Little Sacrifices is another Ann Rule masterpiece, telling the story of Oregon resident Diane Downs in a small town and how she reached the point of no return. Diane Downs drove her three children to a rural back road, pointed a pistol through the car window and shot to kill.
After performing this act in cold blood, Diane proceeded to take her children to the hospital. The first girl to be taken to the hospital died upon arrival. Two other children were pushed through the doors one after the other. The second and third children, a boy and a girl, were barely clinging to life. Hospital staff worked feverishly to stabilize the surviving children while their mother acted nonchalantly.
When questioned by Lane County detectives, Diane Downs recounted the story of meeting a stranger on the high street, who stopped her car, started an argument with her, and while she was fighting him, he proceeded to shoot her children. , right before your eyes. .
Over the next several months, Ms. Downs changed the story of what happened and her suspicions so many times that she became the prime suspect.
As prosecutor Fred Hugi became more familiar with the case and met the surviving children, he promised to continue investigating the case until it was resolved, once and for all.
No one is completely sure why Diane Downs wanted to get rid of her children. It is suspected that the motivation may have resulted from his obsession with Lew Lewiston, who was a casual fling and co-worker he met at the Chandler post office. Lewiston refused to leave his wife for Diane and did not want to raise another man’s children.
Whatever his reasoning, the murder weapon was ultimately traced back to a man who had reported it stolen, possibly by Steve Downs, who is identified as the children’s father, giving Diane Downs access to it.
The surviving children Christie and Danny finally remembered what happened and with the evidence and their testimonies, their own mother, Diane Downs was found guilty and sentenced to Valley State Prison for Women located in Chowchilla, California, where she remains a prisoner. model and protests her innocence.
For the duration of the case, Detective Hugi found himself increasingly close to the Downs children. Christie and Danny Downs are happy, well cared for, and currently reside with Detective Freg Hugi and his wife Joanne.