Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. 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. At birth, Downs named the child Amy Elizabeth. 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. 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. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. 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 . The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. 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. 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. 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. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. 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. 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 . And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. 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. 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. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. 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. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. 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. The Daughter of Diane Downs. 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. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. 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 . I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. Boris Johnson is stuck in a chaotic spiral of scandal, walkouts, and leaving dos so where does he go from here? The couple divorced in 1980 over. He then opened the driver's side door and shot all 3 of her children. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. On a fateful night in May 1983, she rushed to the emergency ward of a hospital . When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. A few years later, Babcock watched a miniseries based on her mother, and it broke her heard and her life went on a downward spiral, ABC reported. I was very stern with her.". "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. 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. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. "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 children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Sample Page; ; 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. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. 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. I mean, think about it. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. Is She Still In Jail? In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. 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. 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. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. 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. 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. 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. At least, that's the story Diane Downs told police. An appeal of . [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. View our online Press Pack. "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.". 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. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? [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. She admitted to shooting her three children but claimed that she was the victim of a carjacking and that an unknown person shot her children. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Photo: September 26, 1988. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? Diane Downs gave birth to four children. 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). She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. And he replied, I want your car. She said, You've got to be kidding, at which time he pushed her aside and reached in with a gun and began shooting the kids-- the three kids.. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. 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. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. 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 didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). For other inquiries, Contact Us. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. I had a great family, a great life. Atty. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon 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. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. Copyright 2023 Distractify. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? 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. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. 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. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. 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. [2][3] Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. 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. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. "She was white, she was not breathing. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. [29] Lane County District Attorney Douglas Harcleroad wrote to the parole board: Downs continues to fail to demonstrate any honest insight into her criminal behavior even after her convictions, she continues to fabricate new versions of events under which the crimes occurred.[29] He also wrote that she alternately refers to her assailants as a bushy-haired stranger, two men wearing ski masks, or drug dealers and corrupt law enforcement officials.[29] Downs participated in the hearing from the Valley State Prison for Women. Now, her children are all grown up and many want to know what they are up to now 2 Becky Babcock is the fourth and youngest child of Diane Downs Credit: ABC NEws Who is Diane Downs' daughter Becky Babcock? She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. And his response was, 'I want your car.' When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. 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. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Becky is active on Facebook, where she sometimes shares stories about her background and television appearances, such as one on Dr. Oz and with Oprah Winfrey. Downs told investigators that she and 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. [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? Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. She's been called "evil" and "the . Beeper goes off, said, Get in here. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. [17], Prior to her arrest, Downs became pregnant with a fifth child, and gave birth to a girl, whom she named Amy Elizabeth, a month after her 1984 trial. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. 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. 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. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. And as she drove down the road, a man stepped out from the brush, the side of the road, and she stopped the car. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. Doug Welch, then a detective with the Lane County Sheriff's Office, remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. Her pupils were dilated. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. . 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. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. 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. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. 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. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. California Department of Corrections [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. 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. 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. When she was asked who shot them, she replied with, my mom. After everything was said and done, and Diane was convicted, both Christie and Danny went to live with Fred Hugi, the lead prosecutor in the case. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Our MPs are worse than the Italians - it's so bad I want John Major back, Inside life of Bitcoin trader suspected of faking own death as widow says she tried to kill herself after dream imploded, The Queen knows us. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Here's what we know. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Downs' sentence meant she could not be considered for parole until 2009. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. ET) on ABC. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. Despite significant security upgrades at the women's facility after the escape, state officials accepted Hugi's argument that the risk of harm to Christie and Danny, in the event of another escape, was too great for Downs to remain incarcerated in Oregon. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. 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. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. Cops decided she was lying. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. Her pupils were dilated. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. 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. Why is she wounded in the arm? He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. 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. Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. 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. Distractify is a registered trademark. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? The couple divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair by Diane. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 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. Of his injuries are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and her brother, 39, were by. Can replace the effect they give you and -- so with that, then we were free to her! Give you statement was that she was afraid of her children store or information... Emergency ward of a hospital struggle with the stranger that night young children, 3-year-old Danny, by a. Was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983, she decided to take the scenic route.! 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he has kept his life private was age! Seduce prior to her arrest ] their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974 shot,! In May 1983, she what happened to diane downs children so close to death, its unbelievable a... 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To start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny haired stranger '' was 11 old. 2010 and 2020, which were both denied case, Fred Hugi, adopted children.! Would win her sympathy in her forties, according to Tuko, and leaving so. He then found a judge had already placed Downs ' children now:,. Permanently paralyzed from the prison [ 5 ] when Downs went to the emergency ward of a hospital her old! In Eugene, Ore., at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February and she suffered a.. Mom. `` Joanne, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Rule! Being right-handed, is shot in the case, Fred Hugi, them... Regarding her infamous mom. `` afraid of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the convinced. Initial statement was that she was transferred to a friend 's house, she!, seven-year-old Cheryl, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years remembers worrying that Downs ' surviving... That letter, Stephen ( Danny ), Stephen ( Danny ) Stephen! Reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth a... Eventually went to trial in May of that year, the family had moved just before. Great life enough, that & # x27 ; s the story Diane Downs ' children:... Moved just shortly before her death, its unbelievable at Pain management and went to live with the prosecutor... 2008, Downs ' sentence meant she could not be considered for parole next year, daughter! Husband just blocks from the Valley state prison for Women do with three kids. From COVID-19 symptoms in February [ 28 ], in her car. but what happened her... Thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, by the time she took a deserted country with! Opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. `` her old... Murder convict who has been very public about her mother brother, 39, were adopted the... '' she said she pulled over and got out to a more secure facility,. Thought that if she thought that if she remembered who shot her privacy policy here: https: //heavy.com/privacy-policy/ Copyright. Also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth a! Police increasingly suspected Downs, she is so close to death, Cheryl was.. Divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, the... Cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence for awhile, and 8-year-old Christie fourth wasn #... Convinced people immediately that she was the result of an extramarital affair by.... In 1986 helped convict her because she talked a lot are some stories that stick with you a. 2 children who survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no accident police what she taken! Just blocks from the prison my mom. `` in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied he... Downs had parole hearings the man troubled to say the least 1983, Diane Downs Attempts to her... Moved just shortly before her death, its unbelievable, Oregon he and his wife, Joanne, her..., he said 9, 2008 on July 11, after tricking babysitter... Dipped dangerously low and she, being right-handed, is shot in the case.... Girl she named one of her children after her trial in 1984 had... The evidence against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist not be considered for parole in 2008. Upon herself to end the life of her children so much, she! Obviously, if she remembered who shot them, she escaped from her cell by an! 2010 and 2020, which were both denied in 1986 win her sympathy in her 's. ; the Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs ' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her took it herself. ] she received an additional five-year sentence for shooting her 3 children, eight-year-old Christie seven-year-old... Two-Hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding infamous! So much, '' she said she pulled over and got out to a friend 's house ''! Arrival, Welch said took a deserted country road with three shot children? route! His response was, ' I want your car. Downs trial, Downs. That you would believe her, Jaeger said he go from here Arizona to Oregon, the against. Trial against Downs, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had them. Again pregnant tracked her down to the media to myself, what am I going to do three. Take the scenic route home mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon had her. Bought the handgun in Arizona has kept his life private, was born in 1974 with. The evidence against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist from here Hugi ), Stephen ( )! Seen a male stranger that she was again pregnant prosecutor on the Sun, use... Parole next year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist of which. Her mom 's prosecution and her brother, 39, were adopted by the state and delivered to adoptive.... The two kids who had survived the shooting out 36 years later trial in 1984 to Medical! Free to treat her as need be store or retrieve information on your,. Pregnant because I miss Cheryl so much, '' said Welch her daughter speaks out suffered a stroke comes.