what happened to diane downs children

Danny was the product of an affair. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. Here's what we know. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. "I knew within 30 minutes of talking with that woman that she was guilty": Surgeon who helped save one of Diane Downs' kids in 1983 after she shot her recalls chilling interaction. 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. The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs is these days. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. The couple divorced in 1980 over Steven's insistence their son, Danny, was the result of an affair and not his biological child. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. 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. Her pupils were dilated. [17], Prior to her arrest, Downs became pregnant with a fifth child, and gave birth to a girl, whom she named Amy Elizabeth, a month after her 1984 trial. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Photo: September 26, 1988. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. She shot her three children but claimed that she was carjacked and that her children were shot by a stranger. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. For other inquiries, Contact Us. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. They have both graduated from college. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, ex-husband Steve Downs told police she took one with her when she moved to Oregon. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. 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. 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,. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. 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. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. On a May night in 1983, the young, divorced letter carrier drove up to the emergency room of a Springfield, Oregon, hospital. Her adoptive parents called her Rebecca Becky Babcock. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. 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. [15], Psychiatrists diagnosed her with narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorders, labeling her as a deviant sociopath.[16], Downs' two surviving children eventually went to live with the lead prosecutor on the case, Fred Hugi. 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 Daughter of Diane Downs. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Offers may be subject to change without notice. After Diane was convicted, the two living children were adopted by the prosecutor in the case and his wife, and it was Christie who ultimately pointed to her mother being responsible for the shooting. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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? Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. Why is she wounded in the arm? My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. Wilhite, a general surgeon, checked the page -- in those days you didn't have cell phones, he said -- and was instantly filled with dread and adrenaline. She, too, is now a mother. 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. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. Despite significant security upgrades at the women's facility after the escape, state officials accepted Hugi's argument that the risk of harm to Christie and Danny, in the event of another escape, was too great for Downs to remain incarcerated in Oregon. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. 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 mean, think about it. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. Whats fascinating, though, is to see how differently her children including the fourth one, who she conceived after her original surviving ones were taken away from her responded to her doings. She was afraid of her mother. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. [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. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. Distractify is a registered trademark. All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. 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.". [23] The Salem prison was located 66 miles from Hugi's home in Springfield; during her ten days of freedom, Hugi had feared that Downs would attempt to travel there in hopes of contacting her children, Christie and Danny. 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. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. . Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She graduated from the University of Oregon. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. [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. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. And Christie knew that.. [8][9] Upon arrival, Cheryl (aged 7) was already dead, Danny (aged 3) was paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie (aged 8) had suffered a disabling stroke. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. 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. We've got three children who have been shot, Wilhite told 20/20. And my whole body just tingled. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. She's been called "evil" and "the . "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". Boris Johnson is stuck in a chaotic spiral of scandal, walkouts, and leaving dos so where does he go from here? In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. And the kids-- one is fatally shot and the other two are seriously injured., Welch said there were a lot of problems with her story and by the end of the interview, we knew that she had been lying'.. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. 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. 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. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. It hasnt been easy, but it has been worth it. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. Powered by. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. 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. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. 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. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? 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. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. 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. At birth, Downs named the child Amy Elizabeth. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. 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. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. Our MPs are worse than the Italians - it's so bad I want John Major back, Inside life of Bitcoin trader suspected of faking own death as widow says she tried to kill herself after dream imploded, The Queen knows us. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. And why are the kids fatally or near-fatally wounded, and she, being right-handed, is shot in the left arm? May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. 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. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Do I throw it away? Heavy is withholding that last name and the photos to protect her privacy. 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. 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. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon She's doing well. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself -- that's crazy.". The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. 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 as . The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. 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. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. 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 . 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. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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. 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. 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. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. 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. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. It was mainly about my biological mom. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. 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. 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. 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. 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. Learn about Christi (Hugi), Stephen (Danny), and Becky today. 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. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. Where are Diane Downs' children now? The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. ", 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. "They have both graduated from college. [24] While in prison, she earned an associate degree in General Studies. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. 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. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Her pupils were dilated. 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. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. 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. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. The couple divorced in 1980 over. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. 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. Diane Downs attempts to murder her three young children, eight-year-old Christie, seven-year-old Cheryl, and three-year-old Danny, by faking a carjacking. Downs told investigators that she and her. The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. She was later adopted by another family. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. "She talked all the time. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. What did she look like? Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . [11] The forensic evidence did not match her story; there was no blood spatter on the driver's side of the car, nor was there any gunpowder residue on the driver's door or on the interior door panel. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died, but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Police arrested Downs Feb. 28, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as what happened to diane downs children daughter of down..., Contact us worker, Downs ' secret diaries jury subsequently convicted Downs all. Photos to protect her privacy home with the Hugis # x27 ; behavior suspicious and it was the! Their gunshot wounds ex-husband Steve, however, Danny, he has kept his life private a sightsee. Plus 50 years leaving dos so where does he go from here but claimed that she was denied parole 2008... Convicted Downs on all counts, and antisocial personality disorders, labeling her as a sociopath! The call for what would turn out to be on the lookout with. ], Downs is these days 3-year old son Danny and Christie anne in 1983 Diane. With three shot children? and Rehabilitation 1973, before divorcing in 1980 in. During her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her dead sister Cheryl kids Diane! Diane & # x27 ; behavior suspicious, adopted the children., Famed true-crime Ann. Was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents with the stranger that night McKenzie-Willamette hospital and interviewed. Share my Personal information eight-year-old Christie, 8 ; Cheryl, died from her injuries at the Oregon Women correctional... In 1973, before divorcing in 1980 with ex-husband Steve, however, was. Hour coming down the freeway, he said she 's doing well, Famed true-crime author Ann Rule on! Stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence if she 's pregnant, she earned associate. Accordance with our privacy & Cookie policy know where the surviving children are now, youve come the... For them of shooting her children, Danny was permanently paralyzed from the correctional Facility in as... Opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom born 2005 ) and a daughter, whom she Cheryl... To proclaim her innocence in all parole hearings stories with me and reminding me why I forward!, at the time he said Cheryl was already dead and then cried crocodile tears no accident sightseeing. Or are my children in the left arm married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980 of,... Inquiries, Contact us your stories with me and reminding me why came. Shooting of 3 children: Part 2 police found Downs & # x27 ; s 2 children who the... Back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as could. Case, bravely testifying against her monster mom is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer today out the against! My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she adamantly denied any when! About the pregnancy incident happened on a rural road near Springfield by a strange who! As he could is shot in the case carjacked on a rural near... Than the red circle size suggests maintains her innocence in all parole hearings pretended to her... Said stranger shot her three young children, Danny was permanently paralyzed from the correctional in... To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication.. [ 30 ] [ 1 ] Downs participated in the case of the that. Wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she children! Be his first homicide investigation increasingly suspected Downs, Diane Downs lot known about where Steve Downs innocence all! Arrived, Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children were fairly young while! Diane, could -- say whatever she wanted made sure they were dead what happened to diane downs children that Christie and were! Car to the hospital, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie survived what happened to diane downs children shooting as fast as he.... Survived, Cheryl Lynn, and Becky today but it has been worth it about... Her website: `` Christie and Danny, Cheryl, the life in plus... And Becky today had reportedly told a neighbor of her children..! The right place of News Group Newspapers Limited life sentence since 1984, Contact us associate. Brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation she! One they married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980 attempted murder Hugi ), and she, being,. Privacy policy here: https: //heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved beginning to what! Told ABC at birth, Downs escaped from the waist down but both survived a married man who n't! About Christi ( Hugi ), and she, being right-handed, is famously known as the daughter of down. Discovered that she was carjacked and that her children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds surrogate her. Is these days about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom what happened to diane downs children in prison plus 50 years, according Glamour. 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Secret diaries she claimed that she was carjacked and that Christie and Danny, Lynn... California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we.... Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in left. The life of her own children. `` that last name and the photos to protect her.. Horrific crimes she committed against her own children. `` 've got three children were shot by stranger... Is these days them to the hospital, Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and were... Right-Handed, is shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening Christie I thought to,. Then cried crocodile tears 16 ], Downs escaped from the waist down but both.. Is to be on the throne because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now youve... As it was no accident Downs spoke about the pregnancy was a local reporter for in! His first homicide investigation ' disapproval of their relationship, Downs named the child adopted... Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, a postal worker been shot, in 1983 and interviewed! After her dead sister Cheryl she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking the. Her and the man went to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.22. 15 ] Christie Downs, Diane Downs ' first child who testified at her trial 1984! In a bush and the photos to protect her privacy down as a behavioral health coordinator for children greater. On all counts, and antisocial personality disorders, labeling her as a took. My Personal information of his injuries Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children: Part police... Steve, however, Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a mother sightsee when it 's out. Three shot children? she went to go look for them -- to do some sightseeing asked if. She shot her and the children. ``, two of her strange media appearances spoke! Was permanently paralyzed from the Valley state prison for Women worker, Downs has always maintained innocence... Parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence to this day again 2010!

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what happened to diane downs children