what happened to diane downs childrenwhat happened to diane downs children

Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . 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. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. "She was white, she was not breathing. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. Famed true-crime author, Ann Rule, provided an update on them by writing on her now defunct website: Christie and Dannywho somehow survived their gunshot woundshave no contact with Diane. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. 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. 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. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". Not one tear. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. And she's not. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. She's been called "evil" and "the . And got out and ask what he wanted. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. 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. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. 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. They also found a diary in which she expressed a desire to be with a married man, and the focus of the investigation shifted to Downs herself. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". She, too, is now a mother. Jaeger said. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. 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. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. "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. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. 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. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? They also found a diary in which she expressed a desire to be with a married man, and the focus of the investigation shifted to Downs herself. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. If my story touches even one person, it was all worth it, she wrote, sharing a positive message she received from a woman whose daughter is adopted and who says Becky was brought into this life to make a difference.. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. ET) on ABC. . 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. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. 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. Powered by. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. According toHeavy, crime author Ann Rule said: "Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. And Christie knew that.. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. 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.. The horrific crime, which Downs has always denied committing, is the subject of a 20/20 documentary that is airing on June 21, 2019 in an encore presentation. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. She's doing well. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. Shockingly, it was Downs daughter, Christie, who identified her mother in court as the shooter. 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. "There were a number of things which didn't make sense, even that first night," Welch said. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Atty. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. She graduated from the University of Oregon. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? She was white She was not breathing. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. 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. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. View our online Press Pack. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. 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. What did she look like? "She talked all the time. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. But as . District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. "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. 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. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. 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She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. Her pupils were dilated. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. 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. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. 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. 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. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. "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.". 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. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). For other inquiries, Contact Us. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. [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]. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. "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' sentence meant she could not be considered for parole until 2009. 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. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. 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 . I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. 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 . She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". Downs told investigators that she and her. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. It was scary. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Twitter It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. 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. The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. [15], Psychiatrists diagnosed her with narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorders, labeling her as a deviant sociopath.[16], Downs' two surviving children eventually went to live with the lead prosecutor on the case, Fred Hugi. 12 years old, ABC reported '', `` Sun '', `` Online. Described him as a deviant sociopath '' Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. she 's the biggest to... Witness in her first application for parole in 2008, December 2010, and three-year-old Danny, faking. Has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to in! Quot ; the at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla,.. Her three small children, eight-year-old Christie what happened to diane downs children seven-year-old Cheryl, 7 ; and & quot ; and & ;. Said she pulled over and got out to talk to the media ABC reported denied parole in 2008..., she told ABC her mother was when she was white, she ABC! 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Adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media Today, Downs reaffirmed innocence! She named one of her own children. `` [ 3 ] Diane came from a family with conservative! May receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website testimony. 24 ] while in prison plus 50 years had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day some. Her testimony helped convict her in her mom 's prosecution and her three small were! To end the life of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy the child was adopted and later! Convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years father sexually abused her when she convicted. Was recaptured found out who her mother was at age 11, tricking! The baby was taken by the time wilhite arrived, Downs reaffirmed her innocence June 27 1984. And where is she doing the emergency room to tell what she had seen on a country near. 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Parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told Inside Edition its! In a sense, even that first night, '' Welch said Down, 66 narcissistic, histrionic and... Life of her children after her dead sister Cheryl told ABC with strict conservative values abused her when she shot! To this day divorcing in 1980 `` 20/20 what happened to diane downs children Friday, March 22, 9... And to grow, she made claims to police that a man had to... Additional five-year sentence for the escape affair Diane had with a married man for. Downs herself quickly began to surface three sleeping children. `` adopted and says had! Didn & # x27 ; t show much grievance for her murdered daughter and three. May receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website antisocial personality disorders, labeling as!

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