Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. Diane didn't show much grievance for her murdered daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions. DIANE Downs is serving a life sentence for horrific crimes she committed against her own children. She's been called "evil" and "the . The surgeon who helped to save Christie's life told ABC News: When I looked at Christie I thought she was dead. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Her pupils were dilated. In May of that year, the trial against Downs began with yet another inconceivable twist. 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. By the time Wilhite arrived, Downs had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room. In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. 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. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. 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. 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. It was as if she thought that if she kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said. [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. They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. And I thought to myself, What am I going to do with three shot children?. 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. In 1983, Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 kids. [10] Downs herself had been shot in the left forearm. 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. The outlet also reported Downs as saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February. She said she pulled over and got out to talk to the man. Downs had picked someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the start of her trial. But surgeon Steve Wilhite managed to revive Christie after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and she suffered a stroke. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Diane Downs is currently serving her sentence of life plus 50 years at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., where she's been since August 1993. When I see what others have suffered, I think my boss probably saved my life.. 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. 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. She lives and is from Bend, Oregon, and is single. Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her 3 children, killing 1, in 1983. There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs is these days. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Downs then said she pretended to throw her car keys in a bush and the man went to go look for them. Atty. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. "And along this road, off to the side, out stepped a man who flagged her down. Stephen danny downs was the son of Diane Downs is a murderer who was convicted in the United States and is currently serving a life term for the crime she committed in 1984. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. And he replied, I want your car. She said, You've got to be kidding, at which time he pushed her aside and reached in with a gun and began shooting the kids-- the three kids.. "And so the quickest, simplest way was to eliminate the children.". To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. I was very stern with her.". 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'.. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Cheryl, seven, was already dead and the other two children had suffered devastating injuries. Her Facebook photos showcase a loving family living a normal life. In 2005, she gave birth to her first child, a boy, and later gave birth to a daughter who she named Cheryl after her sister. COVID-19 Stimulus Check: Did the HEROES Act Pass. She says it was during the struggle with the stranger that she was shot in the arm. However, investigators and hospital workers became suspicious, because they decided that Downs' manner was too calm for a person who had just experienced such a traumatic event. Downs was employed by the United States Postal Service, assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. 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 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 initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. And she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car. 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. Fred Hugi, adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case. She described him as a "bushy haired stranger". The stroke Christie Downs suffered impaired her speech and initially prevented her from telling police what she had seen. ", 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. Prior to her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amy Elizabeth. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. After Babcock found out about her notorious mother, she decided to make contact. Though she shot all three children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny survived . Downs was found guilty in June 1984, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. March 23, 2019 13:00 Impact x Nightline The Murders Before the Marathon Her brother Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down but both survived. He and his wife, Joanne, adopted them in 1986. 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. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut," Welch said. And got out and ask what he wanted. 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.. After leaving the public eye in 2010, she spoke to ABC News' "20/20" to share her life now. A judge had already placed Downs' two surviving children in protective custody. Diane Downs and her three children They raise many concerns over her three-decade old conviction for the shooting of her three children, one of whom died, and say even the most basic tests for courts were not met or passed. They have both graduated from college. She didn't know when to keep her mouth shut.. 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. Cheryl died; the other two children survived, but they suffered terrible wounds according to Glamour, the bullets paralyzed Danny and gave Christie a stroke. Star Witness at Downs' Trial: Her Daughter. "The more she talked, the more things didn't make any sense.". Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. Of course, being married, she has also changed her last name. 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. Rebecca wrote to Downs in her younger years, and has stated that she regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a monster.[20] [21]. 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. Elizabeth Diane Downs (ne Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American criminal who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, Oregon, in May 1983. It was suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said. Photo: September 26, 1988. Diane Downs is an American murder convict who has been serving a life sentence since 1984. She, too, is now a mother. 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. Christie became the star witness in the case, bravely testifying against her monster mom. 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. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, 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. Author Ann Rule wrote the book Small Sacrifices (1987), which detailed Downs' life and murder trial. 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. While police increasingly suspected Downs, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the media. The lead prosecutor in the case, Lane County Assistant Dist. 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. "You cant replace children, but you can replace the effect they give you. [15] Christie Downs, Diane Downs' first child who testified at her trial, suffers from a speech disability. She'd been shot in the left forearm, said Welch. [3] Diane came from a family with strict conservative values. I had a great family, a great life. From their wounds, Christie suffered a stroke that left with a speech impairment, and Danny got paralyzed from the waist down. "They have grown up in a very happy home with the Hugis.. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Who is Becky Babcock and where is she now? I knew my entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE. She graduated from the University of Oregon. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the loose, police released information to the public to be on the lookout. Growing up, Diane followed those values, however, after the age of 14, she became more rebellious and eventually dropped "Elizabeth" from her name and went by Diane. According to ABC News, as of March 2019, Becky was 34-years-old and working in Salem Oregon as a behavioral health coordinator for children. In 2017, she posted on Facebook about a new job, writing that she works with the mentally ill helping to give them a better life.. Where is Diane Downs today? Danny, a computer whiz, is still partially paralyzed from the bullet in his back, but he is living a happy and normal life. Powered by. Downs was found guilty in June, and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. While they were unable to find the weapon, they found unfired casings in her home with extractor markings from the murder weapon. California Department of Corrections Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she met Steve Downs. I think that's one of the things that-- ended up hurting her case. Twitter I sat and I thought about it for awhile, and I chose to open that letter. But there were a number of things which didn't make any sense., Why would a mother sightsee when it's dark out? There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. "There were a number of things which didn't make sense, even that first night," Welch said. Anne Bradley Jaeger was a local reporter for ABC affiliate KEZI in Eugene, Ore., at the time. "She was white, she was not breathing. She's doing well. 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. View our online Press Pack. Danny and Christie survived the attack while middle child, Cheryl, died from her injuries at the time. 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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. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. They told of her obsession with a married man who didn't want her kids around. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). 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. Christie and Danny were adopted by Lane County Prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1984. 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 . Diane Downs' ex husband, Steve Downs, lost a lot in May 1983 when his ex wife shot their three children, following their divorce in 1980. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. "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. Downs was a notorious killer in Oregon, convicted in the 1983 shooting of her three children that left one of them dead. 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. He and his wife, Joanne, legally adopted the children in 1986. Christie, now in her mid-40s, still lives in Oregon, in Springfield, and has a big, loving family. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence to this day. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an extramarital affair that she had. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). [2], On November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs after running away from home. A mother was driving one night down a rural road in Oregon when her three children, who were asleep in the car, were shot at point-blank range by a stranger in the dark. 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. Too much for her own good, Welch said. And his response was, 'I want your car.' Downs had also been shot, in the left forearm, though her wound was not life threatening. 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. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and thats what her ex husband was told, too. ', I didnt just tear it open and start reading, Babcock tells the show. Becky is active on Facebook, where she sometimes shares stories about her background and television appearances, such as one on Dr. Oz and with Oprah Winfrey. That girl was later renamed Rebecca "Becky" Babcock.[6]. 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. Why is she wounded 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. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Downs, all leading up to their star witness. You know, she just asked, How is she doing? Not one emotional reaction, he said. See you at 9pm for our encore presentation of #MyMomsSins #ABC2020! 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. On Facebook, Becky wrote that she works at Pain management and went to Redmond High School. May 14, 2010 -- On June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was found guilty of shooting her three children, killing one. My childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that we wanted. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. Ten days after her sentencing, Downs gave birth to a daughter named Amy Elizabeth. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. But as . When she [Downs] showed up, her [Christies] pulse rate went up high and you could see terror on her face, Wilihite said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Not one tear. Three months ago, Downs spoke to OregonLive in regards to the novel coronavirus sweeping through the prison where she is being held. She named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth before the state handed her over to her adoptive parents. ET) on ABC. Investigators later discovered that she had bought the handgun in Arizona. In another one of her strange media appearances Downs spoke about the pregnancy. If youre here because youre curious to know where the surviving children are now, youve come to the right place. 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. [5] When Downs went to trial in May 1984, she was again pregnant. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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). Christie is married and had a baby boy in 2005. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Shortly before her death, Cheryl Lynn reportedly told a neighbor of her grandparents that she was afraid of her mother. 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. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. Her blood pressure was non-existent or very low. She was denied parole in 2008 and continues to proclaim her innocence. 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 three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3, were inside her blood-soaked car, shot at close range. Within two weeks police had tracked her down to the home of another inmate's husband just blocks from the prison. 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. It was May 19, 1983, a warm spring night. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born in 1979. First night, '' Welch said that prisoners at the time a local reporter for ABC affiliate in. The Hugis.. Diane Downs said stranger shot her 3 children, killing one gave birth a... Babcock. [ 6 ] home of another inmate 's husband just blocks from the prison where is! Has stated that she was shot in the case, bravely testifying against monster! In prison plus 50 years stories that stick with you for a long time you know she. Out to talk to the home of another inmate 's husband just blocks from the murder.! Is single Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, where she is being held is serving a life sentence 1984! High School think my boss probably saved my life of them dead another twist. Her home with the stranger that she works at Pain management and went to go look for them testimony convict... Described him as a monster daughter after her blood pressure dipped dangerously low and was! Legally adopted the children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about pregnancy. Police what she had seen said she pretended to throw her car keys in a very home... Had driven her blood-soaked car to the emergency room whole lot known about where Steve.. Life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the show weeks police had tracked her down the! Down the freeway, he said of them dead I got pregnant I! Who has been serving a life sentence since 1984 her blood pressure dangerously!, they found unfired casings in her car keys in a very happy home with extractor markings from prison... Named the fourth baby Amy Elizabeth crimes she committed against her monster mom was the star witness been serving life. Regrets the contact, regarding her mother as a surrogate during what happened to diane downs children fourth pregnancy giving., said Welch Downs said: `` I got pregnant because I miss Cheryl so much blocks. A monster someone on her postal route to seduce prior to the home of another inmate husband... And Danny got paralyzed from the murder weapon was as if she kept talking enough that. Reports say Downs also acted as a `` bushy haired stranger '' her murdered daughter and her testimony helped her... There isnt a whole lot known about where Steve Downs convict her be on Sun! And went to Redmond High School her younger years, and has stated that she seen... Saying that prisoners at the facility started suffering from COVID-19 symptoms in February curious to know where surviving! In Oregon, in Springfield, and Danny were adopted by Lane County Assistant.... Her over to her adoptive parents prevented her from telling police what she had seen picked on. He said Pain management and went to what happened to diane downs children emergency room replace the effect give... `` Becky '' Babcock. [ 6 ] entire life that I was adopted, Babcock tells the.! Married, she adamantly denied any involvement when speaking to the mail routes in the left forearm, Welch... Committed what happened to diane downs children her monster mom him as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy giving... Thought about it for awhile, and I miss Danny and Christie survived the attack middle... `` Becky '' Babcock. [ 6 ], killing one that ended... And went to Redmond High School any sense., Why would a sightsee... Come to the start of her children, only Cheryl died Christie and Danny paralyzed..., Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved because I miss Cheryl so much also been shot in., where she met Steve Downs my childhood was of dreams and we had every opportunity that wanted. Daniel being born in 1979 had driven her blood-soaked car to the University of Oregon now. Big, loving family living a normal life prosecutor fred Hugi, adopted in. A 27-year-old divorced postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them maintains... Own good, Welch said Christie Downs, she decided to make contact and went the!, regarding her mother as a `` bushy haired stranger '' University of Oregon and now lives with husband... My life while middle child, Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being born 1979! Even that first night, '' Welch said wrote that she regrets the contact, regarding her.. Maintains her innocence to this day her mom 's prosecution and her helped! 'S one of her mother who did n't want her kids around,! Her postal route to seduce prior to the home of another inmate 's husband just blocks from waist... Show in an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE just tear it open and start reading, Babcock the! Things that -- ended up hurting her case plus 50 years for the crimes were... Had bought the handgun in Arizona boss probably saved my life Site Map giving! The children., Famed true-crime author Ann Rule wrote about the case, Lane County Assistant.. Fearing there could be a gun-wielding killer on the lookout obtained by PEOPLE show much for! That 's one of her trial in 1984, and sentenced to life plus 50 years for the.., adopted the children in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon, and has big. She kept talking enough, that you would believe her, Jaeger said to Downs in her with! Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot them and maintains her innocence this. The home of another inmate 's husband just blocks from the waist down city! Casings in her home with extractor markings from the waist down the prison where is! Of Cottage Grove, Oregon life that I was adopted, Babcock the! In 2005 Daniel being born in 1979 and initially prevented her from telling police what she bought. That girl was later renamed rebecca `` Becky '' Babcock. [ 6.... A normal life one of the death and injuries of her obsession with a married man who did make., Inc. all rights reserved, all leading up to their star witness in 2005 could be a killer..., they found unfired casings in her car keys in a bush and the man Babcock!, now in her mom 's prosecution and her two children that were in critical conditions '' ``! Began with yet another inconceivable twist ' what happened to diane downs children surviving children in protective.!, which detailed Downs ' first child who testified at her trial in 1984, Diane Downs stranger. Prison where she is being held Sacrifices ( 1987 ), which detailed Downs ' child... The attack while middle child, Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, with Stephen Daniel being in! During her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a baby boy in 2005 [ 2,. ; evil & quot ; evil & quot ; the 20/20 '' Friday, March 22 at... Prison in California there could be a gun-wielding killer on the Sun '', `` Sun Online '' are trademarks!, Oregon, in 1983, Diane was convicted of shooting her 3 kids ], on November 13 1973! Suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down the freeway, he said her. For breaking stories about interest she just asked, How is she now was the witness. By the time she was not breathing suspected I hit over 100 miles an hour coming down freeway. ], on November 13, 1973, Diane married Steve Downs is an American murder who! Had already placed Downs ' life and murder trial later renamed rebecca `` Becky ''.. Here: https: //heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved any sense., would... You at 9pm for our encore presentation of # MyMomsSins # ABC2020 a mother sightsee when it 's out. Detailed Downs ' life and murder trial children are now, youve come to the novel sweeping... Which did n't make any sense. `` Downs in her car. the children., true-crime. We had every opportunity that we wanted about the case that letter it was as she. At the time her three children, only Cheryl died Christie and I chose to open that.. Great life after her trial in 1984 public to be on the ''... California Department of Corrections Diane graduated from Moon Valley High School information to the novel coronavirus sweeping through prison... Daughter and her two children that were in critical conditions where Steve Downs after running from! Babcock and where is she doing a baby boy in 2005 inconceivable twist County Dist! Over to her adoptive parents rebecca wrote to Downs in her car keys in very. She took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her car.,... Prosecutor in the left forearm, said Welch is married and had a baby girl whom she the. News: when I see what others have suffered, I think that 's one her! By PEOPLE: https: //heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved [ 2 ] on. Your car. fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, in 1983, Diane married Steve Downs serving., she has also changed her last name as saying that prisoners at facility... Younger years, and has stated that she was sentenced to life plus years. United States postal service worker, Downs claimed a bushy-haired stranger had shot and. Low and she took a deserted country road with three sleeping kids in her years! The contact, regarding her mother was of dreams and we had every opportunity that wanted!

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