Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. 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 She's doing well. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. 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. Not just a son, but a couple of other children as well, including a daughter, who she named after her dead sister, Cheryl. 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. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. And she's not. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? [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. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. Not one tear. 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. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. 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. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. "I knew within 30 minutes of talking with that woman that she was guilty": Surgeon who helped save one of Diane Downs' kids in 1983 after she shot her recalls chilling interaction. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. It was scary. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. 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. Did I make a mistake? Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". View our online Press Pack. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. 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. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. Distractify is a registered trademark. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Too much for her own good, Welch said. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. And his response was, 'I want your car.' 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. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. It was an interesting interview. "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. 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 . 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Jaeger said. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. "They have both graduated from college. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. 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. 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. I mean, think about it. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. 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.". "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. 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. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. 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.. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. 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. Where are Diane Downs' children now? 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. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. . The first letter I wrote Diane, I must have written 100 times, she says. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. 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. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. ET on ABC. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. 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. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). 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. "She was white, she was not breathing. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? And Christie knew that.. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. 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. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. 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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. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Diane Downs gave birth to four children. 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. Beeper goes off, said, Get in here. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" She graduated from the University of Oregon. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. I've never been so hyped in my life.. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. I have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? 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. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. They have both graduated from college. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. 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. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. 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. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. 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. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. California author Diane Burroughs studied writing and television production at Columbia College and is a writer and producer for sitcoms for television - Married.with Children, Murphy Brown, Martin, The Drew Carey Show, Yes, Dear, and Still Standing - a blogger at Left at 50, and a standup comedienne. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. What is the latest information pertaining to the convicted child killer? Would love your thoughts, please comment. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Powered by. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Downs told investigators that she and her. When she got out to talk to this man, he immediately demanded that she give him her car keys, Downs claimed she refused and they got into a physical altercation that resulted in him shooting her in the left arm. And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car.
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