Little Sacrifices is another Ann Rule masterpiece, telling the story of small-town Oregon resident Diane Downs and how she reached the point of no return. Diane Downs drove her three children to a rural back road, pointed a gun 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 who was taken to the hospital was dead when she arrived. 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 her mother was indifferent.
Under questioning by Lane County detectives, Diane Downs recounted the story of how she encountered a stranger on the back road, who stopped her car, got into an argument with her, and while she was wrestling with him, proceeded to shoot his friends. children, right before your eyes. .
Over the next few 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 with the surviving children, he vowed to continue investigating the case until it was resolved once and for all.
No one is entirely sure why Diane Downs wanted to get rid of her children. It is suspected that her motivation may stem from her obsession with Lew Lewiston, who was a chance fling and co-worker she met at the Chandler Post Office. Mr. 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 eventually traced to a man who had reported it stolen, possibly by Steve Downs, who is identified as the children’s father, thus giving Diane Downs access.
The surviving children, Christie and Danny finally remembered what happened and with the evidence and their testimony, their own mother, Diane Downs, was found guilty and sentenced to Valley State Prison for Women located in Chowchilla, California, where she continues to be a prisoner. model prisoner and protests her innocence.
During the duration of the case, Detective Hugi found himself growing closer to the Downs children. Christie and Danny Downs are happy, well cared for and currently residing with Detective Freg Hugi and his wife Joanne.
