Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. [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. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. 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. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. 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 . "She was white, she was not breathing. They have both graduated from college. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. She was white She was not breathing. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. ET. Powered by. Jaeger said. 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. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. I was nervous. She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. 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. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. 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. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. ET on ABC. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. [3] Much of the case against her rested on the testimony of her surviving daughter, Christie, who, once she recovered her ability to speak, described how her mother shot all three children while parked at the side of the road, and then shot herself in the arm. In May of that year, Downs shot her three children in her car at a remote roadside in Springfield, Oregon, before shooting herself in the forearm, cops said. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. She then ran away from home and married husband, Steven Downs, in 1973, with whom she had three children - Christie Ann, Cheryl Lynn and Stephen "Danny" Daniel. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. 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. She was white She was not breathing. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. I knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and thats what her ex husband was told, too. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Beeper goes off, said, Get in here. 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. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. 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. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. "They have both graduated from college. A surgeon told ABC News of treating Christie: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. 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,. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. Too much for her own good, Welch said. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. She was later adopted by another family. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. View our online Press Pack. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. 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. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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. Wilhite said he and the hospital staff who worked on the Downs kids on that horrific May night were not surprised by the outcome of the case. Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. 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. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. 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. Ten days before Downs' sentencing, Amy was seized by the State of Oregon, and adopted by Chris and Jackie Babcock, who subsequently renamed her Rebecca. 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. Previously, Diane was housed in a maximum-security prison for women in Clinton, N.J. As for why she wasn't in Oregon where the crimes took place, " [prison] officials said they . May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. 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. 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. "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. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. She graduated from the University of Oregon. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. 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. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. She wed Steve Downs in 1973 when she was just 17 and the couple had two children together . She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. 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. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. Do I open it? Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. 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. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. 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. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Twitter Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. 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. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. At birth, Downs named the child Amy Elizabeth. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. Now, her children are all grown up and many want to know what they are up to now 2 Becky Babcock is the fourth and youngest child of Diane Downs Credit: ABC NEws Who is Diane Downs' daughter Becky Babcock? 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. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. She shot her three children but claimed that she was carjacked and that her children were shot by a stranger. 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. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? Her pupils were dilated. 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. It was scary. I had a great family, a great life. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). she said in an interview. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. 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. I've never been so hyped in my life.. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? 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. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Det. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. "She saw the kids as a burden, they were in the way and he wasn't going to join her as long as she had the kids," Welch said. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . 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. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. "They have both graduated from college. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. 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. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Downs Family Diane Downs and her three children. Look at her," Jaeger said. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. 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. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. She didn't know when to keep her mouth shut.. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. 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. 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. 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. ", 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. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. She loves us. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. It was mainly about my biological mom. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. [2][3] Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. 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. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. Do I throw it away? When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. We believe the motive for the shooting was to get Nick up here to Oregon to be with her. 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. Distractify is a registered trademark. 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. [7], On May 19, 1983, Downs shot her three children, and drove them in a blood-spattered car to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, Oregon. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". And Christie knew that.. The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. 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.". She admitted to shooting her three children but claimed that she was the victim of a carjacking and that an unknown person shot her children. 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