Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Growing up, Diane followed those values, however, after the age of 14, she became more rebellious and eventually dropped "Elizabeth" from her name and went by Diane. And I said to her, We don't know that. Not one tear. 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 . This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. "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. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. 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. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. [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. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. View our online Press Pack. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. Did I make a mistake? The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. [13], Prosecutors argued that Downs shot her children to be free of them, so that she could continue her affair with Knickerbocker, as she claimed that he let it be known that he did not want children in his life. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. 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. Where are Diane Downs' children now? And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? 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. And his response was, 'I want your car.' In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. And Christie knew that.. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. 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 first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. What did she look like? 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. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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 . 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. 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. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. 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. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. 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. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. "There were a number of things which didn't make sense, even that first night," Welch said. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. 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. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". 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. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. This is why I chose to tell my story. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. Cops decided she was lying. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? Is She Still In Jail? Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. 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. 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 graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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 talked all the time. She, too, is now a mother. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. 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. 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. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. 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. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. [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. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. 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. Distractify is a registered trademark. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". 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. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. The couple divorced in 1980 over. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. 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. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. She loves us. It was scary. . She wed Steve Downs in 1973 when she was just 17 and the couple had two children together . 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. The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. 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. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. Danny was the product of an affair. 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 was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. 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. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Here's what we know. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon. An appeal of . From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. Her pupils were dilated. Twitter 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. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . She graduated from the University of Oregon. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. 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. "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.". The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. The baby was taken by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids,! 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