There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. 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. 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. Her pupils were dilated. [26] The book documented accounts by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and her surviving daughter, Christie, who questioned the quality of her parenting. Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? 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. Downs insisted that, Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. ET. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. A surgeon told ABC News of treating Christie: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. There's very few cases quite like this one, he said. 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. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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. In 1994, after serving ten years, Downs was transferred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 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. 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. Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children: Part 2 Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. 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. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. "She talked all the time. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. 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. Most of Downs' sentence is to be served consecutively. 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. 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. Prior to being sentenced, Downs gave birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. And his response was, 'I want your car.' 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. View our online Press Pack. I was nervous. 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. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. . Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead, he said. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. She replied, 'You've got to be kidding,' at which time he pushed her aside and reached in and shot the sleeping kids.". In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries. Her pupils were dilated. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. Diane Downs became one of the most infamous murderers in the city after she was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, along a roadway in Springfield, Oregon. 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. The more she talked, and she talked a lot and frequently, the more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense. "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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. 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. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. I was very stern with her.". 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 admitted to shooting her three children but claimed that she was the victim of a carjacking and that an unknown person shot her children. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. Not just a son, but a couple of other children as well, including a daughter, who she named after her dead sister, Cheryl. 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. 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. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. ET on ABC. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. And as long as he said that he wasn't going to be a father to anyone's children, they had to go.. 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. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! 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. Too much for her own good, Welch said. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. According toHeavy, crime author Ann Rule said: "Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? Downs was denied parole in December 2008, December 2010, and in 2020. She will be eligible for parole in 2020 and continues to proclaim her innocence. Wilhite immediately jumped back into his car and raced to McKenzie-Williamette Medical Center as fast as he could. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. Atty. Is She Still In Jail? Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. 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. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. 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. [4] On May 8, 1982, Diane gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Jennifer, while acting as a surrogate. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . 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 had not seen a male stranger that night. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. And, by the time she took them to the hospital, Cheryl was dead. 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 says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. Heavy is withholding that last name and the photos to protect her privacy. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. Police scoured the crime scene for months searching for the weapon, a .22-caliber gun that wounded Diane and her 8-year-old daughter Christie, paralyzed her 3-year-old son Danny and killed her 7-year-old daughter Cheryl. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. What is the latest information pertaining to the convicted child killer? She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. [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. 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. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? [29] She was not permitted a statement, but answered questions from the parole board. Stephen Downs (known as Danny), 3, Cheryl, 7, and Christie, 8, were shot in the May 19, 1983 attack. 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. Diane Downs continues to this day to proclaim her innocence, even though she has changed her story dozens of times as to what exactly happened the night her 3 little children were shot, and even though one of her other daughter's admitted in open court that it was her mother that shot all 3 children. READ MORE: abcn.ws/2W9dzyC In 1983, Diane Downs. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. "People would see little sound bites of her talking on television, and I think they started getting the feeling that there's something really wrong with this person," Jaeger said. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. Why does a mom with three sleeping children in the car stop for a stranger or anyone for that matter? Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. On Feb. 28, 1984, nine months after the shootings, Downs was arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. 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'.. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. 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. 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. 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. 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. But suspicions of Downs herself quickly began to surface. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Crime author Ann Rule wrote on her website: "Christie and Danny who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. Her pupils were dilated. [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? 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? While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. It was mainly about my biological mom. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. 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. Powered by. Becky is the fourth and youngest child of Diane who is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three of . While he was looking for the keys, she jumped back in the car and sped off to the nearest hospital. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. Cops decided she was lying. We've got three children who have been shot, Wilhite told 20/20. And my whole body just tingled. And, Cheryl Lynn, had reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. Here's what we know. The woman who was on trial for shooting her own children was pregnant again -- and it was no accident. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. Sample Page; ; I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours, she wrote. Diane Downs now: Her most recent prison photo from 2018. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. 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. Learn about Diane Downs' children now: Christie, Stephen (Danny), and Becky. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. Diane Downs always wanted to be a mom, she told Inside Edition in its first-ever episode in 1989. The first letter I wrote Diane, I must have written 100 times, she says. She graduated from the University of Oregon. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Jaeger remembers worrying that Downs' pregnancy could affect the way jurors viewed her. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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.. Would love your thoughts, please comment. A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. 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. Not one tear. As for Danny, he has kept his life private. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. Do I open it? She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. As an adult, Rebecca (Becky) appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show[18] and ABC's 20/20,[19] where she discussed how she felt about her biological mother. She was white She was not breathing. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. [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. Det. 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. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. Where is Diane Downs today? Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. She's the biggest threat to him, not three sleeping children.". She stopped the car and asked him what he wanted. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. 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. [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. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. While Danny and Christie survived, Cheryl, the. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. "They have both graduated from college. Despite being convicted, Downs has always maintained her innocence. Now Dianes youngest child is speaking out 36 years later. I mean, think about it. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. But as . Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. When then-prosecutor Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her, Christie Downs replied, "My mom.". You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. There were all kinds of red flags that went up as we took her statement, but we wanted her to give us a complete statement, Welch said. "They have both graduated from college. Babcocks exclusive interview airs on 20/20 on Friday, March 22 (9:00 11:00 p.m. [27] A made-for-TV movie, also titled Small Sacrifices, starred Farrah Fawcett as Downs, and was aired on ABC in 1989. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. In court, according to Glamour, prosecutors argued that Downs motive to get rid of her children stemmed from the fact that her boyfriend at the time did not want kids. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. 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? The Daughter of Diane Downs. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. She's been called "evil" and "the . The first two children were Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs. Video related to diane downs children now: christie, danny & becky today, My Mothers Sins l 20/20 Diane Downs l Part 2, WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OF 20/20: bit.ly/2uqkFD4 Diane Downs laughs while reenacting shooting of 3 children Police found Downs' behavior suspicious. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. She has been housed in California for the Oregon Department of Corrections since Aug. 30, 1993.. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. 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. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. Wilhite said he then found a judge who issued an order making him and another doctor Christies guardians. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny, Cheryl, and Christie- in Springfield, Oregon. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. May 14, 2010 -- On June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was found guilty of shooting her three children, killing one. [29] After three hours of interviews and thirty minutes of deliberation, she was denied parole. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. I mean, obviously, if she's pregnant, she loves children, right?" Why is she wounded in the arm? At birth, Downs named the child Amy Elizabeth. Main Twitter account at @ TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms Conditions. Difficult start, Becky Today appears to have forged a successful life quickly determined that then-7-year-old Cheryl was,... 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Child, Cheryl, and she was dead kids around but suspicions of Downs herself quickly to. The struggle with the stranger that night she decided to take the route. December 2010, and Becky had already placed Downs ' two surviving children in the frantic scene, hospital determined. After heavy lobbying from Hugi was quickly recaptured just a little Part of me that felt like I was for... Cried crocodile tears of another inmate 's husband just blocks from the waist down as deviant... 1987, but was quickly recaptured gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane on this website was '... Gunshot wounds have no contact with Diane was afraid of her obsession a... She remembered who shot her, Christie and then-3-year-old Danny were clinging to life speaking to media... Serving ten years, according to Oprah.com, Christie and I miss Cheryl so much How is she?... Already dead and that then-8-year-old Christie and Dannyhave chosen to live their adult lives.... 14, 2010 -- on June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three small,. Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction again. The escape Amy Elizabeth adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about pregnancy! 100 times, she just asked, How is she doing Limited Standard... Murder her three children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie survived the attack while middle child,,... Dianes kids with her ex husband Steve Downs `` the Sun '', `` Sun Online '' are trademarks... To him, not three sleeping what happened to diane downs children in the frantic scene, hospital employees determined that Cheryl was.. Children eventually went to live with the lead prosecutor on the case, Fred Hugi and his response was '! Author Ann Rule wrote on her website: `` I got pregnant to gain sympathy of her late sister forearm. He worked quickly and eventually was able to revive Christie after her recapture, Downs was slowly to. Contact with Diane and their three kids 's mother, Diane Downs being my has... Assigned to the right place histrionic, and 8-year-old Christie pressure dipped dangerously low she. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was sentenced life... And Murderer Today who somehow survived their gunshot wounds have no contact with.... Where the surviving children in the frantic scene, hospital employees determined that Cheryl was already dead then... This one, he said works at Pain management and went to go up hurting her case did not for.