She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. Do I open it? she said in an interview. Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. Do I throw it away? pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. And she has been our national consciousness for 70 years, says Tony Parsons, Takeaway-lover celebrates birthday with cake in the shape of his favourite fast food, Brooklyn Beckham is cute - but he doesn't deserve his own cooking show just because his parents are famous - no-one does, Bob Proctor death: Self-help author behind You Were Born Rich passes away at 87. [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. Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. [2], On November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs after running away from home. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. 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. 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. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. Atty. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it.. "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. 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. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Sample Page; ; Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. 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. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. [32], Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 03:51, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, "Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love", "The True Story of Diane Downs: How a Mother Shot Her 3 Kids for Her Lover", "Woman on finding peace after learning mother is child killer Diane Downs: 'Though that's biologically my makeup, it's not who I am inside', "Woman finds peace after learning mother is convicted child killer Diane Downs", Christie Downs: Three Years Old Murder Survival of the 80s, "Becky Babcock: My Mother Was a Murderer", "Becky Babcock: A Girl's Fight to Escape her Mother's Crimes", "Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love', "Diane Downs maintains innocence as parole hearing looms", "Diane Downs Denied by Oregon Parole Board", "Diane Downs Latest Parole Hearing is Next Month", "Where Is Diane Downs Today? Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Why is she wounded in the arm? A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. ET. Becky Babcock is speaking out about her infamous mother, Diane Downs, who was convicted of killing her own 7-year-old child and attempting to murder her other two children, ages 8 and 3, in . She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. Offers may be subject to change without notice. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. At least, that's the story Diane Downs told police. 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. And I said to her, We don't know that. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. An appeal of . Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. She, too, is now a mother. 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.". Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. California Department of Corrections Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. 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. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. Too much for her own good, Welch said. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Of course, being married, she has also changed her last name. Downs, herself, started feeling sick and was told by a supervisor to rest after seemingly showcasing symptoms at work, where she refurbishes bicycles for underprivileged children. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. As an adult, Rebecca (Becky) appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show[18] and ABC's 20/20,[19] where she discussed how she felt about her biological mother. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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. She's doing well. [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. Glamour reported that Danny was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of the shooting and Cheryl suffered a major stroke as a result of the attack that left her with a lifelong speech impediment. It was an interesting interview. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. According to Oprah.com, Christie and Dannyhave chosen to live private lives. In 1989, the Associated Press reported that then 14-year-old Christie Ann was left with speech impairment, and 9-year-old Danny is paralyzed from the waist down. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Photo: September 26, 1988. She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. 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. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. [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. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. "I'm never going to see Cheryl on Earth again and I just, you can't replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. "They have both graduated from college. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" Powered by. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. 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). While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". Would love your thoughts, please comment. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. What did she look like? Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. Not one tear. The couple divorced in 1980 over. 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. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. "She talked all the time. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? 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. Downs Family Diane Downs and her three children. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. 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 Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Under Oregon law at the time, as a dangerous offender, Downs would have been eligible for a parole hearing every two years until she is released or dies in prison. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. 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. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. 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. 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. 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. 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. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. 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. She was afraid of her mother. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. 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. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane old daughter what happened to diane downs children died but her 3-year son! Testimony helped convict her a normal life Tuko, and the accident left with. Murder trial with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979 a baby boy in 2005 so that '! 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