Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. 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. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. It was exciting. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. We believe the motive for the shooting was to get Nick up here to Oregon to be with her. It was scary. 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. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. A few years later, Babcock watched a miniseries based on her mother, and it broke her heard and her life went on a downward spiral, ABC reported. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. 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. 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. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. "She calculated that this would win her sympathy in her trial. Det. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. "They have both graduated from college. Offers may be subject to change without notice. There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs is these days. 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. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. [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. 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. 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. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. 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. And got out and ask what he wanted. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. They have both graduated from college. 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. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". If my story touches even one person, it was all worth it, she wrote, sharing a positive message she received from a woman whose daughter is adopted and who says Becky was brought into this life to make a difference.. Heres what you need to know about where Diane Downs children are now: Shes been called evil and the devil. A mother of three, in love with a married man, who did the unthinkable. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. 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. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Do I throw it away? In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. And she's not. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? 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. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. [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. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. She provides an update on Christie and Danny today, writing on her website: Adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984, Christie and Dannywho somehow survived their gunshot woundshave no contact with Diane. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. For other inquiries, Contact Us. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. 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. Sample Page; ; Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. "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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. 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. I was very stern with her.". 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. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 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. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. 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By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. In 2005, she gave birth to her first child, a boy, and later gave birth to a daughter who she named Cheryl after her sister. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. 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 his response was, 'I want your car.' 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 . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. An appeal of . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. I had a great family, a great life. Here's what we know. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. 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. She, too, is now a mother. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. 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. What did she do?. It was honestly picture perfect., Diane Downs Children Now: Christie, Danny & Becky Today, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. 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