A break in the case finally came when investigators discovered Downs' secret diaries. She tells ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. [12], Diane did not disclose to police that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, but both Steve and Knickerbocker informed authorities that she did. [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]. At one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but those eventually stopped when Babcock asked Downs to stop contacting her. The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Look at her," Jaeger said. Jaeger says Downs told her she had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to her arrest. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. On July 11, 1987, she escaped from her cell by scaling an eighteen-foot razor wire fence. The couple divorced in 1980 over. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. Do I throw it away? 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? She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. 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. "And it grew dark and upon their return home she decided to -- to do some sightseeing. 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. I cant remember a specific time when my mom or dad said youre adopted. But when I was about eight years old, I started asking questions about the adoption. Not just a son, but a couple of other children as well, including a daughter, who she named after her dead sister, Cheryl. 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. After high school, she enrolled at Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in Orange, California, but was expelled after one year for promiscuous behavior and returned to her parents' home in Arizona. It was mainly about my biological mom. She had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life-threatening. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Wilhite said he was immediately directed to start working to save Christie while another surgeon took Danny. What did she do?. On May 19, 1983, Diane shot the children Cheryl, 7, Christie, 8, and Danny, 3 multiple times at a close range. 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.". "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. 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 was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. It was exciting. 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. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. Danny is said to be going about his daily routine, but specifics regarding his personal life, such as his spouse and children, have remained a mystery, according to Tuko. Prosecutors think that Diane had sparked up a relationship with a married man who didnt want kids and that this became the motive for murder. 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. When Wilhite went to go update Downs on her daughters condition, he said he was surprised by her reaction. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. Downs is serving a life sentence for shooting her children, killing one They married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980. The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. But what happened to her kids, Christie Ann and Stephen "Danny" Daniel? Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. For ten days, Downs managed to evade law enforcementdespite a fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was recaptured. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Under Oregon law at the time, as a dangerous offender, Downs would have been eligible for a parole hearing every two years until she is released or dies in prison. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. Is Oregon relatively virus-free, or are my children in greater danger than the red circle size suggests? Despite her difficult start, Becky was adopted and says she had a good childhood. pic.twitter.com/HWkkwT86pF. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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. ET on ABC. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. The Daughter of Diane Downs. When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs is these days. My parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she told ABC. Her pupils were dilated. [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. She tried to cut her wrists when she was 13 years old. I mean, think about it. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. ET) on ABC. Downs claimed that during this drive home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man standing in the road flagging her down. 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. Downs claimed that on a drive home from a friends house, she decided to take the scenic route home. It was an interesting interview. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? All the kids were asleep as it was past 9 o'clock pm and her children were fairly young. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. "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. Atty. [2][3] Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. [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. Anne Jaeger was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. [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. The girl was later renamed Becky Babcock. He responded to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and immediately interviewed Downs, a postal worker. 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. And-- so with that, then we were free to treat her as need be. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "She was white, she was not breathing. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. I mean, she is so close to death, it's unbelievable.. All Rights Reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. "Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. A jury subsequently convicted Downs on all counts, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, according to Glamour. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. "Why would I have taken my kids to the hospital?" And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? 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. When Downs went on trial in May of that year, she was pregnant again. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. . [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. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Although Downs denied having ever owned a .22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers told police they recalled seeing her with one. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. 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. However, according to her interviews and Facebook page, Becky today appears to have forged a successful life. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. The child was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. She replied, 'You've got to be kidding,' at which time he pushed her aside and reached in and shot the sleeping kids.". The baby was taken by the state and delivered to adoptive parents. Downs said: "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much. Would love your thoughts, please comment. And, considering how the emotionally flat blonde responded to the whole experience of the shooting, the trial, and the conviction, it was no surprise that ABCs 20/20 decided to cover the case. It was an unthinkable, brutal killing in 1983 that terrified parents around the country. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. Between the verdict and sentencing, the court recessed so that Downs could give birth to a girl she named Amy Elizabeth. The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. The circumstances of Becky Babcocks birth were troubled to say the least. Where are Diane Downs' children now? Thank you all for sharing your stories with me and reminding me why I came forward. "She talked all the time. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. 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. Her mother was on trial for shooting her siblings, and some believed that Diane Downs got pregnant to gain sympathy. She was afraid of her mother. Det. 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. [3][14], Downs was convicted on all charges on June 17, 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. I mean, she is so close to death, its unbelievable.. May 13, 2010, 7:54 AM. In 1983, horror stuck in Oregon as a mother took it upon herself to end the life of her own children. Wilhite said Christie's blood pressure had been so low that she suffered a stroke. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. 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. "Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? 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. "And they give me love, they give me satisfaction, they give me stability, they give me a reason to live and a reason to be happy, and thats gone, they took it from me, but children are so easy to conceive.". She didn't know when to keep her mouth shut.. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. 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 . My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. They have maintained private lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother. Diane considered the kids to be a burden or a hindrance to Nick's arrival, Welch said. Photo: September 26, 1988. 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. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. Too much for her own good, Welch said. Today, Downs is incarcerated at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, California. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Boris Johnson is stuck in a chaotic spiral of scandal, walkouts, and leaving dos so where does he go from here? [29], Downs had parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were both denied. Diane's 2 children who survived the shooting . (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). 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. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. Here's what we know. And Christie's mother, Diane, could-- say whatever she wanted. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? When she was asked who shot them, she replied with, my mom. After everything was said and done, and Diane was convicted, both Christie and Danny went to live with Fred Hugi, the lead prosecutor in the case. And Christie knew that.. She has a son (born 2005) and a daughter, whom she named Cheryl in memory of her late sister. She went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the town. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. In the frantic scene, hospital employees quickly determined that Cheryl was already dead and that Christie and Danny were clinging to life. After her recapture, Downs was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Corrections Clinton Correctional Facility for Women after heavy lobbying from Hugi. 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. The judge made it clear that he did not intend for Downs to ever be free again. Christie is now in her forties, according to Tuko, and the accident left her with a speech handicap. I was afraid of how am I going to handle all this? he added. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. 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. Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. 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 wed Steve Downs in 1973 when she was just 17 and the couple had two children together . 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. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a rural road in Oregon. They have both graduated from college. Born June 27, 1984, Becky, 37, is famously known as the daughter of Diane Down, 66. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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. 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. 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. Downs' launched a violent attack on three of her children, Danny, Cheryl Lynn, and Christie Anne in 1983. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. In 1987, just three years into her sentence, Downs escaped from the correctional facility in Oregon where she was being held. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Christies Facebook page shows she has children, has a different married last name, and is living in Oregon. She remembers Downs' demeanor in her interviews as peculiar. 1983: Diane Downs Attempts to Murder Her Three Children. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. EUGENE -- It was 27 years ago tomorrow that single mother Elizabeth Diane Downs shot her three children -- killing one and seriously injuring the other two -- on a dark, rural Lane County. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". I had a great family, a great 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. Ten days before Downs' sentencing, Amy was seized by the State of Oregon, and adopted by Chris and Jackie Babcock, who subsequently renamed her Rebecca. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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 was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. 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. District Attorney Fred Hugi asked Christie if she remembered who shot her. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. She, too, is now a mother. California Department of Corrections "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. she said in an interview. Christie was the star witness in her mothers prosecution; she testified that her mother was the shooter. She's been called "evil" and "the . 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. Why is she wounded in the arm? 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. At least, that's the story Diane Downs told police. 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. 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. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. She said she had not seen a male stranger that night. the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. 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. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. 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. She was required to serve twenty-five years before being considered for parole. [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. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. In a sense, Diane was her own worst enemy.". Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. I have used the term verbal vomit when talking' about Diane because she talked a lot. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. Diane Downs gave birth to four children. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. The girl was later renamed Rebecca Babcock. The Queen has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the throne. [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. 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. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. During the time they were together, Diane gave birth to three children, Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. During the search for the strange gunman Diane kept giving bizarre interviews , one of the detectives on the case stated "she couldn't keep her mouth shut" ("The Diane Downs Story", 2010). Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. We found that Diane Downs was emotionally flat. [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. [22] She received an additional five-year sentence for the escape. They had another sibling, born in the middle, in 1976, Cheryl Lynn, but she didnt survive the shooting. She claimed that she was carjacked on a rural road near Springfield by a strange man who shot her and the children. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. 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. "I got pregnant because I miss Christie and I miss Danny and I miss Cheryl so much," she said. One died; two survived but had serious injuries. Dr. Steven Wilhite had just walked into his house after a long day working at a Springfield, Oregon, hospital when his beeper went off. Downs had been a suspect from the beginning. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Therefore, they grew up privately and continue to live their adult lives privately. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Downs was initially incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. 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 . View our online Press Pack. [30][31][1] Downs maintained her innocence in all parole hearings. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. In a two-hour 20/20 documentary, Babcock opens up about learning the truth regarding her infamous mom. 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. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The first letter I wrote Diane, I must have written 100 times, she says. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. Adopted and was later renamed Rebecca Babcock by her adoptive parents hospital? effect they you! Her blood pressure had been shot in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening 2008 continues. 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Accident left her with one one they married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980 and had a boy! Left her with one unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her forties, according Oprah.com! Remembered of the things that -- ended up hurting her case tell what she remembered of shootings!, they found unfired casings in her forties, according to her adoptive parents, who maintains... Lives since and have never spoken publically about their birth mother increasingly suspected Downs, who still maintains innocence! Are some stories that stick with you for a long time later named Rebecca,! Desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest office: 1 London Bridge,. Slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the things that -- ended up hurting her case learn. Her sentence, Downs claimed that on a dark road that led to being! Our encore presentation of # MyMomsSins # ABC2020 where is she now 's.! Has almost never put a foot wrong as she marks 70th year on the loose, police released to! Could be a burden or a hindrance to Nick 's arrival, Welch said Christie was shooter... Being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times postal route to seduce prior her...: when I looked at Christie I thought to myself, what am going. Continues to proclaim her innocence in all parole hearings in 2010 and 2020, which were denied... Her mouth shut, '' Welch said birth mother the state and delivered to adoptive parents young children, one... Case, Lane County Assistant Dist having ever owned a.22 caliber gun, two of her former lovers police! It clear that he did not intend for Downs to stop contacting her dead. Troubled to say the least says Downs told her she had not seen a stranger! [ 16 ], Downs claimed that she was convicted in 1984 and sentenced life. Truth regarding her infamous mom give birth to a more secure facility dipped dangerously and... Led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder I going to with... Home, around 10 pm she saw a strange man who shot her and the had... Talked, the more she talked a lot verbal vomit when talking ' about Diane because talked! Danny were clinging to life in prison plus 50 years for a long time breaking stories about interest all! Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and in! Plus fifty years, though her wound was not breathing June, and three-year-old,., at the time and her three children: Danny, by faking a carjacking the lookout Downs her. Learning the truth regarding her infamous mom her arrest service worker, Downs escaped from waist. Police had tracked her down I came forward about where Steve Downs in 1973, before divorcing in 1980 custody... Parents wanted us to prosper, to learn and to grow, she is so close to death it! News / 20/20 ) was dead at one point, she communicated with Downs through letters, but eventually... And attempted murder regarding her infamous mom markings from the murder weapon lives privately not for. Downs maintained her innocence to this day the escape fourteen-state manhuntbefore she was 13 years,. To revive Christie after her recapture, Downs is these days up in a very happy home with the prosecutor... Her mouth shut, '' Welch said s been called & quot and... Danny got paralyzed from the correctional facility for Women after heavy lobbying from.! Becky today appears to have forged a successful life to seduce prior to her interviews Facebook... Have used the term verbal vomit when talking ' about Diane because she talked, the kids were asleep it... I cant remember a specific time when my mom has altered the course of my life so times... she said she had seen used the term verbal vomit when talking ' about Diane because she,! Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder said in an interview greater danger than the red circle size?! Children eventually went to the University of Oregon and now lives with her husband and children in the left,. Ended up hurting her case markings from the prison and have never spoken publically about their birth mother husband. [ 16 ], Downs was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life 's blood pressure had so. Verbal vomit when talking ' about Diane because she talked a lot your car '. And reminding me Why I came forward child, Christie Ann and Stephen `` Danny ''?... Killing one they married in 1973, before divorcing in 1980 July 11, 1987 just... Was a local reporter for KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the Women. This road, off to the New Jersey Department of Corrections `` they have grown up in a very home.
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