I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. 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. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. 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. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. 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.". Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. She's doing well. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? 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.". Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. I had a great family, a great life. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. 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. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. 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. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Amy, who was adopted and given the name BeckyBabcock, went public about her mother in 2010 and has also met her in a bid to find out about her roots. And I said to her, We don't know that. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. She was white She was not breathing. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Did I make a mistake? 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. The couple divorced in 1980 because Steve thought Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair by Diane. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. 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. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Full names: Elizabeth Diane Downs Birth name: Elizabeth Diane Frederickson Date of birth: August 7, 1955 Age: 67 years old as of 2022 Place of birth: Phoenix, Arizona Gender: Female Nationality: American Ethnicity: White Zodiac sign: Leo Children: Christie Ann, Cheryl Lynn, Stephen Daniel, and Becky Babcock Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. 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. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. ET. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. If my story touches even one person, it was all worth it, she wrote, sharing a positive message she received from a woman whose daughter is adopted and who says Becky was brought into this life to make a difference.. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. 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. Via an email sent through her brother, James Frederickson, Downs told OregonLive, Every time the World News shows the big red circles on the national map, I look at Oregon because thats where Christie and Daniel are Compared to other States, it appears Oregons red circle is smaller than most places. This is why I chose to tell my story. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 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. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Twitter 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. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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. 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. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. 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. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. She graduated from the University of Oregon. She's been called "evil" and "the . But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. 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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. "She talked all the time. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. 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 are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Her pupils were dilated. 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. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. 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. "They have both graduated from college. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. 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 had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. Email us [email protected] call212 416 4552. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. "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.". And as she drove down the road, a man stepped out from the brush, the side of the road, and she stopped the car. It was mainly about my biological mom. 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. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. 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 girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. ", 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. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. 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