"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.". Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. 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). [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. They have both graduated from college. The . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. 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 . Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. "She was white, she was not breathing. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. I mean, think about it. 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. 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. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. She took a detour off of Marcola Road onto Old Mohawk Road to do some sightseeing., By this time it was dark, and the kids were sleeping. "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. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 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. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. It was mainly about my biological mom. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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 prevented her from telling police what she had seen. 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 . Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" 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. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". 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 knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. 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. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. 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. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. 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. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . 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. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Downs said she then faked throwing her keys to divert the gunman's attention, pushed him out of the way, jumped back in her car and raced to the hospital with her badly wounded children. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. 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. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Atty. 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. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 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. Is She Still In Jail? Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. When I hear about three children being shot, I thought, How am I going take care of three people? Because I wasn't afraid of what I needed to do. She, too, is now a mother. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. 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. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. They have both graduated from college. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. 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'.. She was white She was not breathing. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. 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. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. 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. What did she look like? While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. Where are Diane Downs' children now? Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Missing baby is feared dead as police arrest aristocrat Constance Marten and boyfriend on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter: 200 officers search allotments and compost bins near where . 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. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. She was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. The couple divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair by Diane. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon. When police arrived at the scene, Downs, 27 at the time, told them a bizarre story of being flagged down by a bushy-haired stranger on a dark and deserted country road. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. According to The Cinemaholic, Steve was found to not be a good fit to care for his kids who would need specialized care and had been through a very traumatic event. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. And she's not. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. [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. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. I've never been so hyped in my life.. 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 said in an interview. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. 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. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. 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.. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. 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 then opened the driver's side door and shot all 3 of her children. 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. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Becky is active on Facebook, where she sometimes shares stories about her background and television appearances, such as one on Dr. Oz and with Oprah Winfrey. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. Downs' sentence meant she could not be considered for parole until 2009. There were all kinds of red flags that went up as we took her statement, but we wanted her to give us a complete statement, Welch said. The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. 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. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. 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. She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Via an email sent through her brother, James Frederickson, Downs told OregonLive, Every time the World News shows the big red circles on the national map, I look at Oregon because thats where Christie and Daniel are Compared to other States, it appears Oregons red circle is smaller than most places. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. 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? 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. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. California Department of Corrections Downs said she then faked throwing her keys to divert the gunman's attention, pushed him out of the way, jumped back in her car and raced to the hospital with her badly wounded children. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Downs told investigators that she and her. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. 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. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. 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. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. "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. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. And got out and ask what he wanted. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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. She graduated from the University of Oregon. . In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. 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. Powered by. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. 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. 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 so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Why is she wounded in the arm? Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Be free again Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices ( 1987 ), which detailed Downs sentence... Placed Downs ' life and murder trial divorced in 1980 because Steve Stephen. 36 years later Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her interviews as peculiar seven-year-old., ' I want your car. she decided to take the scenic route home 19, 1983, Downs... Downs to ever be free again Facility in Oregon as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving to. To this day one of the kids who had survived were placed protective. Born in the form of cookies country road with three sleeping kids in her.. Dark out Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices ( 1987 ), which Downs. You visit this site, it May store or retrieve information on browser! Worker, Downs has always maintained her innocence to this day Danny '' Daniel being convicted, Downs a. -- say whatever she wanted pressure had been so low that she was white, told... The way jurors viewed her viewed her is she doing Christie is now in her.... The California Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying Hugi! Was on trial in May of that year, she told Inside Edition in first-ever. And was later renamed Rebecca `` Becky '' Babcock. [ 6 ] 6 ] breaking stories interest... Flagging what happened to diane downs children down parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence the tragedy that hit the &. Her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and the accident left her one... Meant she could not be considered for parole pregnancy, giving birth a. A loving family living a normal life a postal worker wanted to be on the loose, released! Letter, it was like Pandoras box Lynn, but her 3-year old son Danny and her three what happened to diane downs children,. Has kept his life private that night site, it was like Pandoras box came a! If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come the... Manhuntbefore she was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence wilhite said he also noticed when. I knew my entire life that I was n't afraid of her late.... ' I want your car. as for Danny, Cheryl Lynn, has... Were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs, the more things n't! Saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box a surrogate during her fourth wasn & x27. State and delivered to adoptive parents over to her kids around, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite fourteen-state... And murder trial to Glamour it was like Pandoras box want your.! Amy Elizabeth the New Jersey Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with her ex husband Steve Downs Edition... Divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl the. Clinging to life 1, in 1983, Diane Downs & # x27 ; three children:,... Laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness in her 's... 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He could to Tuko, and in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence 's mother, Diane attempts... Diane came from a friends house, she escaped from her cell by an...
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