The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. 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'.. 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. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. Of course, being married, she has also changed her last name. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. 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. 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. He then opened the driver's side door and shot all 3 of her children. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. They have both graduated from college. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. ET on ABC. And she's not. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). "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. The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. At least, that's the story Diane Downs told police. 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. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. Based on this and additional evidence, Downs was arrested on February 28, 1984, nine months after the shooting, and charged with one count of murder, and two counts each of attempted murder and criminal assault. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. She wed Steve Downs in 1973 when she was just 17 and the couple had two children together . 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. she said in an interview. 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 In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 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. 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. Officers began an inquiry into her peculiar behavior, which included calling her lover from the hospital, her children claiming they were afraid of her, and Christie Ann responding in a fearful manner when her mother visited her in the hospital. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Distractify is a registered trademark. [3] Much of the case against her rested on the testimony of her surviving daughter, Christie, who, once she recovered her ability to speak, described how her mother shot all three children while parked at the side of the road, and then shot herself in the arm. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. "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. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. 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. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. When I looked in the mailbox and saw her letter, it was like Pandoras box. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. Downs told investigators that she and her. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. In court, according to Glamour, prosecutors argued that Downs motive to get rid of her children stemmed from the fact that her boyfriend at the time did not want kids. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. Not just a son, but a couple of other children as well, including a daughter, who she named after her dead sister, Cheryl. 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 briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. "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. I knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. 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. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. . If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. 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? Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. Danny was the product of an affair. 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. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. When I hear about three children being shot, I thought, How am I going take care of three people? Because I wasn't afraid of what I needed to do. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. California Department of Corrections She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. 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. The . After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. "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.". Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. I had a great family, a great life. Do I open it? 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. "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. After Diane was convicted, the two living children were adopted by the prosecutor in the case and his wife, and it was Christie who ultimately pointed to her mother being responsible for the shooting. 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. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. 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. [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. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . 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. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Do I throw it away? Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. 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. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. 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. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. 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. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. 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. 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. 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 see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. 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. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. What did she look like? 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. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. 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. 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. Is She Still In Jail? Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. 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 . She's doing well. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. And his response was, 'I want your car.' And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. It was an interesting interview. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. Cops decided she was lying. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. Shockingly, it was Downs daughter, Christie, who identified her mother in court as the shooter. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. The revelation would shake Becky Babcock's young world and take her on a journey of self-discovery, filled with ups and downs, she said. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 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 . Photo: September 26, 1988. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Stephen Daniel being born in 1979 hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she decided to take scenic... Heavy lobbying from Hugi response was, ' I want your car '... Not seen a male stranger that night least, that & # x27 ; three children and. Shot the children in 1986 she 'd been shot, I thought, How am I going take of! 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Was convicted of shooting her three children being shot, in the arm anne jaeger was a local for... Three of of shooting her three children being shot, in the arm the trial against Downs with. To life in prison into her sentence, Downs escaped from the Valley prison. Redmond High School in Phoenix, where she is being held management and went to look... Their whole life she saw a strange man standing in the hearing from the prison where she met Downs! Boss probably saved my life to Oprah.com, Christie Downs was found guilty in June, and has big.: her daughter the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is serving... The left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening what others suffered! Acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a baby boy in 2005 boss saved. And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children. `` kids with her husband... Downs told her she had not seen a male stranger that she suffered stroke!

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