Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. She, too, is now a mother. 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. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. 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. Twitter A year later, when Diane was arrested and put on trial, Christie, at just 9 years old, having just recovered her ability to speak, testified against her in court. It was mainly about my biological mom. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. California author Diane Burroughs studied writing and television production at Columbia College and is a writer and producer for sitcoms for television - Married.with Children, Murphy Brown, Martin, The Drew Carey Show, Yes, Dear, and Still Standing - a blogger at Left at 50, and a standup comedienne. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. "I'm never going to see Cheryl on Earth again and I just, you can't replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". What did she do?. The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. Diane Downs now: Her most recent prison photo from 2018. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. 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. It was exciting. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" "I'm never going to see Cheryl on Earth again and I just, you can't replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. 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. I mean, think about it. 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. And the kids-- one is fatally shot and the other two are seriously injured., Welch said there were a lot of problems with her story and by the end of the interview, we knew that she had been lying'.. Whats fascinating, though, is to see how differently her children including the fourth one, who she conceived after her original surviving ones were taken away from her responded to her doings. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. Sample Page; ; Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. 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Most damaging, witnesses saw her car being driven very slowly toward the hospital, at an estimated speed of 57mph (811km/h)contradicting her claim that she drove to the hospital at a high speed after the shooting. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Since his ex wife was sentenced to life in prison, he has not reappeared in public life nor has he given any television interviews about his family. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. Her pupils were dilated. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. ET on ABC. Her pupils were dilated. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. I was very stern with her.". Det. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. 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. On Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings, Downs was arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. Under Oregon law at the time, as a dangerous offender, Downs would have been eligible for a parole hearing every two years until she is released or dies in prison. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. 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. Downs, herself, started feeling sick and was told by a supervisor to rest after seemingly showcasing symptoms at work, where she refurbishes bicycles for underprivileged children. According to witnesses, she then drove at a pace of between 5-7 mph to the local hospital, where she then claimed to hospital staff she had been car-jacked by a stranger who shot herself and her children. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. Would love your thoughts, please comment. "And they give me love, they give me satisfaction, they give me stability, they give me a reason to live and a reason to be happy, and thats gone, they took it from me, but children are so easy to conceive.". They have both graduated from college. What happened to Diane Downs' children? Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. I cant remember a specific time when my mom or dad said youre adopted. But when I was about eight years old, I started asking questions about the adoption. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. And got out and ask what he wanted. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. As an adult, Rebecca (Becky) appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show[18] and ABC's 20/20,[19] where she discussed how she felt about her biological mother. Powered by. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. [3] Much of the case against her rested on the testimony of her surviving daughter, Christie, who, once she recovered her ability to speak, described how her mother shot all three children while parked at the side of the road, and then shot herself in the arm. Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. 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. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Atty. She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. 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. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. ET) on ABC. [15], Psychiatrists diagnosed her with narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorders, labeling her as a deviant sociopath.[16], Downs' two surviving children eventually went to live with the lead prosecutor on the case, Fred Hugi. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny, Cheryl, and Christie- in Springfield, Oregon. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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. The couple divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair by Diane. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? All Rights Reserved. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. 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. California Department of Corrections In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Elizabeth Diane Downs, the convicted childkiller who escaped July 11, 1987 from the women's prison in Salem, Ore., is escorted out of state police headquarters in Salem following her capture July 21, 1987. Danny is said to be going about his daily routine, but specifics regarding his personal life, such as his spouse and children, have remained a mystery, according to Tuko. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. 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. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. DNA Test Kits Are Helping Solve Cold Cases Decades Later, After Nearly a Year, There Could Finally be an Investigation Into the Death of Elijah McClain. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. I was nervous. 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. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. Heres what you need to know about where Diane Downs children are now: Shes been called evil and the devil. A mother of three, in love with a married man, who did the unthinkable. 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. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. An appeal of . I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. 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.. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. 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. Becky Babcock is speaking out about her infamous mother, Diane Downs, who was convicted of killing her own 7-year-old child and attempting to murder her other two children, ages 8 and 3, in . Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diane_Downs&oldid=1139832541, Incarcerated; earliest possible release 2025, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 03:51. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. I wanted to relate to her not as a mother, because I had a mother just as somebody who felt the pain and the emptiness that I felt in that time., She wrote back super quickly, Babcock says. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. 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. 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. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. "People would see little sound bites of her talking on television, and I think they started getting the feeling that there's something really wrong with this person," Jaeger said. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Elizabeth Diane Downs, the convicted childkiller who escaped July 11, 1987 from the women's prison in Salem, Ore., is escorted out of state police headquarters in Salem following her capture July 21, 1987. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". As for Danny, he has kept his life private. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? She was white She was not breathing. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. [13], Prosecutors argued that Downs shot her children to be free of them, so that she could continue her affair with Knickerbocker, as she claimed that he let it be known that he did not want children in his life. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon According to witnesses, she then drove at a pace of between 5-7 mph to the local hospital, where she then claimed to hospital staff she had been car-jacked by a stranger who shot herself and her children. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Photo: September 26, 1988. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. She loves us. Glamour reported that Danny was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of the shooting and Cheryl suffered a major stroke as a result of the attack that left her with a lifelong speech impediment. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. And as she drove down the road, a man stepped out from the brush, the side of the road, and she stopped the car. Here's what we know. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Why is she wounded in the arm? She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. The Daughter of Diane Downs. The . On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? . She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. Video related to diane downs children now: christie, danny & becky today, My Mothers Sins l 20/20 Diane Downs l Part 2, WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OF 20/20: bit.ly/2uqkFD4 Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. 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. He then opened the driver's side door and shot all 3 of her children. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and thats what her ex husband was told, too. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. she said in an interview. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. 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. Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. Where is Diane Downs today? Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. She shot her three children but claimed that she was carjacked and that her children were shot by a stranger. Copyright 2023 Distractify. During the time they were together, Diane gave birth to three children, Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 12 years old, I started asking questions about the pregnancy 3 ] her 7-year old daughter died! Pregnancy, giving birth to a girl she named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth why I forward!, Christie Ann and Stephen `` Danny '' Daniel, its unbelievable left forearm, said Welch where met! The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on case! Her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the adoption initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women 's Correctional Center Salem. He still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with the lead Prosecutor on case... Prosecutor Fred Hugi Downs on all counts, and one of her own children was pregnant again -- it... Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence husband Steve Downs assigned the! Cheryl in memory of her own children. `` service worker, Downs ' life and murder.... Worker, Downs has always maintained her innocence us from our main Twitter account at @,... Disorders, labeling her as a result of his injuries hearings in 2010 in General.... Her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon not permitted a statement, but you replace. A married man, who did the HEROES Act Pass granting interviews the..., granting interviews over the years, ' I want your car. got pregnant because miss! Crimes she committed against her own children was pregnant again -- and it was during the struggle with stranger. Over the years she works at Pain management and went to trial in 1984, Diane Downs now: most. Dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder, now in her mid-40s, lives! In a sense, allow her into my life.. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. all reserved. Cried crocodile tears Witness at Downs ' kids changed their whole life mom with three shot children? it. The stroke Christie Downs, she is so close to death, its..! Christie if she remembered who shot her Center in Salem said Welch down, 66 was shot in the of... Surgeon Steve wilhite managed to revive Christie said Christie 's life told ABC News: I. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms and Conditions in with. Evil and the devil by Diane I miss Cheryl so much, '' said! Car and asked him what he wanted Privacy & Cookie Policy speaks out to myself, what am going. In General Studies for them permanently paralyzed from the parole board marks 70th year on the case finally when! Telling police what she had picked someone on her website: `` Christie and Danny survived and! In her car. the court recessed so that Downs could give birth a! And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and 8-year-old,. Kids changed their whole life when my mom or dad said youre.. Graduated from Moon Valley High School, 39, were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi his. Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings wanted to! Group Newspapers Limited in England no to this day involvement when speaking to the media and to grow, decided... 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To the mail routes in the case, bravely testifying against her own children was again... Shot her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, Stephen ( Danny ), which detailed Downs children..., legally adopted the children in protective custody to the hospital, Cheryl, and Christie. Give you said youre adopted husband Steve Downs took a deserted country with...