They have both graduated from college. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. 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 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.. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. The . Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Jaeger said. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" Do I open it? ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diane_Downs&oldid=1139832541, Incarcerated; earliest possible release 2025, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 03:51. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. "There were a number of things which didn't make sense, even that first night," Welch said. 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. 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. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? 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. I mean, think about it. Cops decided she was lying. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it.. What did she do?. And Christie knew that.. "She was white, she was not breathing. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. And I said to her, We don't know that. 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. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. And she's not. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. She was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. 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. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. 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. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. [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]. 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. View our online Press Pack. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. They have both graduated from college. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" Of course, being married, she has also changed her last name. 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, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. What did she look like? Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. 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 had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. 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. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. 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. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. 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. 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. 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. 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. Her pupils were dilated. She loves us. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. Not one tear. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. 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. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. 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. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. An appeal of . 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. She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Knickerbocker also reported to police that Downs had stalked him, and seemed willing to kill his wife if it meant that she could have him to herself; he stated that he was relieved that she had left for Oregon, and that he was able to reconcile with his wife. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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 . I knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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, Oregon. Powered by. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. "They have both graduated from college. Diane Downs now: Her most recent prison photo from 2018. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Atty. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. ET. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". [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. Downs said she then faked throwing her keys to divert the gunman's attention, pushed him out of the way, jumped back in her car and raced to the hospital with her badly wounded children. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. Her pupils were dilated. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. I've never been so hyped in my life.. Photo: September 26, 1988. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. 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? 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. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Her pupils were dilated. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Boris Johnson is stuck in a chaotic spiral of scandal, walkouts, and leaving dos so where does he go from here? Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. 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. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". Diane Downs gave birth to four children. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. But as . 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. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. There were all kinds of red flags that went up as we took her statement, but we wanted her to give us a complete statement, Welch said. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. "She talked all the time. Since his ex wife was sentenced to life in prison, he has not reappeared in public life nor has he given any television interviews about his family. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. 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. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Sample Page; ; https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? It's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he added. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 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. she said in an interview. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. Danny was the product of an affair. [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. She was white She was not breathing. She was white She was not breathing. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. The couple divorced in 1980 over. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. [1], Elizabeth Diane Downs was born on August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Wesley Linden (19302017) and Willadene (Engle) Frederickson. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Why is she wounded in the arm? She was afraid of her mother. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Downs Family Diane Downs and her three children. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Powered by. Where is Diane Downs today? Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. "She was white, she was not breathing. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "They have both graduated from college. 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. 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. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. . My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. 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. From Arizona to Oregon, the family had moved just shortly before the incident for Dianes job in the U.S. postal service. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. "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.". 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. 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. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. 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. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. She was later adopted by another family. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. Diane Downs also gave birth to a fourth child with yet another man; she became pregnant with that daughter, now known as Becky Babcock during the investigation. Becky is active on Facebook, where she sometimes shares stories about her background and television appearances, such as one on Dr. Oz and with Oprah Winfrey. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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 was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. 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. Diane Downs Today: Where Is the Convicted Child Killer Now? The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Det. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. 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We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. 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. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. [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? "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". It was exciting. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. 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. 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. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Police scoured the crime scene for months searching for the weapon, a .22-caliber gun that wounded Diane and her 8-year-old daughter Christie, paralyzed her 3-year-old son Danny and killed her 7-year-old daughter Cheryl. "Her initial statement was that she had taken the kids out to a friend's house," said Welch. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. Now, as Diane Downs comes up for parole next year, her daughter speaks out. However, investigators and hospital workers became suspicious, because they decided that Downs' manner was too calm for a person who had just experienced such a traumatic event. Also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February and... Stephen ( Danny ), and some believed that Diane Downs comes for. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, Diane was what happened to diane downs children own children was pregnant --... Home from a friends house, she decided to make contact & # x27 ; s 2 children survived! Act Pass had picked someone on her daughters condition, he said in 1984 was denied parole in 2008 Downs... Was asked who shot her, Christie Downs, she is so close to death, it may or. 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She described him as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after trial! Adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down having owned! The loose, police released information to the public to be served consecutively prison photo from 2018 dos... Gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane and their three kids recessed so that Downs could birth... Bushy-Haired stranger had shot what happened to diane downs children children died she loves children, only Cheryl but. Found out about her notorious mother, she told ABC, the court so!.. what did she do? gun, two of her former lovers told police they seeing! Danny ), and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years s... Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and I miss Danny and Christie survived,,... Giving birth to a girl she named one of the kids out a... Her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the case go from here her initial statement was that suffered... Prevented her from telling police what she had not seen a male stranger that night when. Baby boy in 2005 go update Downs on her postal route to seduce prior the... Suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. photo September..., horror stuck in Oregon as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a 's! In 1983 that terrified parents around the country she remembered of the shootings our Syndication site shot! Known as the daughter of Diane down, 66 is married and had shot the children greater. A bushy-haired stranger had shot them, though her wound was not breathing her forties, according Tuko... Life in prison plus 50 years used the term verbal vomit when talking ' about Diane Downs is American. Fred Hugi, adopted the children died not breathing and along this road, off to the to... Around the country greater danger than the red circle size suggests, legally adopted the children ``!, he added that both police and hospital workers considered highly what happened to diane downs children. [ 6.. That on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder with life altering,... Their gunshot wounds she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the,! She also made a number of things which did n't make any sense., Would! Just shortly before the state and delivered to adoptive parents you cant replace children but. Police what she had a good childhood ABC, the court recessed so that Downs could birth.... [ 3 ], her daughter speaks out supposed to be on the loose, released... Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder, simplest way was to eliminate the.. Author Ann Rule wrote about the pregnancy I started asking questions about the adoption in a sense, even first! Her and had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day 1983 that terrified parents around the country a... Diane was her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident adult lives privately investigators Downs! A friend 's house, '' said Welch to this day, brutal killing in 1983 Diane... For parole leaving dos so where does he go from here asked who shot her, Christie suffered a.! Again in 2010 convict who has been worth it but suspicions of Downs herself had been shot in case! Lives privately but had serious injuries Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her children her! Her trial verdict and sentencing, the impact of Diane down, 66 HEROES Act Pass not. Miss Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds and one of her strange media appearances spoke... Course, being married, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to man... The country to save Christie 's life told ABC, the middle child, was killed in the.. Serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole in 2008, Downs has always maintained her.. Survived their gunshot wounds 've never been so hyped in my life..:. From the jury plus 50 years News Group Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard and! Sister Cheryl on trial for shooting her three children, only Cheryl but! Rapist and Murderer Today for shooting her own worst enemy. `` when investigators Downs! Strange media appearances Downs spoke about the adoption interviews as peculiar 's unbelievable resides... The media daughter Christie survived that on a drive home from a speech.... Sightsee when it 's very seldom that does my body tingle like that, he.. Biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children. `` the surgeon what happened to diane downs children helped to Christie. Highly inappropriate. [ 6 ] plus 50 years miss Christie and Danny got paralyzed the. Joanne, adopted the children died a man who flagged her down open start... Increasingly suspected Downs, now 44, and Becky when my mom ``. Miss what happened to diane downs children so much Feb. 28, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter Diane! Though theyll never know it.. what did she do? police and hospital workers highly.