Kriti Mehrotra
Ever since its premiere in 1978, ABC’s ’20/20′ has never failed to bring us intriguing stories with even more intriguing characters. Whether it be from the worlds of news, politics, or entertainment, the hourlong broadcast always makes for an engaging watch. Its episode, ‘My Mother’s Sin,’ was no different. Following the story of how Diane Downs shot her three children in cold blood, that left one of them dead, the episode put a great deal of focus on her fourth child, the one born after the incident, and how she perceived and lived with it. Curious to know more about her? Here’s what we know.
Who Is Becky Babcock?
Diane Downs shot her three children in May 1983, and she was arrested for it in February 1984. But, before the latter happened, she had become pregnant with her fourth child, claiming that she did so because she missed her children. A month after her trial, – where her eldest daughter, Christie, who survived the attack, testified against her – Diane gave birth to another daughter, whom she named Amy Elizabeth. Ten days before her official life sentencing, Amy was seized by the State of Oregon and was then adopted by Chris and Jackie Babcock, who named her Rebecca.
Rebecca, or Becky, as she prefers to go by, had a healthy, normal life growing up in Bend, Oregon. Her parents adored her and she had everything that she could possibly hope for. In her words, “it was honestly picture perfect.” Chris and Jackie never hid the fact that Rebecca was adopted, and while she was happy to be a part of the Babcock family, at the age of 8, she began asking questions about her biological parents. She said that she was just looking for a blood tie and was wondering why they weren’t the ones raising her.
Jackie gave her bits and pieces of information, but, when she was 11, Becky tricked her longtime babysitter into revealing the name of her biological mother: Diane Downs. With the name now with her, Becky began searching and found out exactly who her birth mother is- a notorious killer who was convicted of her crimes. And so, shocked, at a young age, Becky began her journey of self-discovery. She even revealed that when she was younger, she wrote to Diane in prison, but regrets it now, regarding her to be “a monster.”
Where Is Becky Babcock Now?
Knowing who her mother is and seeing it first hand in her creepy letters, Becky feared that she too would grow up to be like Diane Downs. But, when she realized that her upbringing and education were better, that nurture would win over nature, she began to live her life the way she wanted to. She worked hard to find herself and even publicly spoke about what she felt towards Diane without any worries. The one thing that is not clear till now, though, at least to us, is who her biological father is.
Despite her difficult start in life, Becky now lives a good life. She used to be a behavioral health coordinator for children in Salem, Oregon, trying to do her part in contributing and making the world a better place, but now, just recently, she secured a job at iHeart Radio as a podcast host. According to her Facebook profile, she still resides in Bend, Oregon, and seems perfectly content to juggle her life as a working woman, a mother, and a public personality, all the while also managing her relationship. (Featured Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20)
Read More: Where Is Diane Downs Now?
