As per her testimony during Carys 2002 trial, she was raised to keep her emotions to herself by her father, who insisted that she would otherwise seem crazy like her mother. [8] Parnell denied in that same interview having been sexually abused himself, although Mike Echols' book I Know My First Name Is Steven states that he was indeed molested at the age of 13 by a boarder in a rooming house that his mother owned in Bakersfield. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work when a car suddenly pulled out of a driveway onto the highway. Sadly, even though she kept her father away from her daughters while he stayed with them, they were still unsafe as Delbert reportedly carried on the cycle of parental molestation. At the time, Steven was 20 years old, and Jody was 17. Steven with his wife and two children in 1988. His story is told in the movie I Know My First Name Is Steven. Stayner went on to marry his wife, Jodi Stayner, and have two children. In 1989, Steven was killed in a motorcycle accident, leaving behind a wife and two young children. Cary was the ideal son, Kay Stayner revealed to the jury during her elder sons trial for murder. Steven Stayner died when his children were very young. I dont believe that it was my brother who committed such things, Sartell said as the defense presented his three sisters in an effort to spare his life. On Dec. 4, 1972, the Stayner family's low profile permanently changed when 7-year-old Steven Stayner, the middle child, was abducted walking home from school. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. [3] Kidnapping [ edit] The boy agreed and gave the man his address. The couple dated for a year before marrying in June 1985. He was in the background always.". Fortunately, the police spotted him as well and detained both of them, following which he revealed his identity and narrated his own story. Hawkins said: She was the one who stayed so strong and calm and collected through that seven-year-ordeal. The statue tells the story of Steven Stayner, a Merced youth who was abducted in 1972 andTimothy White, the 5-year-old boy he rescued from suffering the same fate. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Mathias also helped Parnell in the abduction of another boy who was in the Santa Rosa Boys' Club with Stayner, but the attempt was unsuccessful. For the families of missing children, a new statue unveiled in Merceds Applegate Park today,now stands as a beacon of hope, a reminder of survival and heroism in the face of a childs worstnightmare. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. The plaques inscription will serve as a wake-up call for all of us to be ever vigilant in protecting our young people from child abduction. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. He was mocked at school, which caused him to drop out, and after he began drinking more often, he was kicked out of his parental house. He said, They dont go out unless I go with them or theres someone outside watching. After that time he was in and out of juvenile custody for car theft and arson.[4][5]. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell convinced Murphy that he was an "aspiring minister" who needed to find a young boy, who he planned to "raise in a religious-type deal.". The abductor abused Steven and planned to use the boy to abduct more victims. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. He grew up alongside his siblings named; Cynthia Sartell, Cory Stayner, and Cary Stayner. Regardless, he went on to start a family, and while he probably wanted nothing more than to live a quiet life with his kids outside the spotlight, the Stayner family story was far from over. In addition to assisting in the production of a miniseries based on his experience, Stayner became an advocate for preventing child abduction and helping victims of abuse. He worked as a sheriffs deputy for five years until his life was cut tragically short in April of 2010 when White died of a pulmonary embolism at age 35, according to the New York Times. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. Parnell began sexually abusing Stayner almost immediately. It was the first day in the 2 1/2-month trial that any members of Stayners immediate family have shown up. Five year old Timothy Lee White gets a piggy back ride from 14 year-old Steven Stayner into a press conference March 2, 1980, in Ukiah, Calif. He also became a sheriffs deputy in, He worked as a sheriffs deputy for five years until his life was cut tragically short in April of 2010 when White died of a, pulmonary embolism at age 35, according to the New York Times. Steven Stayner with his parents In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. Stayner had a traumatic childhood involving sexual abuse, the kidnap of his younger brother by a pedophile, and feelings of blame that he could not protect his brother, FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rinek wrote in his book, In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agents Relentless Pursuit of the Nations Worst Predators. Rinek wrote that even though the abuse likely poured fuel on a fire for Stayner to eventually commit murder, it was one that had already begun to smolder before he was sexually abused and before his brother was kidnapped. We were kind of on our own, Sartell said. Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. However, they ran out of time. Ive never been this angry. By that time, Cary Stayner was already having grotesque fantasies, the agent wrote. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. On March 1, 1980, two weeks after Timothy White was abducted, as Parnell went on duty at his night security job, Steven Stayner left the house with Timmy and hitchhiked a ride to Ukiah. Surrounded by endless complainers? The devastation of losing their son twice within 10 years was excruciating for Steven Stayner's parents. Steven Stayner was the middle child of five siblings living with their parents in Merced, CA. Jurors in August found him guilty of the murders. In the shadow of the Yosemite National Park in California, in the secluded farming town of Merced, the Stayner family resided in a lower-middle-class area classified as Betty Street. During this time, he had grown very fond of his pet dog Queenie, a Manchester Terrier; Parnells mother has given the dog to Parnell. ABCs 20/20: Yosemite Serial Killer, as the title suggests, profiles the tale of the male who carried out four murders in six months near the Yosemite National Park in 1999. My son is very sick right now, the familys patriarch said while sobbing. Born on April 18, 1965, Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner. He worked as a sheriff's deputy for five years until his life was cut tragically short in April of 2010 when White died of a pulmonary embolism at age 35, according to the New York Times. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. 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. As he was walking home from school on December 4th 1972, he was approached by a man named Ervin Murphy claiming to be a representative of the church who was looking for donations. Steven had become a famous figure, and not everyone liked all the attention he was getting. Sandra Hawkins, a family friend, toldPeoplethat Kay stayed strong during the abduction but was totally crushed after learning of Stevens death. As Steven got older and entered puberty, Parnell's sexual interest in Stayner waned and Parnell sought a new boy to "build his family". "When Steven came home, Cary was kind of put on the back shelf. In 1972, 7 year old Steven Stayner was kidnapped on his way home from school. When bronze statues were completed they were installed upon a 4 high polished concrete base at the entrance to beautiful Applegate Park in Merced, CA. Many local residents also attended, who never knew theboys but felt moved by the story as it played out in the media across the country. In addition to assisting in the production of a miniseries based on his experience, Stayner became an advocate for preventing child abduction and helping victims of abuse. Hulu's 'Captive Audience' delves into a [] Stayner's account of his time with Parnell formed the basis of a 1991 book by Mike Echols. While Jody said her husband did blame himself in some ways but ultimately seemed at peace with everything. But in 1985, when he was 20, he married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson, and they had two children, Ashley and Steven Jr. . For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. But before we get into that, lets get to know Stevens two kids: Ashley and Steven Stayner Jr., who are both featured in the documentary. But her strength is waning now. Seven-year-old, Steven Stayner lived with his parents, Kay and Delbert and his three sisters and an older brother in the small Californian city of Merced. #truecrime #PodernFamily #perspective #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/IItIDruGTI, It Could Always Be Worse (@alwaysbeworse) March 21, 2018, Steven Stayner was only 7 years old when he was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell and Ervin Murphy, according to ABC News. The Memorial Committee deliberated long and hard about what to say on the Plaque they had created for the sculptures pedestal base. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Although Stayner told the younger boy to go inside by himself and tell the officers he had been kidnapped, White refused to leave Stayner's side. Parnell went on to tell Stayner that his parents couldn't afford to keep him any more, that a judge had given Parnell legal custody of him, and that his new name was "Dennis". However, the young boy could not take advantage of those opportunities as he was reportedly unaware how to summon help. He also became a sheriffs deputy in Newhall in Los Angeles County in 2005, Mercury News reported in 2010. But adding children to the equation seemed to only make their relationship worse. It was at this point that Stayner decided to escape with White and return the young child to his parents. He was just very well-grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through. In the years after Stevens death, it was mentioned on the show that Jody remarried. Hulus Captive Audience sheds a light on the Stayner family and how the media can influence the publics perception of a case. [8], More than a decade after the sodomy case, Parnell was convicted of armed robbery in Utah. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. [13] Parnell was, by this time, 71 years old and suffering from diabetes and emphysema, as well as other ailments brought on by an earlier stroke, requiring near 24-hour-a-day nursing care in his cluttered apartment in the 2600 block of Mathews Street in Berkeley. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/steven-stayner-34446.php. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. That statue was revealed inApplegate Park Saturday morning for a crowd of hundreds that included friends and family ofSteven Stayner and Timothy White. Sadness engulfed the community as people mourned a life blighted with tragedy. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. American Men Aries Men Died on: September 17, 1989 Cause of Death: Accident U.S. State: California Childhood & Early Life Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Assistant Sheriff Strength said Stayner was on the waiting list for a job as a county jail guard.. Jody emotionally described how she and Stayner planned to visit their favorite restaurant after he got home. On the other hand, Kay still lives in California, rarely speaks out about either of her sons publicly, and prefers to go by her day-to-day life away from the limelight. On the show, Kay stated that the couple always planned on having a family. But the children in the family kept their feelings to themselves and didnt discuss their emotions. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? [3] Parnell was raised mostly without his father, who abandoned the family when Parnell was six. They had very few memories of their father and learned about his life the way most people did: through the media. Staynerwhose young brother Steven was abducted as a child and later received nationwide attention through the TV miniseries, "I Know My First Name is Steven"murdered two women and two teenage girls near Yosemite National Park in 1999: Joie Armstrong, Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. According to a psychiatrist who would later evaluate Stayner for his defense team, the Stayner family tree was riven with mental illness and sexual abuse going back five generations. ABC News reports it was a "sleety, wintery day," and Stayner willingly followed Murphy into Parnell's car, as he expected the man to take him home. On February 14, 1980, Parnell abducted five-year-old Timothy White from Ukiah with the help of Sean Poorman, a minor and an acquaintance of Stayner. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. The family avoided watching the 10 p.m. news, and any mention of Steven on TV would make their father cry. The couple became estranged albeit, they were actively trying to fix things. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. In a 2000 interview about his 1951 crime, Parnell said he kidnapped and molested the boy because his wife Patsy Dorton (died 2018) was pregnant and that he "had to find another outlet. They dated for a year and got married in June 1985. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. Shortly before his death, Steven had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story,. Kay and Delbert had already lost Steven to a motorcycle accident in 1989, so they dreaded losing their other son. Sartell testified about the toll that the 1972 kidnapping of younger brother Steven took on the family. Cary Stayner was convicted in the 1999 murders of 42-year-old Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, their 16-year-old family. In the time leading up to Stevens sudden death in 1989, the couple had been estranged but were working towards making things better. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. For seven years he was held captive by a man who routinely abused him. In 2014, she shared the tragic news that her partner had passed away. Murphy, who was instructed to distribute gospel tracts to school boys, approached Steven Stayner, claiming to be a church representative and asked him if his mother would be willing to donate anything to the church. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell dated a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of time. PEOPLE got a first look at Captive Audience, which explores the Stayner brothers' opposing legacies Steven, who saved an innocent life, and Cary, who took four innocent lives nearly 20 years . (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) All Rights Reserved. As long as I can see them and hear their voices, Im OK. But in September 1989, the family was dealt a terrible tragedy when Steven met with a road accident while on his way back home. Ashley Stayner Husband, Is She Married? 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. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? 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. Steven Stayner Children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. April 25, 2022 by John Atsu. The family sent out fliers, Sartell said, and headed off on distant road trips to talk to people who might have any information about the missing child. Slater was selected from many competing sculptors to sculpt the life size full-figure portraits of Steven Stayner and little Timothy White. Instead, he tried to make the best of it. However, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death. He is married with children (see his son above), and he also appears to have previously served in the U.S. Army like his sister. White became a Los AngelesCounty sheriffs deputy. At the time, Stayner had been missing for more than seven years. As Steven reached puberty, Purnell preference for younger boys drove him to abduct 5-year-old Timothy. children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. See the events in life of Steven Stayner in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJq6NyCMd6c, http://swordandscale.com/steven-stayner-kidnapped-and-held-for-7-years/, https://alchetron.com/Steven-Stayner-818809-W. Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. However, he allowed him to keep the middle name "Gregory" and his original birthdate. Former reporter Ted Rowlands said, "Stayner had a new father figure who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist.". But in 1980, the Stayners' prayers were answered when Steven returned home after a seven-year disappearance. Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. Stayner and his wife were high school sweethearts, the article said. Steven's brother, Cary Stayner, confessed to the brutal murders which ultimately brought the Stayner family back into the spotlight. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. Prior to his kidnapping of Stayner, The Famous People reports Parnell had at least two criminal convictions, including armed robbery and the sexual abuse of a young boy. He also began manipulating the boy into believing his parents did not want him anymore, as they could not afford to financially support him. Steven refused to reveal the details of his sexual abuse and endured bullying in school for being molested. She said her father became obsessed with finding the youngster, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years. Delbert served as a mechanic at a peach can factory at that point in time, whereas Kay was a wife and mother whom many characterized as cold and distant. That evening, Steven was supposed to have dinner with his wife at their favorite restaurant, but it never happened. According to Diane Stevens' testimony, Parnell requested that the child have a "clean" rectum, indicating sexual intentions. Steven Stayner Missing Childrens Memorial, Saint George and the Dragon Bronze Statue (4ft high by 4ft wide), General Ulysses S. Grant Monument, for West Point, Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Spacesuit Replicas (15 Life Size Statues). Much of the testimony that the defense has tried to introduce, such as the molestation of one of Stayners sisters by their father, has been barred because of objections by the prosecution. This includes a 9-year kidnapping and a serial killing pic.twitter.com/WgWQCdDk7h, may queen (@syanarchy) February 19, 2020. Star Original Captive Audience - A Real American Horror Story aired on Hulu with all 3 episodes available immediately on the release date of April 21, 2022. She added, He was very proud of who he was. He sure led a rough life, California Highway Patrol Sgt. See what Ashley and Steven Jr. Stayner have to say about their father and uncle in Captive Audience, which is now streaming on Hulu. Kenneth told Steven that his parents had given him away and that his new name was Dennis. Delbert even referred to Steven as his real son and pushed the other away. Stayner became known as a hero and inspired a television miniseries, I Know My First Name is Steven.. Steven eventually escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White. However, he was not charged for sexual assault as the prosecutors believed they were 'protecting' Stayner from the social stigma of male sexual abuse. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. Cary was very upset, he said. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. The fact that Stayners brother was kidnapped by a pedophile and abused for seven years adds an almost unfathomable dimension to the tragedy that enveloped this family. Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. For the abduction, he enlisted the help of nave and simple-minded Ervin Edward Murphy by pretending to be an aspiring minister who needed a young boy to "raise him in a religious-type deal". Stayner was terribly concerned about White's welfare and immediately began planning to get the 5-year-old away from Parnell and return him home to his parents. If its the last thing I do, Ill nail him if I possibly can. Stayner told another psychiatrist, Park Dietz, who was hired by the prosecution to evaluate whether he was sane at the time he committed the Yosemite murders, that as a child he worried that the obsessive thoughts he had about holding the neighbor girl against her will somehow caused Steven to be kidnapped. Steven had disciplinary issues at school and racked up more than $1000 in traffic fines by the time he was 19 years old. He was a survivor.. It would have been a lot different if this man who hit him stayed. He loved his brother, his former calssmate, Jack Bungart, told the news outlet. Del is devastated too. Hulus Captive Audience delves into the circumstances surrounding Steven being taken and how he finally escaped, saving a 5-year-old in the process. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. Steven, then nearly 15, bravely managed to escape with Timothy to a local police station, from which both boys were returned home. As reported by People, Stayner struck the driver's side of the car at a high rate of speed. It was also difficult for his parents to adjust to having a teenager after remembering their son as a 7-year-old boy. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Its final this time,he said. While imprisoned for this charge, his second wife filed for divorce. Jody expressed her frustration with the hit-and-run, saying, Im very, very, very angry. Parnell, a sex offender, molested him the very first night, and began raping him thirteen days later, on December 17, 1972. It would have been a lot different if this man who hit him had stayed. Getty Images While adjusting to his new life at home, and being bullied in school for the abuse he experienced, Steven also had to deal with. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Steven Stayner became a household name in 1980 when he returned home after being kidnapped about seven years earlier. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. All we know, Was Craig Breen married? Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Parnell was convicted on February 9, 2004, on the charges of attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation, even though no child had been targeted. He didnt whine about lousy breaks. As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for molesting an 8-year-old boy in Bakersfield, California in 1952 when he kidnapped Stayner, SF Gate reported in 2008. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Then in 1980, as Stayner matured, Parnell kidnapped a younger boy, 5-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White. Stevens parents, Kay and Delbert, were on a camping trip when they learned of the passing.
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