Small Sacrifices

About Small Sacrifices

Small Sacrifices is a 1989 made for TV movie based on the best selling true crime book by Ann Rule of the same name. According to the book and trial evidence, on May 19, 1983 at approximately 10:48 p.m, Diane Downs drove to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital near Springfield, Oregon with a gun shot wound to her arm. She claimed that an unknown assailant attempted to carjack her and shot her three children: Christie Downs, 8; Cheryl Ann Downs, 7; and Danny Downs, 3. (In the movie they are known as Karen, Shaunna and Robby). Her eldest child, Karen, survived and was a witness to her crime, although she suffered a temporary loss of speech due to a stroke following the shooting. Karen eventually recovered enough to speak to the police and to testify in court against her mother. Diane's son, Danny, was paralysed from the chest down. Diane's second daughter, Cheryl, did not survive. Diane Downs was eventually tried and convicted of murder, attempted murder, and assault.

The film stars Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal, Gordon Clapp, John Shea and Emily Perkins. The film was first aired on ABC on November 12, 1989.

The movie ends with Diane Downs sentenced to life in prison and her two surviving children adopted by the prosecutor who convicted their mother, (Fred Hugi and his wife Joanne) known as Frank and Lola Joziak in the movie. Later in the movie it shows what happened to the kids about fifteen years later, seeing their mother for the first time in 15 years. In reality, the surviving children were adopted by Fred and Joanne Hugi, but have not seen their mother since the shooting, with the exception of Christie's court appearance.