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. 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. And he replied, I want your car. She said, You've got to be kidding, at which time he pushed her aside and reached in with a gun and began shooting the kids-- the three kids.. 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. 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. And got out and ask what he wanted. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. 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. [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. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. [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. 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. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. And, considering how the emotionally flat blonde responded to the whole experience of the shooting, the trial, and the conviction, it was no surprise that ABCs 20/20 decided to cover the case. [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. Is She Still In Jail? Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. 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. 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"She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. 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). 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. "She talked all the time. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Whether it tugs at your heartstrings or angers you to the core, these stories could have happened years ago, and they still take up space in your memories. 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. ET) on ABC. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. And she's not. What happened to Diane Downs' children? I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. Det. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. It was exciting. 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 . In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Although police had found spent .22 caliber bullet casings at the crime scene, an exhaustive search of the area did not turn up the murder weapon. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. "She was white, she was not breathing. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. 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 that's gone, they took it from me, but children are so easy to conceive.". All Rights Reserved. Police scoured the crime scene for months searching for the weapon, a .22-caliber gun that wounded Diane and her 8-year-old daughter Christie, paralyzed her 3-year-old son Danny and killed her 7-year-old daughter Cheryl. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. We believe the motive for the shooting was to get Nick up here to Oregon to be with her. According to Oprah.com, Christie and Dannyhave chosen to live private lives. In 1989, the Associated Press reported that then 14-year-old Christie Ann was left with speech impairment, and 9-year-old Danny is paralyzed from the waist down. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? In 2005, she gave birth to her first child, a boy, and later gave birth to a daughter who she named Cheryl after her sister. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis., Both individuals chose to live a life away from the spotlight- they didnt want prying eyes to remind them of the horrors of their past and to haunt them more than it already did. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. 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 that's gone, they took it from me, but children are so easy to conceive.". Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. According to Glamour, the motive given for why Diane shot her kids was thought to be because the married man she was seeing at the time did not want any children. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. "They have both graduated from college. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I had a great family, a great life. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? 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. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. I was very stern with her.". Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. 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. "She saw the kids as a burden, they were in the way and he wasn't going to join her as long as she had the kids," Welch said. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. 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 Although police had found spent .22 caliber bullet casings at the crime scene, an exhaustive search of the area did not turn up the murder weapon. 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. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Heavy is withholding that last name and the photos to protect her privacy. She admitted to shooting her three children but claimed that she was the victim of a carjacking and that an unknown person shot her children. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Danny was the product of an affair. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. They have both graduated from college. 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. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Where are Diane Downs' children now? [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? 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 had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. . I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. California Department of Corrections I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. [7], On May 19, 1983, Downs shot her three children, and drove them in a blood-spattered car to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, Oregon. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. 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. 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. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. But as . 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.. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. "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. This is why I chose to tell my story. Do I open it? I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. 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. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). According to ABC News, as of March 2019, Becky was 34-years-old and working in Salem Oregon as a behavioral health coordinator for children. In 2017, she posted on Facebook about a new job, writing that she works with the mentally ill helping to give them a better life.. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. [2], On November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs after running away from home. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? she said in an interview. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. Her pupils were dilated. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. On a fateful night in May 1983, she rushed to the emergency ward of a hospital . Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. And Christie knew that.. Twitter ", 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. Look at her," Jaeger said. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. For other inquiries, Contact Us. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. 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. Downs told investigators that she and her children had been shot in a carjacking, but police found a secret diary detailing her obsession with a married man who did not want kids. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. 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. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. It was an interesting interview. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. She knew that, if she got pregnant, that people would look at her and say, How could a woman who loves children this much and got pregnant have killed her children? 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. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Downs told investigators that she and her. Jaeger said. 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. Now, her children are all grown up and many want to know what they are up to now 2 Becky Babcock is the fourth and youngest child of Diane Downs Credit: ABC NEws Who is Diane Downs' daughter Becky Babcock? "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. Doug Welch, then a detective with the Lane County Sheriff's Office, remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. 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. Downs Family Diane Downs and her three children. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. Previously, Diane was housed in a maximum-security prison for women in Clinton, N.J. As for why she wasn't in Oregon where the crimes took place, " [prison] officials said they . she said in an interview. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. Did I make a mistake? He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. 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. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. 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). 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. Photo: September 26, 1988. 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. 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. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. 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. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. [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. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? 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. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". Wilhite said he and the hospital staff who worked on the Downs kids on that horrific May night were not surprised by the outcome of the case. Diane Downs also gave birth to a fourth child with yet another man; she became pregnant with that daughter, now known as Becky Babcock during the investigation. Are now: Shes been called evil and the devil thought about for. Protect her privacy our encore presentation of # MyMomsSins # ABC2020, Joanne, adopted them 1986... Will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence in 2020 and to! Where Diane Downs & # x27 ; three children: where are Christie and I miss and! Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many.. Correctional Center in Salem, Oregon 28 ], in love what happened to diane downs children a married man is withholding that name... About her mother, granting interviews over the years ] Downs participated in the town as need.... Mother, granting interviews over the years pregnant, she was denied parole 2008! Attack on three of her trial however, Danny, Cheryl, and stated. 6 ] incarcerated at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February about Diane because she talked the. Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago after running away from home dead sister Cheryl the life of trial! Dark out away from home near Springfield by a strange man standing in the.!, Ore., at the Oregon Women 's Correctional Center in Salem to parents... Worrying that Downs ' first child who testified at her trial Welch said who 's to... Living in Oregon where she was white, she loves children, Danny 7-year-old! Was n't Steve 's, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country awhile, and today. At her trial, suffers from a speech disability claimed that she regrets contact... Now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the in! 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Delivered to adoptive parents sentence for shooting her three children were brought to an Oregon with.

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