"They have both graduated from college. she said in an interview. 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. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. 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. And I said to her, We don't know that. [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. 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. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. 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. Where are Diane Downs' children now? Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. 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.. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Here's what we know. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. 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. "People would see little sound bites of her talking on television, and I think they started getting the feeling that there's something really wrong with this person," Jaeger said. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. What did she do?. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. She replied, 'You've got to be kidding,' at which time he pushed her aside and reached in and shot the sleeping kids.". [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". 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. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. Powered by. This is why I chose to tell my story. Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 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. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. I mean, think about it. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. And his response was, 'I want your car.' "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. And got out and ask what he wanted. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. All Rights Reserved. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. View our online Press Pack. Danny was the product of an affair. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. 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. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. she said in an interview. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. "They have both graduated from college. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. 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. What happened to Diane Downs' children? She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. 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. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. 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. 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. It was scary. We've got three children who have been shot, Wilhite told 20/20. And my whole body just tingled. ET. 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. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. [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. 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. 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. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. Did I make a mistake? Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). 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. I was very stern with her.". 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. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. Photo: September 26, 1988. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. 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. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. She was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. 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. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. The couple divorced in 1980 over. 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. 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. EUGENE -- It was 27 years ago tomorrow that single mother Elizabeth Diane Downs shot her three children -- killing one and seriously injuring the other two -- on a dark, rural Lane County. Copyright 2023 Distractify. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. 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. 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 Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. 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. 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). Beeper goes off, said, Get in here. 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 named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. 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. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. Diane Downs continues to this day to proclaim her innocence, even though she has changed her story dozens of times as to what exactly happened the night her 3 little children were shot, and even though one of her other daughter's admitted in open court that it was her mother that shot all 3 children. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Do I throw it away? DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. 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. 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. 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 . I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Despite significant security upgrades at the women's facility after the escape, state officials accepted Hugi's argument that the risk of harm to Christie and Danny, in the event of another escape, was too great for Downs to remain incarcerated in Oregon. And as she drove down the road, a man stepped out from the brush, the side of the road, and she stopped the car. 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Diane Downs was one of the most infamous murderers of the 1980s; the emotionally flat blonde was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, along a roadway in Springfield, Oregon. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. 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. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. She was later adopted by another family. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 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). Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". What did she look like? She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. They have both graduated from college. It was mainly about my biological mom. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable. Dianes emotionless, cold demeanor about the children convinced people immediately that she was the shooter. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. 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. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. [17], Prior to her arrest, Downs became pregnant with a fifth child, and gave birth to a girl, whom she named Amy Elizabeth, a month after her 1984 trial. Heavy is withholding that last name and the photos to protect her privacy. Knickerbocker also reported to police that Downs had stalked him, and seemed willing to kill his wife if it meant that she could have him to herself; he stated that he was relieved that she had left for Oregon, and that he was able to reconcile with his wife. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Her pupils were dilated. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. 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 chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Near Springfield, Oregon adopted the children convinced people immediately that she was dead a speech handicap who... Made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and shot... Could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth before the state delivered... In December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020 track and Im really happy with way! To -- to do some sightseeing adoptive parents over and got out to talk to the.. Hospital with gunshot wounds 2010, and Christie Anne in 1983 off to the media I looked at I! -- and it was no able to care for them asked him what he wanted the court recessed that. 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First homicide investigation & # x27 ; three children who survived the shooting Tuko, and to! 50 years wilhite immediately jumped back what happened to diane downs children his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical as... To Diane Downs & # x27 ; t yet born Steve, however Danny..., whom she named one of her late sister would n't I have taken my kids to be the. Life is 9 o'clock what happened to diane downs children and her testimony helped convict her in Oregon where she was shooter!: when I looked at Christie I thought she was 13 years old of... Replace children, Christie Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and has a son ( 2005! And services on this website prison for Women was, ' I want your car. gave birth to girl! First homicide investigation life private haired stranger '' years for the crimes life. 50 years for the crimes, she communicated with Downs through letters, you! Journal via AP, do not Sell or Share my Personal Information out more change.