Stevens parents, Kay and Delbert, were on a camping trip when they learned of the passing. In 1989, he tragically died in a motorcycle accident. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. In an interview with Good Morning America in 1983, Steven recalled, The first year was kinda hectic. He was 35 years old. Its final this time,he said. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. Both claimed they knew nothing of the sexual assaults on Stayner. He had askedhis home health care worker if she could help him procure a 4-year-old boy, offering to pay $500 to have him delivered to his house in Berkeley. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. Steven Stayner's incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime drama Captive Audience . "This is really so phenomenal, for a child to be gone seven years and to be found alive," the boy's mother, Kay Stayner, told the reporters who flocked to Merced, Calif., on March 2, 1980, to cover the joyous, unlikely conclusion tothe family'sordeal. Learn how your comment data is processed. "[25], Stayner underwent brief counseling but never sought additional treatment. Cary, his older brother, was one of three sisters he had. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! This content is imported from youTube. [29][18], In early 1989, a television miniseries based on his experience, I Know My First Name Is Steven (also known as The Missing Years), was produced. Although he never disclosed the details of his sexual abuse, kids at school were heartless. ", HetoldNewsweek in 1984, "I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year-old. Ukiah, California, U.S. Parnell, a sex offender, molested him the very first night, and began raping him thirteen days later, on December 17, 1972. But by then he was too afraid of being physically harmed by Parnell to run away. And we had a rough time getting used to having him home.. [17] Both children were reunited with their families that day. [25][28], On September 16, 1989, Stayner sustained fatal head injuries while on his way home from work when his motorcycle collided with a car[28][29] in a hit-and-run accident. In 1999, a proposal to name a park after him was rejected as the officials feared that 'Stayner Park' may point to his brother Cary, who had just confessed to killing four women in Yosemite. Steven ultimately shared that Parnell had done a very good job convincing him that his family didn't miss him, pretending to talk to his mom on the phone in front of him to get permission to let him stay, and telling the boy a judge had awarded him custody. Parnell died in 2008 in prisonat the age of 76 while serving a25-years-to-life sentence for solicitation to commit a crime, trying to buy a human being and attempted child-stealing. But it wasn't until the age of 37 that he would become a murderer. Hewassentenced to three months in jailfor felony hit-and-run. According to a TIMEmagazinereport from March 17, 1980, Steven hadn't yet fully divulged what really happened to him. Carole and Silvina's charredremains were found March 19 in the trunk of their burned-out rental car, which was abandoned along a utility road off the California 108 highway at the edge of the Sierra Foothills. Thankfully, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Jody Edmondson. [44] Fundraisers for the statue have stated that it is meant to honor Steven Stayner and give families of missing and kidnapped children hope that they are still alive.[44]. But he was pretty messed up and never got any counseling. It would have been a lot different if this man who hit him stayed. Growing up, brothers Cary and Steven Stayner shared a home with their parents and three sisters in Merced, California a small farming town near Yosemite National Park according to the. [31] The two-part miniseries was first broadcast by NBC on May 2122, 1989. Steven Stayners kidnapping prompted California lawmakers to change the state laws, allowing consecutive prison terms in similar abduction cases., But the story doesnt end there. In the world they try to build, Steven found happiness after his return at age 14 from seven years as the sex slave of a pedophile, and there is no connection between that made-for-TV drama and. Shortly before his death, Steven had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They stopped the car and Murphy got out. He waited until Parnell went to work, then took Timothys hand and ran. I don't know my true birthdate, but I use April 18, 1965. In early 1989, he helped in the production of a miniseries on his life, 'I Know My First Name is Steven', which was initially broadcast on NBC in May that year. Steven was declared a national hero, and within days made an appearance on Good Morning America. There, he told the host, David Hartman, that it felt great to be home, that his parents didnt change that much, and regarding his brother and sisters, they changed a lot. [22] Stayner's kidnapping and its aftermath prompted California lawmakers to change state laws "to allow consecutive prison terms in similar abduction cases. [4], One of the few positive aspects of Stayner's life with Parnell was the dog he had received as a gift from him, a Manchester Terrier that he named Queenie. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter, Juli, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while they were staying at the motel where he worked as a handyman outside Yosemite National Park in February 1999. It wasnt until 1980 that Kay and the family saw Steven again. He was about 14 years old and had been kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell, who sexually abused him. But her strength is waning now. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell dated a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of time. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. April 22, 2022 Steven Stayner's miraculous story of escape from his kidnapper in 1980 garnered national headlines at the time. Stayner's parents proposed that one be named "Stayner Park". When Parnells mother gifted him a dog, he gifted it to Steven. "Police say that Stayner seemed fond of Parnell, who he said 'spoiled' himStayner was defensive about Parnell in his talks with police and reluctant at first to reveal his name. She said back then, This is really so phenomenal, for a child to be gone seven years and to be found alive. I guess seven years changed him, too. in journalism and creative writing. This caused Parnell to believe Stayner lacked the means to be an accomplice. AP Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Cary had been interviewedearly on in the investigationa massive undertaking involving local and federal authoritiesand ruled out as a suspect. Unfortunately, less than a decade after his incredible escape, Steven Stayner died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24, leaving behind a wife and two children. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Cary saw the attention that his brother received after returning home and their relationship was never the same, according to TIME. Cary with his little brother, Steven . "I don't think he should be executed because he's sick. In an interview with Newsweek, Steven said, I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year old. Steven, his memory of his family fading under the strain of the trauma, took to calling Parnell "Dad" and went to class clean and neatly dressed, and otherwise showing no obvious outward traces of being held against his will. Dena. Steven later admitted to sabotaging the efforts. It reads: "My name is Steven Stainer [sic]. I know my first name is Steven, he said, ditching the name Parnell had given him. Here are 10 you cant miss, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar, Photos: Mountain communities buried in snow | More on the way, Prosecutor in controversial Hannah Tubbs case suspended for misgendering defendant, Environmentalists sue to overturn San Diego County climate plan. [24] In an interview with Newsweek shortly after his escape, Stayner said, "I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year-old. Parnell passed himself off as Stayner's father, and the two moved frequently around California, living in locations including Santa Rosa and Comptche. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. Sister Cynthia Sartelltestified that their dad was "on a mission" after Steven disappeared, and looking for their brother consumed his time and energy, to the detriment of his other kids. If its the last thing I do, Ill nail him if I possibly can. Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through his grandfather. His mysterious death. We had hope, faith and kept busy. Despite his circumstances, he did well among his peers, and even became known as an all-around happy person. "We never really got along that well after he came back All of a sudden Steve was getting all these gifts, getting all this clothing, getting all this attention. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. Parnell shifted from one place to another for work, often took Stayner with him, but later sometimes left him alone and unguarded. But in 1985, when he was 20, he married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson, and they had two children,Ashleyand Steven Jr. Fatherhood seemed to rejuvenate him, and Steven started speaking out as a survivor, working with organizations that searched for missing children and visiting schools to talk to kids about safety. As he got a little older, though, he realizedthat "things weren't rightmy parents wouldn't have hired a guy to pick me off the street," Steven reflected. So much tragedy surrounding this case. The title of the TV series and the book on Steven Stayner, 'I Know My First Name is Steven', was inspired by a line in his official police statement given after being rescued. Ramirez, Jessica. Hulus Captive Audience takes a look at this case through the eyes of the family, including interviews with Stevens children, sister, and mother. Parnell created a new identity for Stayner, giving him the new name, Dennis Gregory Parnell, but retained his original middle name and his original date of birth. Together they had two children, and he moved to work with child abduction groups, making appearances for various groups who search for missing children. He was spunky. In 2004, at the age of 72, he tried to bribe a nurse with $500 to get him a young boy. Miller toldPeople: He was kind of a reckless kid after he came back home he wrecked a couple of cars and I talked to him about being careful, because he could kill himself. Yet inanother perversely tragic twist of fate, Whitealso died young, suffering a pulmonary embolism on April 1, 2010, when he was 35. Born on April 18, 1965, in Merced, California, Steven Gregory Stayner had an older brother named Cary and three sisters. The sexual abuse also went on at night, until, as Steven remembered, Parnell told him he was getting too old and came home with Timothy White, the child's blond hair already dyed a darker shade. Stayner had a relaxed upbringing as his captor not only allowed him to roam freely wherever he wished to go, but also allowed him to start drinking at a very early age. Cary was 11 years old at time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. Reminiscent of what happened when kidnapping survivorElizabeth Smartwas spotted in town nine months after she was taken in 2002, seeminglyfree to run but actually terrified of what her abductor might do to her,many would question why Steven didn'ttell someone or otherwise try to escape. The memorable title came from thepolice'sfirst encounter with the teen, who was reluctant to talk, but said, "I know my first name is Steven. "He was spunky. She later insisted she hadno idea that"Dennis"wasn't Parnell's real son, that he even had a birth certificate for the boy. Within a week, Steven was calling him dad. "It's a lot to imagine that any one family could undergo,"Jessica Dimmock, director of the three-part docuseries Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, now streaming on Hulu, told E! Jurors in August found him guilty of the murders. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. "I yelled at him a lot. Altogether, Parnell was sentenced to seven years and was paroled after serving five. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. This case just breaks my heart And the whole story about his big brother, too. At odds with his father, Steven was eventually kicked out of the house. [3], On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Stayner was approached on his way home from school by a man named Ervin Edward Murphy, who had become acquainted with convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell as they both worked at a resort in Yosemite National Park. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. Featuring interviews with family members, someof whom are speaking in depth for the first time, the show delves into the aftermath of Steven's abduction, the retelling of his story in theindelibly titled1989 miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven, and the unraveling of his older brother Cary Stayner, who's currently on death row. The nurse reported him to the local police and he was once again convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He convinced Mathias to lure another young boy into his car. which involved killing them all and raping Lenna and her sister. (The other driver, Anthony Loera, actually left the scene but ultimatelyturned himself in. He was not kept in captivity, and in the following years, was enrolled into a number of schools where Parnell identified himself as his father. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in . But the children in the family kept their feelings to themselves and didnt discuss their emotions. Steven told him she would probably want to, and the men offered him a ride home. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? He went on to add, Sometimes I blame myself. Mathias was never arrested. Del is devastated too. "The Abductions That Changed America", Article by Tim Bragg (staff writer) printed in the, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, List of child abuse cases featuring long-term detention, "Crash ends life scarred by childhood abduction", "Kidnapper arrested, accused of trying to buy a child", "Kidnap victim reunites with 'mystery woman', "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Stayner, serial killer Cary Stayner's brother, was abducted for 7 years - Crime Library on truTV.com", "17 Years Later, a Tv Miniseries Forces Steven Stayner to Relive the Horror of His Childhood", "Mormon News for WE 01Aug99: Stayner family's woeful history", "A Hit-and-Run Crash Ends the Life of Kidnap Victim Steven Stayner", "A Kidnapping Victim Rates The Film About His Ordeal", "OAKLAND / Child predator sentenced to 25 years to life / Steven Stayner's kidnapper tried to buy 4-year-old in Berkeley", "Sex offender Kenneth Parnell dies in Vacaville", "Ukiah Daily Journal: Timothy White, boy saved by Steven Stayner, dead at 35", "Timothy White, victim of 1980 kidnapping, dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steven_Stayner&oldid=1141810053, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 22:53. The boy, who was in the Santa Rosa Boys Club with Steven, wouldnt be so easy. Parnell had also told this little boy that he wasgoing to be his new dad because his parents didn't want him anymore. Originally published January 20, 2007 at 12:00 am. On September 17, 1989, he succumbed to head injuries after being involved in a car accident while returning home from work in his motorcycle. Growing up, brothers Cary and Steven Stayner shared a home with their parents and three sisters in Merced, California a small farming town near Yosemite National Park according to the .css-1me6ynq{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#125C68;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1me6ynq:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;}SFGate. He was described as a quiet kid, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends, going to the park, riding his skateboard, or even his bike. Parents today are very protective of their children, and for good reason. Timothy James White (November 1, 1974 - April 1, 2010) was an American man who was abducted in 1980 by pedophile Kenneth Parnell, and held a few weeks before he was rescued by fellow child captive, 14-year-old Steven Stayner, who escaped and guided the 5-year-old to safety. Parnell then drove a confused Stayner to his cabin in nearby Catheys Valley instead. "I think it's so courageous for the family not only to let the story be toldit's very delicate and tragicbut also because they're using their real names," Cindy Pickett, who played Kay Stayner, told the Washington Postat the time. The docuseries focused heavily on the miniseries and featured appearances by both Corin Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews. [25] He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just before his death. Count everyone affiliated with the movie, including Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews, who played Cary at 18, as being floored by what happened. Hearing about Cary's traumatic past or childhood issues didn't sway the jury, who recommended the death penalty, and a judge agreed. In the 20/20 special, Cary, the older of the two, is described as being a loving brother who enjoyed spending time with Steven. Stayner looked forward to raising his children, Ashley and Steven Jr, with Jody. The attempt was unsuccessful. Despite the severe trauma that he dealt with when he lived with his kidnapper, Steven made a life for himself, marrying and having children. All three episodes ofCaptive Audience: A Real American Horror Storyare streaming now on Hulu. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. During this time, Parnell kidnapped another child, Timothy White, while he was on his way home from school, according to The Modesto Bee. On Sept. 20, 1989, Steven Stayner was riding his new Kawasaki motorcycle without a helmet in the rain. Insisting to police that he "wasn't mistreated the boy clearly has conflicting thoughts about his captor," the article notes. Meanwhile, Steven was undergoing unthinkable sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse at the hands of Parnell. His accomplices, Ervin Murphy, and Ronald Sean Poorman were also convicted, though on lesser charges, claiming they knew nothing of the sexual assaults. [25], In 1985, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson,[2] with whom he had two children: a daughter Ashley and a son Steven Jr.[26] He also worked with child abduction groups, spoke to children about personal safety, and gave interviews about his kidnapping. Those sorts of comparisons have been used a lot in these two brothers and I started to think, is it more complicated?". TheOakland Tribune reported that the two men,who hadn't seen each other since Parnell's 1981 trial, hugged and Poorman whispered an apology, to which White replied, "It's OKI've got a good wife.". Cary would have trouble with the law well into his adult life. My dad said he didnt need any.. 195 in 2010) in Mendocino County, Calif., and hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. According to The Berkeley Daily Planet, the then 11-year-old felt responsible for his brother's disappearance and felt forgotten by his parents, who were consumed by their son's kidnapping. Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}Jennifer Garner Debuts Daring New Look, 42 Sad Quotes to Power You Through Hard Days. ", Kay said in an interview, per CNN, "He came back different, very different. Around the time Steven disappeared, they lived in an area with lots of children. Kay and Delbert Stayner married in 1960 and had five children together. Parnell was not charged with the numerous sexual assaults on Stayner and other boys because most of them occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Merced County prosecutor or were by then outside the statute of limitations. [32] Screening rights were sold to a number of international television companies including the BBC, which screened the miniseries in mid-July of the following year; later still, it was released as a feature-length movie. Who are Steven Stayner sisters? They were last seen alive Feb. 15 eating dinner at the hotel restaurant. According to Stayner, Mathias, along with Parnell, raped him on nine occasions at the age of nine. Ive never been this angry. Steven, taking a leave of absence from his job, acted as an advisor for Lorimar-Telepictures and had a non-speaking part, playing one of the two policemen who escort 14-year-old Steven (played by Corin Nemec) through the crowds to his waiting family, on his return to his Merced home. I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home.". So, today, at the age of 59, Cary Stayner is incarcerated at the San Quentin State Prison. But executing him is not going to bring them back.". He could be disarmingly paternal, but also beat and sexually abused the child. Parnell had been with a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of one and half years, during which they reportedly forced Stayner into sexual activities at least nine times. Steven Stayner got married to Jody Edmondson in 1985. Steven's death, along with the death of his uncle soon afterward, reportedly had a serious impact on Cary Stayner's mental health and well-being. Under false pretenses, Cary entered their room and sexually assaulted both girls. Police first linked him to Armstrong's July 21 murder when his vehicle was reported to be near her cabin an hour after she was known to already be dead. Children. Ten years after Stayner's death, the city of Merced asked its residents to propose names for city parks honoring Merced's notable citizens. He went back to sharing a room with his older brother Cary, and the two didnt get along. They approached a police station shortly after midnight. He was 79 years old. The next day, on March 2nd, both the boys were reunited with their respective families and Parnell was arrested. ", WhenGMAcaught up with him in 1983, Stevendescribed his first year back as"kinda hectic. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter, Juli, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while they were staying at the motel where he. In an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, his sister, Cory, said He got on with his life. However, the young boy could not take advantage of those opportunities as he was reportedly unaware how to summon help. Source: Vimbuzz.com Related Posts He had three sisters and one older brother, Cary Stayner, who in 2002 was convicted of . Once more details emerged about his ordeal, some kids teased him about being molested. This is the hardest thing she has ever had to face, and she just cant talk to anybody. I feel bad for him,White said. Steven, hoping to spare another child his fate, had sabotaged so many kidnappings. Looking beyond the good vs. bad brother trope, the directorreflected onrevisiting the divergent branches of the Stayner storyin a way that doesn't allow for the audience to tidily point fingers. A cabin that sat several hundred feet away from his grandfathers house. Stayner's parents fear losing another son. Stayner considered doing it on three different occasions. Born In: Merced, California, United States, Spouse/Ex-: Jody Edmondson (m. 19851989). Lainey Wilson Stuns in Paisley Bell Bottoms. It wasn't until Parnell was charged with attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation in 2004, that he was sentenced to 25 to life. Then all of a sudden it's gone. This idea was eventually rejected and the honor was instead given to another Merced resident, because Stayner's brother Cary confessed to, and was convicted of, killing four women in Yosemite in 1999; Merced city officials feared that the name "Stayner Park" would be associated with Cary rather than Steven. But executing him is not going to bring them back. During the testimony, Kay also said that her father molested her when she was younger. In late 1989, Steven was riding his new Kawasaki motorcycle home from his job as a pizza delivery man when a car pulled out of the driveway just ahead of him. ", Added Steven's father, Del Stayner, "I never stopped looking, every time I saw a crowd on TV or a picture of a lot of people in a magazine. News. He literally said, I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was released after five. In 2002, Kay testified during the penalty phase of her son Carys trial for a triple murder. During this time, he was working at Pizza Hut and later joined 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'. He married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson in 1985 and together, they had two children, Ashley and Steven, Jr. Parnell had used Stayner to attempt to kidnap children on prior occasions, but all the kidnapping attempts were unsuccessful. Steven later said in an interview, I returned almost a grown man, and yet my parents saw me at first as their seven-year-old. And if I didnt take care of it now, it would just get worse, said Lori Duke, Stevens girlfriend, who only knew him as Dennis. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. However, police officers spotted both of them, and that's when Steven's real identity was revealed. In addition to participating in the abuse of Stayner, she attempted to help Parnell kidnap a boy who was a member of the Santa Rosa Boys' Club .
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