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. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. She's doing well. 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. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. Hospital employees determined that then-7-year-old Cheryl was already dead and that then-8-year-old Christie and then-3-year-old Danny were clinging to life. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Danielle Peterson/Statesman Journal via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. 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. In 1983, Diane Downs' three children were brought to an Oregon hospital with gunshot wounds. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. 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 loves us. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. 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. "They have both graduated from college. Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. 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? 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. 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. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974).. Shockingly, it was Downs daughter, Christie, who identified her mother in court as the shooter. The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. The Daughter of Diane Downs. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Beeper goes off, said, Get in here. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. [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. After months of physical and mental therapy, Christie Downs was able to take the stand and tell what happened to her that horrible night. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? She says things to me like, Boy, this has really spoiled my vacation, and she also says, That really ruined my new car. 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. We just ignored it, Wilhite said. 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. Subsequent investigations revealed that she had a strong motive to kill her children. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Whether it tugs at your heartstrings or angers you to the core, these stories could have happened years ago, and they still take up space in your memories. I had a great family, a great life. She named one of her children after her dead sister Cheryl. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Unlike her siblings, Becky Babcock has been very public about her mother, granting interviews over the years. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. 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. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. She shot her three children but claimed that she was carjacked and that her children were shot by a stranger. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. Her three children -- 8-year-old Christie, 7-year-old Cheryl and 3 . Full names: Elizabeth Diane Downs Birth name: Elizabeth Diane Frederickson Date of birth: August 7, 1955 Age: 67 years old as of 2022 Place of birth: Phoenix, Arizona Gender: Female Nationality: American Ethnicity: White Zodiac sign: Leo Children: Christie Ann, Cheryl Lynn, Stephen Daniel, and Becky Babcock Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. According to Oprah.com, Christie and Dannyhave chosen to live private lives. In 1989, the Associated Press reported that then 14-year-old Christie Ann was left with speech impairment, and 9-year-old Danny is paralyzed from the waist down. "She was white, she was not breathing. After Downs trial, Christie and Danny were adopted by Hugi and his wife. . Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. In a statement to Heavy, Terry Thornton, Deputy Press Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, stated, Elizabeth Diane Downs, 64, is currently housed at Central California Womens Facility. 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'.. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. 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. "They have both graduated from college. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. she said in an interview. 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 . In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. 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. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. And got out and ask what he wanted. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the middle child, was killed in the attack. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. They have both graduated from college. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. [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. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. 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. [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. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. She has been housed in California for the Oregon Department of Corrections since Aug. 30, 1993.. What did she do?. [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. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. It was exciting. "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. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. 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. Her pupils were dilated. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. This is why I chose to tell my story. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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