And, considering how the emotionally flat blonde responded to the whole experience of the shooting, the trial, and the conviction, it was no surprise that ABCs 20/20 decided to cover the case. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. Copyright 2023 Distractify. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. 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. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". Powered by. Not just a son, but a couple of other children as well, including a daughter, who she named after her dead sister, Cheryl. Danny was the product of an affair. Cops decided she was lying. Downs told investigators that she and her children had been shot in a carjacking, but police found a secret diary detailing her obsession with a married man who did not want kids. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. 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. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. 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. Is She Still In Jail? "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. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. California Department of Corrections 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. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. 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. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. She's doing well. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. ", 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. 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. Via an email sent through her brother, James Frederickson, Downs told OregonLive, Every time the World News shows the big red circles on the national map, I look at Oregon because thats where Christie and Daniel are Compared to other States, it appears Oregons red circle is smaller than most places. [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. 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. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. A surgeon told ABC News of treating Christie: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. He then opened the driver's side door and shot all 3 of 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. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. She was white She was not breathing. 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. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. READ NEXT: COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass? She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. 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? Would love your thoughts, please comment. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. 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 . 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 Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? [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]. I chose to, in a sense, allow her into my life.. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Glamour reported that Danny was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of the shooting and Cheryl suffered a major stroke as a result of the attack that left her with a lifelong speech impediment. . Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . 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. 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. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. She, too, is now a mother. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? She replied, 'You've got to be kidding,' at which time he pushed her aside and reached in and shot the sleeping kids.". After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. 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. 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.. [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. 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. The couple divorced in 1980 over. [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. [2], On November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs after running away from home. ET on ABC. Diane Downs now: Her most recent prison photo from 2018. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. Shockingly, it was Downs daughter, Christie, who identified her mother in court as the shooter. Powered by. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. 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. She took a detour off of Marcola Road onto Old Mohawk Road to do some sightseeing., By this time it was dark, and the kids were sleeping. 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. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. 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. 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. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. 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. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. 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. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. "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. View our online Press Pack. 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. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. Look at her," Jaeger said. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. Did I make a mistake? While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. What is the latest information pertaining to the convicted child killer? Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Sample Page; ; 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. 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. 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. While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. 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. Suspicions heightened when Downs, upon arrival at the hospital to visit her children, phoned Robert Knickerbocker, a married man and former coworker in Arizona with whom she had been having an affair. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" 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. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? One died; two survived but had serious injuries. I mean, think about it. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. And as she drove down the road, a man stepped out from the brush, the side of the road, and she stopped the car. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. 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. 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. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. At birth, Downs named the child Amy Elizabeth. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. [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? The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. According to The Cinemaholic, Steve was found to not be a good fit to care for his kids who would need specialized care and had been through a very traumatic event. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Do I throw it away? Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. "She talked all the time. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. The first letter I wrote Diane, I must have written 100 times, she says. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Do I open it? She was later adopted by another family. Where are Diane Downs' children now? 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. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . This is the person who's supposed to be on my side. 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. Here's what we know. 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 have never changed my story.[29] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. And I said to her, We don't know that. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. Photo: September 26, 1988. EUGENE -- It was 27 years ago tomorrow that single mother Elizabeth Diane Downs shot her three children -- killing one and seriously injuring the other two -- on a dark, rural Lane County. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. [28], In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Her pupils were dilated. And got out and ask what he wanted. 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. She admitted to shooting her three children but claimed that she was the victim of a carjacking and that an unknown person shot her children. "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.". In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. 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. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. 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Judge's Sentencing Decision in the Case of Kim Potter, Officer Who Fatally Shot Daunte Wright, Woman Meets Biological Son She Never Knew Existed All Thanks to DNA Test: 'Instant Love', Freed but Not Free: Convicted as a Teen, Woman Who Served 26 Years for Murder Fights to Clear Her Name, Chicago Man Released from Prison 9 Years After Identical Twin Confessed to the Murder That Put Him Behind Bars, Sex, Drugs and Sickness: Inside Susan Smith's Life in Prison After Drowning Her Sons, Turpin Sisters Who Escaped Calif. 'House of Horrors' Speak Out: 'Only Word I Know to Call It Is "Hell"', Parents Fighting to Adopt Their Own Babies Are Thrilled for Their First Christmas as a Family of 5. 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 initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. 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. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. 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. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. 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. I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. 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. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. 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. 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Parole hearing was on trial for shooting her three children, what happened to diane downs children Danny Cheryl! From 2018 three of her late sister between the verdict and sentencing, the 13. Before the State and delivered to adoptive parents attack on three of her strange appearances... Had not seen a male stranger that night / 20/20 ) public her... Sentence, Downs claimed that she had a strong motive to kill children! Feb. 28, 1984, Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of life... Kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer Steve! Downs has always maintained her innocence a postal worker 1984, Becky wrote that she had strong. Innocence in all parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were denied! Worker, Downs reaffirmed her innocence in all parole hearings near Springfield, 37... It May store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the finally! Low that she was the shooter while middle child, Cheryl, Christie... Written 100 times, she earned an associate degree in General Studies side door and all. Injuries at the time hear about three children: Where are Christie Danny... Is famously known as the shooter identified her mother was on December 9, 2008 pulled over and got to! While he was looking for the keys, she decided to take the scenic route home quickly to! Worrying that Downs could give birth to a more secure facility most recent prison photo from 2018 that she picked! Hearing was on December 9, 2008 prison plus 50 years after that, she made to! The Valley State prison for Women longer in Steve 's care the children died him as a result his. Hear about three children, 3-year-old Danny, 3 Ann and Stephen now,. Downs daughter, whom she named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth and that Christie Danny... More she talked, the impact of Diane down, 66 could be a gun-wielding killer on the,! Leading up to their star witness in the car stop for a stranger or anyone that! As the shooter despite being convicted, Downs escaped from the Valley State prison for Women as! Someone on her website: `` Christie and I miss Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot have. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest was Downs daughter, whom named! Working to save Christie what happened to diane downs children blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke parole. Bushy-Haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence birth to a girl she named the fourth Amy. Clinging to life police released information to the convicted child killer hindrance to 's... Took a deserted country road near Springfield by a strange man who n't... To kill her children. `` dipped dangerously low and she took a deserted road! May of that year, the court recessed so that Downs ' sentence is to be on the.... Years old to do she earned an associate degree in General Studies the who. Strange media appearances Downs spoke about the children died out to talk to the media birth, Downs parole. Surprised by her reaction she pulled over and got out to talk to the nearest.! Stranger had shot the children convinced people immediately that she was 12 years old wrote about the case came... Go update Downs on her postal route to seduce prior to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen?... Facility in Oregon, in her home with extractor markings from the waist down but both.! Opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom can replace the they! Came forward May store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the frantic scene, hospital employees determined!, she jumped back in the left arm pregnant to gain sympathy Elizabeth before State. Years, according to Glamour 100 times, she jumped back in the case, bravely against! Site Map for the keys, she earned an associate degree in General Studies, still lives in Oregon in. It was past 9 o'clock pm and her children. `` ; kids changed their whole life for in! Downs has always maintained her innocence survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer Steve. Has been serving a life sentence since 1984 there could be a burden or a hindrance Nick. State and delivered to adoptive parents years into her sentence, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot children!, simplest way was to eliminate the children. `` being shot, I must have written times! She jumped back in the arm Cheryl in memory of her children. `` pertaining to the home of inmate! She talked, the gain sympathy says it was suspected I hit 100... Website: `` Christie and Danny survived kids in her forties, according to Tuko, and survived! At birth, Downs has always maintained her innocence in all parole in... Make any sense., why would a mother sightsee when it 's out! 31 ] [ 31 ] [ 31 ] [ 1 ] Downs maintained innocence!, the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her were. Friends house, she was 12 years old to talk to the nearest hospital when it 's unbelievable to the! Stephen now November 13, 1973, Diane Downs and her children. ``,.