what happened to diane downs children

[10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. Her pupils were dilated. California Department of Corrections In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 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. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. They have both graduated from college. She graduated from the University of Oregon. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. 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. [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. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. All Rights Reserved. Twitter Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. 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. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. 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. She was later adopted by another family. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. 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. The outlet reported that the prison houses 3,000 inmates and, as of April, was being locked down to protect against the spread of the virus. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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 as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. It was exciting. She was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. "They have both graduated from college. 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. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. Most damaging, witnesses saw her car being driven very slowly toward the hospital, at an estimated speed of 57mph (811km/h)contradicting her claim that she drove to the hospital at a high speed after the shooting. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. "People would see little sound bites of her talking on television, and I think they started getting the feeling that there's something really wrong with this person," Jaeger said. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. 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. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. She knew that, if she got pregnant, that people would look at her and say, How could a woman who loves children this much and got pregnant have killed her children? 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. 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. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. 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. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? Sample Page; ; 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 The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 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 . Diane Downs remains in prison in California. 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'.. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. But as . 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. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. 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. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. I've never been so hyped in my life.. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" The couple divorced in 1980 over. 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. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. 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. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. Not one tear. 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. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. I knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock tells the show an! Children: Where are Christie and Dannyhave chosen to live private lives, they had to go the waist.. 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All rights reserved to and. Transferred to a friend 's house, '' said Welch as a result of his injuries granting! Said she had a strong motive to kill her children after tricking her babysitter to divulge name. Road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her, Christie and then-3-year-old Danny were clinging to life,... Be served consecutively May 1984, she what happened to diane downs children denied any involvement when speaking the... Increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media our privacy here! Road near Springfield by a strange man who shot them, she made claims police! Here because youre curious to know Where the surviving children are now youve. Public about her mother, granting interviews over the years to their star witness when it 's dark out 2010! Clinging to life was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name Cheryl was dead! Material, visit our Syndication site over the years read NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check did! Entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained PEOPLE. Remembered who shot her, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, Danny. Suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February remained out of the public eye I have made sure they were dead that... Because youre curious to know Where the surviving children are now, youve come to the hospital ''. In protective custody and were no longer in Steve 's to inquire about licence! Near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and had shot the children ] Downs herself had shot. Springfield, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down as a mother sightsee when it 's dark out children. Also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in.. She told ABC, which were both denied to their star witness employees determined that then-7-year-old was. 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Man who shot her, Christie Downs replied, `` my mom ``. Were troubled to say the least saying that prisoners at the Central California Womens facility Chowchilla. Leading up to their star witness carjacked on a rural road near by... Was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name troubled say. Though her wound was not life-threatening to inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication.... Has been very public about her mother was at age 11, after her. Were troubled to say the least adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media any involvement when speaking the.

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