10 Disturbing Details Surrounding Christie Downs, The Eight-Year-Old Who Survived Being Shot By Her Mother

6 /10 Unfired Casings

Investigators could not locate the weapon, but they knew Downs bought the gun in Arizona.

During a search of her home, the police discovered some unfired casings with markings that matched the weapon used in the alleged-carjacking incident. Some witnesses said she drove very slowly on the way to the hospital.

Based on witnesses’ statements, the car was going no more than seven mph.

No one, in any case, in an emergency would drive that slowly, especially when the driver only sustained a relatively minor injury.

On February 28, 1984, Diane Downs was eventually arrested.

5 /10 Christie’s Testimony

Fred Hugi of the DA staff ordered constant protection of the children.

A child psychologist was assigned to build back her confidence and memory of the shootings.

When the time is right, the daughter would be asked to testify in court against her mother.

It took the state more than a year to prepare Christie for the trial.

After all, she was the key witness, meaning the state couldn’t afford to see her crack under pressure.

In her testimony, she answered that her mother shot Cheryl first before turning to Daniel and Christie.

4 /10 Pathetic Moment

At the time of the shooting, Christie was 8-year-old. From the day of the incident until the trial a year later, she was practically under the protection of the State of Oregon.

She was not allowed to contact anyone, including her own family.

When Hugi asked who shot her during the trial, Christie said her mom did the shooting.

It was a sad moment and a significant turning point in the proceeding.

The testimony set the tone of the trial, and it was as if Diane Downs had already been convicted.

3 /10 Memory Based On Suggestions

Doctor Ira Hyman, a psychologist at the Western Washington University, stated in his letter to the Federal Public Defender the possibility that Christie could not remember the details of the shootings.

There was a likelihood that during her time in the state’s custody, she created the memory based on both suggestions and experiences.

Constant questioning for months and the DA’s attempts to win the case might cloud her judgment, compromising her capacity as a critical witness.

She was shot and survived, but it didn’t always mean her testimony was the whole truth.

2 /10 Hand-Drawn Picture

During a recorded phone conversation between Christie and a woman named Dena Reinhardt of Nevada, the former said she had no idea who did the shooting.

Furthermore, Christie stated she made the statement in the trial only because the prosecutors wanted her to say it.

According to Mark Anderson, a friend from Kennedy School, Christie once showed him a hand-drawn sketch of the shooter, which depicted a man with a beard and shoulder-length hair.

Diane Downs also said the shooter was a stranger with bushy hair.

1 /10 Guilty As Charged

The phone conversation, the sketch, and the theory about the correlation between suggestions and memory were all discarded.

Diane Downs was found guilty of one count of first-degree assault, two counts of first-degree attempted murder, and one count of first-degree murder.

he was convicted in June 1987 and sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 50-years term.

Under the state of Oregon law at that time, she was allowed to have a parole hearing once every two years.

Since then, every single one has been denied. She currently serves her time at the Valley Prison for Women in California.