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. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". California Department of Corrections She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. I was very stern with 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. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Det. What is the latest information pertaining to the convicted child killer? Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it.. she said in an interview. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. [24] In 2010, she was relocated to the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, California,[23] but was transferred out when the facility was converted to an all-male institution in 2013.[25]. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. Do I throw it away? In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. "She was white, she was not breathing. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. 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. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. 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.". 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. It was an interesting interview. 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. 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. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. Look at her," Jaeger said. Her pupils were dilated. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Powered by. 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. [2], On November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs after running away from home. 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. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. All Rights Reserved. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. Diane Downs and her three children They raise many concerns over her three-decade old conviction for the shooting of her three children, one of whom died, and say even the most basic tests for courts were not met or passed. 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. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. I cant remember a specific time when my mom or dad said youre adopted. But when I was about eight years old, I started asking questions about the adoption. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. And she's not. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. 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. 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 . And got out and ask what he wanted. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. 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. Sample Page; ; 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. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny, Cheryl, and Christie- in Springfield, Oregon. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. What did she do?. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. 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. Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. 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? Would love your thoughts, please comment. Danny was the product of an affair. 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. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. The Diane Downs case is well-known and infamous; she's accused of shooting her three children along a roadway in Springfield, Oregon on May 19, 1983. It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. She graduated from the University of Oregon. 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. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. "She saw the kids as a burden, they were in the way and he wasn't going to join her as long as she had the kids," Welch said. 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. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 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 named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! On a fateful night in May 1983, she rushed to the emergency ward of a hospital . The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Here's what we know. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. [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. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. The horrific crime, which Downs has always denied committing, is the subject of a 20/20 documentary that is airing on June 21, 2019 in an encore presentation. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable. Dianes emotionless, cold demeanor about the children convinced people immediately that she was the shooter. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Downs was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years for killing her 7-year-old daughter and wounding her two other children on a rural road outside Springfield, Ore., on May 19, 1983. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. On Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings, Downs was arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. [7], On May 19, 1983, Downs shot her three children, and drove them in a blood-spattered car to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, Oregon. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Elizabeth Diane Downs, the convicted childkiller who escaped July 11, 1987 from the women's prison in Salem, Ore., is escorted out of state police headquarters in Salem following her capture July 21, 1987. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? 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. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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