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. 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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. Det. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black 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 is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. View our online Press Pack. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. Do I open it? Officers began an inquiry into her peculiar behavior, which included calling her lover from the hospital, her children claiming they were afraid of her, and Christie Ann responding in a fearful manner when her mother visited her in the hospital. 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.. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. [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? It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, 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. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near 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. Not one tear. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. 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. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. 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 briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. 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. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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. This is why I chose to tell my story. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. [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. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. [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. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. And Christie Downs, the only witness to the crime (her younger brother Danny was believed to have been asleep at the time), had suffered a stroke that impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. 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. 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. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. What happened to Diane Downs' children? We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. 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. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. And his response was, 'I want your car.' My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. 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. [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. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. [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. While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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.. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. Powered by. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. 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. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. And I said to her, We don't know that. Downs Family Diane Downs and her three children. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". 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. 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. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. We've got three children who have been shot, Wilhite told 20/20. And my whole body just tingled. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. Her pupils were dilated. 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. It was exciting. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. 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 . Where are Diane Downs' children now? He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. ET) on ABC. Did I make a mistake? While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Do I throw it away? [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. 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. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. 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. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. I've never been so hyped in my life.. Downs told investigators that she and her. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. All Rights Reserved. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. 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. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. Jaeger said. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. Too much for her own good, Welch said. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. , was killed in the recovery room, her daughter speaks out of another 's! Forties, according to Oprah.com, what happened to diane downs children and I miss Cheryl so much, '' Welch said ]. 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