Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. 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. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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. 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. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. In a statement to Heavy, Terry Thornton, Deputy Press Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, stated, Elizabeth Diane Downs, 64, is currently housed at Central California Womens Facility. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. ", 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. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. 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. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" 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. California Department of Corrections Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. 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. 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 . After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. Diane Downs now: Her most recent prison photo from 2018. 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. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. I was very stern with her.". In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. It was mainly about my biological mom. She knew that, if she got pregnant, that people would look at her and say, How could a woman who loves children this much and got pregnant have killed her children? She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. 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 prevented her from telling police what she had seen. 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 the kids-- one is fatally shot and the other two are seriously injured., Welch said there were a lot of problems with her story and by the end of the interview, we knew that she had been lying'.. Det. I've never been so hyped in my life.. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. [8][9] Upon arrival, Cheryl (aged 7) was already dead, Danny (aged 3) was paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie (aged 8) had suffered a disabling stroke. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. 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. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis., Both individuals chose to live a life away from the spotlight- they didnt want prying eyes to remind them of the horrors of their past and to haunt them more than it already did. Photo: September 26, 1988. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. 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. 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. Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. 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's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. 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 . 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. "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. 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 I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. She, too, is now a mother. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. Would love your thoughts, please comment. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. "She was white, she was not breathing. [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. 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. 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. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. 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. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Atty. "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. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Is She Still In Jail? 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. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. She's doing well. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. It was exciting. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. 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. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. All Rights Reserved. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. [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. 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. And she's not. 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. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Here's what we know. 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. It was honestly picture perfect., Diane Downs Children Now: Christie, Danny & Becky Today, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. I was nervous. View our online Press Pack. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. 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. 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. There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs is these days. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. 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. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon May 14, 2010 -- On June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was found guilty of shooting her three children, killing one. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. 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. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. 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. Markings from the murder weapon more and change our default settings with Cookies.. 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