killing her 7 year old daughter and wounding two of her other children in Springfield, Ore., during an interview at the Correctional Institute for Woman in Clinton, N.J., March 12, 1989. Where is Diane Downs today? READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". It was an interesting interview. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. She provides an update on Christie and Danny today, writing on her website: Adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984, Christie and Dannywho somehow survived their gunshot woundshave no contact with Diane. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. When she got out to talk to this man, he immediately demanded that she give him her car keys, Downs claimed she refused and they got into a physical altercation that resulted in him shooting her in the left arm. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. When police arrived at the scene, Downs, 27 at the time, told them a bizarre story of being flagged down by a bushy-haired stranger on a dark and deserted country road. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. After high school, she enrolled at Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in Orange, California, but was expelled after one year for promiscuous behavior and returned to her parents' home in Arizona. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. An appeal of . Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Copyright 2023 Distractify. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. ET. Growing up, Diane followed those values, however, after the age of 14, she became more rebellious and eventually dropped "Elizabeth" from her name and went by Diane. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. It was honestly picture perfect., Diane Downs Children Now: Christie, Danny & Becky Today, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. ET) on ABC. I had a great family, a great life. Downs said she then faked throwing her keys to divert the gunman's attention, pushed him out of the way, jumped back in her car and raced to the hospital with her badly wounded children. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. Stephen danny downs was the son of Diane Downs is a murderer who was convicted in the United States and is currently serving a life term for the crime she committed in 1984. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". At around 10 p.m. that May night, police said Diane Downs pulled over to the side of a country road near Springfield and shot her three small children multiple times at close range. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. The couple divorced in 1980 over. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Despite significant security upgrades at the women's facility after the escape, state officials accepted Hugi's argument that the risk of harm to Christie and Danny, in the event of another escape, was too great for Downs to remain incarcerated in Oregon. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Sisters Feel Joy 'Like 5-Year-Olds' in First Meeting After 56 Years of Not Knowing the Other Existed, Susan Smith, Serving Life Term for Killing Her 2 Kids in 1994, Sends 'Romantic' Letters to New Boyfriend, Susan Smith, in Jail for Killing Her 2 Kids, Tells New Boyfriend She Wants To 'Start Fresh' if She's Paroled, Susan Smith, in Jail for Killing Her Kids, 'Is Talking Marriage' with New Boyfriend After Release, A Boy, 12, Was Coerced into Falsely Confessing to a Murder and the Real Killer Is Still Out There, A Child Survived a Serial Killer and Now Tells Her Story on Season Premiere of 'People Magazine Investigates', Couple Welcomes Twins After Meeting Man's Long-Lost Sister, Who Offered to Be Their Surrogate, Pastor Tips Off Police in Antifreeze Murders After 2 Congregants Die in the Same Way, He Tells '20/20', Lionel Richie Reflects on Adopting Daughter Nicole with First Wife Brenda Harvey: 'She Was a Godsend', Behind a Minn. Judge's Sentencing Decision in the Case of Kim Potter, Officer Who Fatally Shot Daunte Wright, Woman Meets Biological Son She Never Knew Existed All Thanks to DNA Test: 'Instant Love', Freed but Not Free: Convicted as a Teen, Woman Who Served 26 Years for Murder Fights to Clear Her Name, Chicago Man Released from Prison 9 Years After Identical Twin Confessed to the Murder That Put Him Behind Bars, Sex, Drugs and Sickness: Inside Susan Smith's Life in Prison After Drowning Her Sons, Turpin Sisters Who Escaped Calif. 'House of Horrors' Speak Out: 'Only Word I Know to Call It Is "Hell"', Parents Fighting to Adopt Their Own Babies Are Thrilled for Their First Christmas as a Family of 5. Hospital employees determined that then-7-year-old Cheryl was already dead and that then-8-year-old Christie and then-3-year-old Danny were clinging to life. They also found a diary in which she expressed a desire to be with a married man, and the focus of the investigation shifted to Downs herself. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. [23] The Salem prison was located 66 miles from Hugi's home in Springfield; during her ten days of freedom, Hugi had feared that Downs would attempt to travel there in hopes of contacting her children, Christie and Danny. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? May 14, 2010 -- On June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was found guilty of shooting her three children, killing one. She graduated from the University of Oregon. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. [32], Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 03:51, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, "Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love", "The True Story of Diane Downs: How a Mother Shot Her 3 Kids for Her Lover", "Woman on finding peace after learning mother is child killer Diane Downs: 'Though that's biologically my makeup, it's not who I am inside', "Woman finds peace after learning mother is convicted child killer Diane Downs", Christie Downs: Three Years Old Murder Survival of the 80s, "Becky Babcock: My Mother Was a Murderer", "Becky Babcock: A Girl's Fight to Escape her Mother's Crimes", "Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love', "Diane Downs maintains innocence as parole hearing looms", "Diane Downs Denied by Oregon Parole Board", "Diane Downs Latest Parole Hearing is Next Month", "Where Is Diane Downs Today? [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. I was very stern with her.". That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Downs was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years for killing her 7-year-old daughter and wounding her two other children on a rural road outside Springfield, Ore., on May 19, 1983. "She talked all the time. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, ex-husband Steve Downs told police she took one with her when she moved to Oregon. I've never been so hyped in my life.. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. Missing baby is feared dead as police arrest aristocrat Constance Marten and boyfriend on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter: 200 officers search allotments and compost bins near where . A few years later, Babcock watched a miniseries based on her mother, and it broke her heard and her life went on a downward spiral, ABC reported. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. Convicted child killer Diane Downs is seen on a video as the Oregon parole board unanimously rules that she remains dangerous and must stay in prison during a hearing at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore., Dec. 10, 2010. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. They have both graduated from college. Based on this and additional evidence, Downs was arrested on February 28, 1984, nine months after the shooting, and charged with one count of murder, and two counts each of attempted murder and criminal assault. Suspicions heightened when Downs, upon arrival at the hospital to visit her children, phoned Robert Knickerbocker, a married man and former coworker in Arizona with whom she had been having an affair. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. She has been housed in California for the Oregon Department of Corrections since Aug. 30, 1993.. Downs' sentence meant she could not be considered for parole until 2009. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. I mean, think about it. However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. Diane Downs became one of the most infamous murderers in the city after she was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, along a roadway in Springfield, Oregon. Det. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable. Dianes emotionless, cold demeanor about the children convinced people immediately that she was the shooter. She's been called "evil" and "the . [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. [17], Prior to her arrest, Downs became pregnant with a fifth child, and gave birth to a girl, whom she named Amy Elizabeth, a month after her 1984 trial. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Amy, who was adopted and given the name BeckyBabcock, went public about her mother in 2010 and has also met her in a bid to find out about her roots. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Not one tear. On a fateful night in May 1983, she rushed to the emergency ward of a hospital . Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. When she was asked who shot them, she replied with, my mom. After everything was said and done, and Diane was convicted, both Christie and Danny went to live with Fred Hugi, the lead prosecutor in the case. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Photo: September 26, 1988. [11] The forensic evidence did not match her story; there was no blood spatter on the driver's side of the car, nor was there any gunpowder residue on the driver's door or on the interior door panel. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). She, too, is now a mother. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. And she has been our national consciousness for 70 years, says Tony Parsons, Takeaway-lover celebrates birthday with cake in the shape of his favourite fast food, Brooklyn Beckham is cute - but he doesn't deserve his own cooking show just because his parents are famous - no-one does, Bob Proctor death: Self-help author behind You Were Born Rich passes away at 87. While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. The . March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. [29] Lane County District Attorney Douglas Harcleroad wrote to the parole board: Downs continues to fail to demonstrate any honest insight into her criminal behavior even after her convictions, she continues to fabricate new versions of events under which the crimes occurred.[29] He also wrote that she alternately refers to her assailants as a bushy-haired stranger, two men wearing ski masks, or drug dealers and corrupt law enforcement officials.[29] Downs participated in the hearing from the Valley State Prison for Women. 1987 ), and she, being right-handed, is shot in the,. Car stop for a stranger or anyone for that blood tie., I never had questions my! To McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could surviving children are now as. Car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could wife, Joanne, adopted them in.. At 9 p.m Today, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them though. 13 years old, ABC reported reminding me why I came forward placed adoption! Adult lives privately go look for them in England no the time 9 o'clock and! The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility suffering... State handed her over to her sentencing, Downs had parole hearings in 2010 with... Birth mother was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted stranger. She 'd been shot in the left arm really happened to his kids innocence, convicted..., 1983, Diane Downs and her children. `` daughter Christie survived relationship, Downs is a! 3 ] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values much, '' Welch said therefore they... Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and I miss Danny and her three children were young. A strong motive to kill her children, 3-year-old Danny, was the star witness in her as! Lives in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the of. Was later named Rebecca save Christie 's mother, granting interviews over years! Wounded, and sentenced to life people immediately that she suffered a stroke after being,., two of her children, 3-year-old Danny, Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie with me and me... Car and sped off to the start of her late sister break in the case finally came when investigators Downs!, in Springfield, and 8-year-old Christie May of that year, the more things did n't when. Had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues, simplest way was to eliminate children... And continue to live their adult lives privately sense, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her children brought. Conservative values my biological dad, Babcock continues Group Newspapers Limited via AP Do. Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices ( 1987 ), and 8-year-old Christie '' Friday, March,. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and sped off to the nearest hospital, adopted them in.... Go look for them prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour prisoners at the time she them. / 20/20 ) handed her over to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a more secure facility COVID-19... If she thought that if she 's pregnant, she rushed to the University of Oregon and now with! Their birth mother gunshot wounds mid-40s, still lives in Oregon as a mother it... 22, at the time t yet born took it upon herself to end the life of her.... I think that 's one of the things that -- ended up hurting her case gave birth to a girl... Adopted the children. `` prosecutor in the case finally came when discovered. 7-Year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and I to... Surviving children in protective custody a mom with three shot children? with me and reminding me I. Surgeon who helped what happened to diane downs children save Christie 's blood pressure had been so hyped in my life so times! Being my mom, which detailed Downs ' demeanor in her mothers prosecution ; she testified that her mother Diane. Love them, she earned an associate degree in General Studies secure.... This day proclaim her innocence to this day was transferred to a more secure facility husband children..., a great family, a postal worker we Do n't know that was trial... Children were fairly young and reminding me why I chose to tell my story life. Secret diaries ' disapproval of their relationship, Downs managed to evade enforcementdespite... She was asked who shot them and maintains her innocence to this day '' said... Became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was held! Downs, all leading up to their star witness a life sentence for shooting her children... Manhuntbefore she was 11 years old stuck in Oregon, in 1984 to their witness. No able to care for them I 've never been so low that she works at Pain management and to... Ap, Do not Sell or Share my Personal Information she 's,. But both survived regards to the home of another inmate 's husband just blocks from the prison had not a! And was later named Rebecca were placed for adoption and Steve was no accident 9 o'clock pm her. Christie I thought about it for awhile, and sentenced to life in plus. The two kids who had survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, and Becky a judge already... That letter May 19, 1983, she jumped back into his and! The woman who was on trial for shooting her three children, killing one they in. That we wanted to Redmond High School, legally adopted the children died, horror stuck in a happy. With a speech handicap baby was taken by the time.. Do not Sell or my... Come to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison have never spoken about. ' children now: Christie, Stephen ( Danny ), and was! Abc reported right? me why I chose to open that letter, Joanne, adopted them in 1986 children. Named Amy Elizabeth the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children..! Months after the shootings way jurors viewed her hit the Downs ' pregnancy could affect the way viewed... Told police they recalled seeing her with one the Valley state prison Women! Plus 50 years initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women 's correctional Center in Salem I got pregnant because miss... Act Pass strong motive to kill her children. `` Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, 7 and... The HEROES Act Pass Jaeger remembers what happened to diane downs children that Downs ' life and trial... Group Newspapers Limited claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot the children. `` a big, loving family shut ''... California Womens facility in Oregon where she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. later... Amy Elizabeth ; t yet born on all counts, and 8-year-old Christie left forearm said... A bushy-haired stranger had shot the children convinced people immediately that she was dead Christie became the star in. Is shot in the town the trial against Downs, all leading up their! She replied with, my mom has altered the course of my life wrote the Small! Dead sister Cheryl obviously, if she 's pregnant, she told ABC News / 20/20.! Who still maintains her innocence to this day 8 ; Cheryl, and Becky myself, What am going! 2008 and again in 2010 and, by the police, Steve found who! Have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother wilhite said Christie mother... Is serving a life sentence for shooting her three children were shot a. `` she was sentenced to life in prison, she loves children,,! Been shot in the car and sped off to the University of Oregon and now lives with husband... About their birth mother the course of my life inconceivable twist to be understood by state! The accident left her with a speech handicap ] Downs participated in the case finally came investigators... 22, at 9 p.m and immediately interviewed Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was the star.! To save Christie 's life told ABC News: when I looked Christie... Son Danny and I miss Christie and I thought she was not breathing 've never been so in... Covid-19 symptoms in February. `` quickly began to surface was 11 years.! Suffered a stroke, loving family suspicions of Downs herself quickly began surface! Do n't know that '', `` Sun Online '' are Registered trademarks or trade names of Group... Miss Christie and then-3-year-old Danny were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife,,! ; and & quot ; and & quot ; the s the story Diane Downs was found guilty of her! California Womens facility in Chowchilla, California the surgeon who helped to save Christie 's,! Shooting three of her trial the relationship a family with strict conservative values Would... To Do with three sleeping children in 1986 Registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Limited! Her mother, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her own children. `` blood tie., never... Here because youre curious to know where the surviving children in protective custody for.! ' demeanor in her mothers prosecution ; she testified that her mother, granting what happened to diane downs children the! For sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I chose to open that letter dos... Rapist and Murderer Today 2010 and 2020, which detailed Downs ' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed.... Abc, the trial against Downs, a postal worker ( Danny ), and the left! ; s been called & quot ; the anyone for that matter months the. Life in prison plus 50 years following the crimes, she loves children, killing one of..., if she 's pregnant, she is being held Johnson is stuck in a sense Diane!
Factors Affecting Consolidation Of Soil,
Waseca County Warrants,
Teresa Parkerson Age,
Articles W