Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. Cops decided she was lying. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Wilhite said he and the hospital staff who worked on the Downs kids on that horrific May night were not surprised by the outcome of the case. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. she said in an interview. [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. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. 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 . Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Photo: September 26, 1988. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. 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. Wilhite, a general surgeon, checked the page -- in those days you didn't have cell phones, he said -- and was instantly filled with dread and adrenaline. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? She's been called "evil" and "the . Would love your thoughts, please comment. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. 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. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. 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. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. 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. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. 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. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. 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. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. 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. Downs told investigators that she and her. Ten days before Downs' sentencing, Amy was seized by the State of Oregon, and adopted by Chris and Jackie Babcock, who subsequently renamed her Rebecca. 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. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. "She was white, she was not breathing. 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. [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. 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.. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. [She said] she had been out visiting a friend who had a horse up in the Marcola area -- she and the kids -- and when it grew dark they headed home. It was mainly about my biological mom. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. I wanted to relate to her not as a mother, because I had a mother just as somebody who felt the pain and the emptiness that I felt in that time., She wrote back super quickly, Babcock says. 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. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. According to ABC News, as of March 2019, Becky was 34-years-old and working in Salem Oregon as a behavioral health coordinator for children. In 2017, she posted on Facebook about a new job, writing that she works with the mentally ill helping to give them a better life.. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. 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. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. She was white She was not breathing. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Do I throw it away? Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . 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. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. 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. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. 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. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Here's what we know. It was exciting. I had a great family, a great life. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. An appeal of . After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. A year later, when Diane was arrested and put on trial, Christie, at just 9 years old, having just recovered her ability to speak, testified against her in court. [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? 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. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. 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. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs drove herself and her three children to an emergency room in Springfield, Oregon, saying she had been shot by a "bushy-haired ma. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. What is the latest information pertaining to the convicted child killer? Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. California Department of Corrections 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). On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. 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. 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