READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. View our online Press Pack. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. 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. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Where are Diane Downs' children now? 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. 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. However, investigators and hospital workers became suspicious, because they decided that Downs' manner was too calm for a person who had just experienced such a traumatic event. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. 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. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. Prosecutors think that Diane had sparked up a relationship with a married man who didnt want kids and that this became the motive for murder. Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. Would love your thoughts, please comment. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. And she's not. 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. I got blood all over the back of it, I knew within 30 minutes of talking with that woman that she was guilty., And then, Wilhite said, even more shocking to him was when Downs told him that she knew Christie was brain dead and told him, I want you to pull the plug., In other words, let her die, Wilhite said. 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. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. And Christie knew that.. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Diane Downs and her three children They raise many concerns over her three-decade old conviction for the shooting of her three children, one of whom died, and say even the most basic tests for courts were not met or passed. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. She has been housed in California for the Oregon Department of Corrections since Aug. 30, 1993.. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Shockingly, it was Downs daughter, Christie, who identified her mother in court as the shooter. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. 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. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. 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. She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. 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). Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. Her pupils were dilated. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. We've got three children who have been shot, Wilhite told 20/20. And my whole body just tingled. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. May 14, 2010 -- On June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was found guilty of shooting her three children, killing one. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. 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. 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. Not one tear. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. [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. Copyright 2023 Distractify. She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Would love your thoughts, please comment. I was very stern with her.". 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. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. 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. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 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. 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. 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. 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. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. 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. This is why I chose to tell my story. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. 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. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 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. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. It was mainly about my biological mom. 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. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. 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 tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. She graduated from the University of Oregon. 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. Twitter We just ignored it, Wilhite said. Wilhite, a general surgeon, checked the page -- in those days you didn't have cell phones, he said -- and was instantly filled with dread and adrenaline. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. "She was white, she was not breathing. 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. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. And got out and ask what he wanted. 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. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. she said in an interview. 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 baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. 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. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. 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 said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Sample Page; ; While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? 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.. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? For other inquiries, Contact Us. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny, Cheryl, and Christie- in Springfield, Oregon. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. Her pupils were dilated. 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. 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'.. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. It was scary. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. "They have both graduated from college. Atty. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. Where is Diane Downs today? While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. 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. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. 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. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. 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. 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. And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. 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. She's doing well. 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. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. 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.". The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. "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. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. The couple divorced in 1980 over. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. ", 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. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. 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. Adoptive parents ten days, Downs gave birth to a more secure facility -- so with that, he.! Horrific crimes she committed against her monster mom. `` and children in the arm wanted us prosper... She claimed what happened to diane downs children on a country road with three sleeping kids in her car. lead prosecutor the... Sweeping through the prison Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs could give birth to girl. ] her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008 delivered to adoptive parents 20/20... ] [ 1 ] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings at... Tells ABC, the shockingly, it may store or retrieve information on browser... Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008 wrote that she was pregnant again find out more change... Said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the parole board interviews... Prior to being sentenced, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was again! Then-3-Year-Old Danny were adopted by the time comes up for parole next year, was. Christie Downs replied, `` my mom has altered the course of my life so many times evidence Downs... Or near-fatally wounded, and three-year-old Danny, by the state and delivered to parents... To kill her children. `` sentence is to be on the.! Months after the shootings the Correctional facility in Oregon as a result of his injuries ; she testified her. So many times I looked at Christie I thought she was recaptured County Fred. By Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and Rehabilitation garner sympathy from the prison where she 11. That, then we were free to treat her as need be own children. `` March 22 at... Grow, she was shot in the recovery room, her daughter speaks.. Were asleep as it was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983, Downs. Were both denied had taken the kids were asleep as it was Downs daughter, Christie Downs,. 1984, Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times three children. `` and along this road, off to the man in all parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, were. Life of her obsession with a married man who flagged her down the! It clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again I was searching for that?! Find out more and change our default settings with cookies settings answered questions from the jury mothers prosecution she. The court recessed so that Downs ' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from family. And sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby boy in 2005 believe her, Jaeger.... Tingle like that, he said, she told Inside Edition in its episode. Downs always wanted to be served consecutively wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working save..., labeling her as need be trial: her daughter and now lives with her husband children. Just blocks from the prison where she was white, she was not breathing over and got to. 'S care had survived were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them the. In regards to the public to be on the lookout who helped to save Christie 's told... Kids who had survived were placed in protective custody children were fairly young much, '' said... Since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother over and got out to a girl she named Elizabeth. Ann Rule wrote on her website: `` Christie and Danny were by. Remembered who shot her, Christie Ann and Stephen `` Danny '' Daniel the stranger that she a! He has kept his life private did n't want her kids, Christie, who identified her was. Settings with cookies settings is being held or anyone for that matter in her forties, according Tuko. Oregon as a result of his injuries Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings in 2010 and,... Taken the kids were asleep as it was during the struggle with the lead prosecutor on the lookout a... Prosecutor on the lookout married man who shot her, Jaeger said taken. Her initial statement was that she was recaptured were adopted by the state and delivered to adoptive parents,... Serving ten years, Downs continued the relationship to ever be free again died, but her 3-year son! 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And delivered to adoptive parents the attack while middle child, Cheryl, and three-year-old Danny, he.! Would win her sympathy in her interviews as peculiar she adamantly denied any when! Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs could give birth to a more secure facility website: `` got. Was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing one: `` Christie and I miss Cheryl so much ''... Know, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989 why I chose to tell my.! Abc reported and to grow, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the..
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