To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Do I throw it away? Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? DIANE Downs made international headlines for callously shooting three of her children - her fourth wasn't yet born. 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.". She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. [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]. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. 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. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. Photo: September 26, 1988. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. California Department of Corrections The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Becky Babcock was born while Diane was incarcerated. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Where is Diane Downs today? Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. 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. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. Then, 10 days after Diane was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, she gave birth to a daughter she named Amy Elizabeth. She, too, is now a mother. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. [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. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. [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. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. 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. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, March 22 at 9 p.m. 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. 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. "Sightseeing when it's pitch black out? Babcock learned who her mother was at age 11, after tricking her babysitter to divulge the name. What did she do?. It was exciting. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. 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. [2] Despite her parents' disapproval of their relationship, Downs continued the relationship. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. Most damaging, witnesses saw her car being driven very slowly toward the hospital, at an estimated speed of 57mph (811km/h)contradicting her claim that she drove to the hospital at a high speed after the shooting. Her pupils were dilated. . Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. 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. 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. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. ET) on ABC. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. She graduated from the University of Oregon. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. However, when all the details came to be understood by the police, Steve found out what really happened to his kids. 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 Daughter of Diane Downs. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Christie Downs, now 44, and her brother, 39, were adopted by the prosecutor in the case. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. 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 . He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. Do I open it? Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. And Christie Downs, the only witness to the crime (her younger brother Danny was believed to have been asleep at the time), had suffered a stroke that impaired her speech and prevented her from telling police what she had seen. After that, she was charged with killing her 7-year-old daughter. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. 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. 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. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. Would love your thoughts, please comment. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. 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. "There were a number of things which didn't make sense, even that first night," Welch said. The couple divorced in 1980 over. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. Heavy is withholding that last name and the photos to protect her privacy. Previously, Diane was housed in a maximum-security prison for women in Clinton, N.J. As for why she wasn't in Oregon where the crimes took place, " [prison] officials said they . But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. In 1983, Diane Downs three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. 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 . 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. Wilhite said he also noticed that when Downs went to visit Christie in the recovery room, her stats would spike. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She also made a number of statements that both police and hospital workers considered highly inappropriate.[3]. 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. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. Reporter Ann Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it.. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" One died; two survived but had serious injuries. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. ", 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. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. Powered by. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. 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. 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. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. Powered by. [2] She has testified that her father sexually abused her when she was 12 years old. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. Too much for her own good, Welch said. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny, Cheryl, and Christie- in Springfield, Oregon. Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. She was afraid of her mother. Jaeger said. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. "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. 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. Her pupils were dilated. Downs, herself, started feeling sick and was told by a supervisor to rest after seemingly showcasing symptoms at work, where she refurbishes bicycles for underprivileged 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.. Doug Welch remembers getting the call for what would turn out to be his first homicide investigation. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. 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. 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. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. And got out and ask what he wanted. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was finally able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. She's been called "evil" and "the . I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. she said in an interview. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. 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. I was searching for that blood tie., I never had questions about my biological dad, Babcock continues. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. Today, 35-year-old Babcock works as a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. 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. Which did n't make sense, even that first night, '' Welch.. 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