Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. 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. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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. 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. 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. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. She was later adopted by another family. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. She loves us. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. 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. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Her pupils were dilated. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. She was white She was not breathing. 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.". Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. 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. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. 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. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. 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. ET on ABC. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. And got out and ask what he wanted. ET) on ABC. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. It was scary. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. "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.". 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. In 2005, she gave birth to her first child, a boy, and later gave birth to a daughter who she named Cheryl after her sister. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. They have both graduated from college. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Video related to diane downs children now: christie, danny & becky today, My Mothers Sins l 20/20 Diane Downs l Part 2, WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OF 20/20: bit.ly/2uqkFD4 Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. 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. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. She, too, is now a mother. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. 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. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. 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. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. A surgeon told ABC News of treating Christie: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. 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. 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. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. "They have both graduated from college. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. Where are Diane Downs' children now? When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. "I knew within 30 minutes of talking with that woman that she was guilty": Surgeon who helped save one of Diane Downs' kids in 1983 after she shot her recalls chilling interaction. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. And she's not. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. [23] The Salem prison was located 66 miles from Hugi's home in Springfield; during her ten days of freedom, Hugi had feared that Downs would attempt to travel there in hopes of contacting her children, Christie and Danny. 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 . When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. 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. 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. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. She replied, 'You've got to be kidding,' at which time he pushed her aside and reached in and shot the sleeping kids.". When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. All Rights Reserved. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Distractify is a registered trademark. She shot her three children but claimed that she was carjacked and that her children were shot by a stranger. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. An appeal of . A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Diane Downs also gave birth to a fourth child with yet another man; she became pregnant with that daughter, now known as Becky Babcock during the investigation. Her pupils were dilated. Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. This is why I chose to tell my story. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. [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. [24] In 2010, she was relocated to the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, California,[23] but was transferred out when the facility was converted to an all-male institution in 2013.[25]. ET. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. [11] The forensic evidence did not match her story; there was no blood spatter on the driver's side of the car, nor was there any gunpowder residue on the driver's door or on the interior door panel. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. They have both graduated from college. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. 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. 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. 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. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. 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. 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. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon 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 first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. 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. I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. [2][3] Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. And Christie knew that.. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. "She talked all the time. Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . Do I throw it away? People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. She was white She was not breathing. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. 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. "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. She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. 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. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. 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. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. 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. She's been called "evil" and "the . Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Sample Page; ; I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. 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. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. 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. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. 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