But as Kay also said that night, "We expected him to come back. No longer able to deal with his peers, feeling academically stunted and more prone to drinking and goofing off, Steven dropped outof school and started doing odd jobs. I don't know sometimes if I should have come home. But to see that all of these people continued to think about him and remember him, and feel so much guilt for not knowingalthough I don't know how any of them could have knownI think that was really impactful to see.". While they never gave up hope, the ordeal took a toll on the whole family. Fortunately, the police spotted him as well and detained both of them, following which he revealed his identity and narrated his own story. Dimmock credited Ashley"and her really trusting inthe weird process of going back over a story that ultimately has been told a lot of times, but digging some new things up and starting again," for helping the series come together with fresh insight from the family. 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. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". When he couldn't figure out the location, he told White to head to the police station, with plans to return to Parnell's alone. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The FBI acknowledged at the end of March that, while they were looking closely at a few men who (unlike Cary) had criminal records, no arrests or charges were "imminent.". The Most Iconic Celebrity Best Friendships, The Most Iconic Old Hollywood Engagement Rings, The Top Dog Breeds the Year You Were Born, The Most Iconic Oscar Dresses of All Time, Christie Brinkley Honors 69th Birthday in New IG. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. Steven Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. His accomplices, Ervin Murphy, and Ronald Sean Poorman were also convicted, though on lesser charges, claiming they knew nothing of the sexual assaults. He had sustained a fracture at the back of his skull. [21] Stayner remembered the kindness "Uncle" Murphy had shown him in his first week of captivity while they were both under the influence of Parnell's manipulation, and he believed that Murphy was as much Parnell's victim as he and Timmy were. ", "My son is very sick right now," he added. 195 in 2010) in Mendocino County, Calif., and hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. Steven was beaten and allowed to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana. "He got on with his life," his sister Cory Staynertold the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. As long as I can see them and hear their voices, I'm OK.", I Know My First Name Is Stevenwas nominated fora Golden Globe and four Emmys, including Outstanding Miniseries and Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for then 17-year-oldCorin Nemec,thanks to his heart-wrenching turn asSteven. On February 14, 1980, in Ukiah, California, they were successful when Poorman found 5-year old Timothy White walking home from school. Steven was persuaded to get intothe car, whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting. That first night, Parnell molested young Steven. On December 4, 1972, he was walking home from school when he was spotted by Kenneth Parnell and his friend Ervin Murphy. She said her father became obsessed with finding the youngster, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years. Soon after, Parnell reached there, driving a white Buick, which Stayner got into willingly, along with Murphy, but instead of his home, he was taken to a cabin in nearby Catheys Valley. ", Though the ready assumptionwas that Steven's sadly short lifehad been defined by his troubles, Jody said he'd been "a very happy man" of late, and they'd been living "a normal life with two beautiful kids.". in journalism and creative writing. Awesome, cant wait to read! 162.211.29.130 So, on December 4, 1972, Kay was supposed to pick him up from school but had stopped to pick something up from Delbert. Hewasn't wearing a helmet and he was pronounced dead of a skull fracture at a nearby hospital. Things were pretty rough for a while, bouncing from one job to another, some would say wandering aimlessly. Then he met Jody Edmondson, and in 1985, when he was 20 and she 17, they married. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. That would havemade Cary 7 when he first had such a fantasy, when Stevenwas 3 and still several years away from being kidnapped,a trauma that couldn't help butaffect the whole familyand which certainly was invoked when it came time to mount a defense. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Needless to say, nothing is so black and white, especially when there isn't a handy scenario to explain away any of it at all. Jody emotionally described how she and Stayner planned to visit their favorite restaurant after he got home. One December afternoon in 1972, 7-year-old Steven had been walking home in Merced, California, when he was coaxed into a stranger's car with the promise of a ride home. Young Stayner replied that his mother would donate, following which Murphy asked for his address and offered to accompany him to his house, to which he agreed. Kenneth told Steven that his parents had given him away and that his new name was Dennis. Mercy Brown: The Last New England Vampire, Cary Stayner: The Yosemite Killer | The Scare Chamber, Gabrielly Magalhes: Buried Alive | The Scare Chamber, The Torture and Murder of Kelly Anne Bates, David Parker Ray and his Toy Box of Torture, Alexandra Wiwcharuk: The Girl in Saskatoon, Cheri Brooks and the Destruction of Vera Jo Reigle, Alexandra Wiwcharuk: The Girl in Saskatoon | The Scare Chamber, Rodney Alcala and the Dating Game | The Scare Chamber, Deadly Plants: Deadly Nightshade | The Scare Chamber, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "You'vegot this crazy story that happens, and then you've got kind of the 1980s version of that story that's presented to the world," Dimmock told E!. In 1999, Carole Sund, her teenage daughter Juli, and Juli's friend Silvina Pelosso stayed at Cedar Lodge, where Cary worked as a handyman. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. Despite his circumstances, he did well among his peers, and even became known as an all-around happy person. It reads: "My name is Steven Stainer [sic]. [31] The two-part miniseries was first broadcast by NBC on May 2122, 1989. He was just a great kid with a good heart.. 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. But despite an extensive search, young Steven was never to be found. 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. She reported him topolice and he got the maximum sentence due to California's three-strikes law. ", Rowlandsreported that the then-37-year-old also said he had dreamed of killing women for 30 years and these four were "at the wrong place at the wrong time.''. seen in Montana, according to our information three sisters. "We were kind of on our own," she said. His health struggles detailed, Martina McClures story: Her injury and recovery, How did Simon Dunn die? There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. He also had a small, speechless role in the TV series as one of two policemen who escort his 14-year-old self to his onscreen parents. 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. He and her son Lloyd played together. "I yelled at him a lot. "I couldn't see Timmy suffer," Stevenlater told Newsweek. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. They approached a police station shortly after midnight. In 1975, Parnell felt he needed another boy. Under false pretenses, Cary entered their room and sexually assaulted both girls. 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. [22] Stayner's kidnapping and its aftermath prompted California lawmakers to change state laws "to allow consecutive prison terms in similar abduction cases. Steven was transported to Merced Community Medical Center, and at 5:35pm, was declared dead. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. Once more details emerged about his ordeal, some kids teased him about being molested. We expected him to come back. ", WhenGMAcaught up with him in 1983, Stevendescribed his first year back as"kinda hectic. He convinced Mathias to lure another young boy into his car. When 800,000 children disappear every year worldwide 460,000 of these from the United States alone, you tend to keep your children close. On February 14, 1980, Parnell and a teenage friend of Stayner's named Randall Sean Poorman kidnapped five-year-old Timmy White in Ukiah. After Timothy White, who had become a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy, died from pulmonary embolism in 2010, a statue of Stayner and White was built in Applegate Park in Merced, California. "We thought we were prepared and, of course, we weren't," Carole's father, Francis Carrington, told theLA Times after his granddaughter was found. Click to reveal A child abductee's journey back. 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. 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. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. True Crime Documentaries Worth Watching This Spring, Elizabeth Smart Marks Anniversary of Her "Biggest Miracle" 19 Years After Kidnapping Nightmare Ended, Sherri Papini Formally Pleads Guilty After Admitting Kidnapping Was a Hoax, Why the Unsolved Disappearance of the Beaumont Children Remains One of Australia's Most Haunting Crimes, TV's Most Killer True Crime Transformations, Man Sentenced to 190 Years in Prison for Murder of Jacqueline Avant, convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, first linked him to Armstrong's July 21 murder. [15] Mathias later claimed to have been completely unaware that "Dennis" had been kidnapped. It was then that Steven's nightmare began as Murphy brought him to Kenneth Parnell, a known pedophile. He remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison, though California hasn't executed a prisoner since 2006 and Gov. By 1980, when Steven was fourteen, and now a high school student, Parnells need for another boy became more prevalent. Steven Stayner's Kidnapping, Cary Stayner's Horrific Crimes and One Family's Unbelievable Story The new Hulu docuseries takes an intimate look at this tragic, terrifying and touching saga. Parnell continued to abuse Steven for years, telling the boy that his parents weren't looking for him. Stayner's parents fear losing another son. Parnell used Steven in his next attempts to take a boy, but none were successful. ", He added, "Everything has changed. Despite the severe trauma that he dealt with when he lived with his kidnapper, Steven made a life for himself, marrying and having children. Then all of a sudden it's gone. Los Angeles TimesTV critic Howard Rosenberg called the production "an exception" to the usual "exercises in distortion and exploitation" that tended to characterize made-for-TV dramatizationsof horrific crimes. 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. Hearing about Cary's traumatic past or childhood issues didn't sway the jury, who recommended the death penalty, and a judge agreed. He told TheSan Jose Mercury Newsthat watching his children play was like having another childhood the childhood I didnt have., Steven was bravely going about reconstructing his life,JK Miller said. But the family has since dealt with several tragedies along the way, including Stevens death and his older brothers incarceration for murder. Stayner and Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin. Parnell allowed Stayner to begin drinking at a young age and to come and go virtually as he pleased. He [Steven] got on with his life but he was pretty messed up,Stevens sister said in 2007. Despite his refusals, since he was just a few blocks from home, Steven finally gave in and accepted the ride. Who are Steven Stayner sisters? He was sentenced to seven years, but was paroled after serving five.[19][20]. It really made me think about shifting sympathies. Parnell passed himself off as Stayner's father, and the two moved frequently around California, living in locations including Santa Rosa and Comptche. This story contains details from both cases Steven was 7years old whenErvin Edward Murphy approached the second-grader on his way home from Charles Wright Elementary School on Dec. 4, 1972. Ill cover Cary Stayner soon. Steven Stayner spent seven years as the captive of a pedophile. We were kind of on our own, Sartell said. 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. According to a TIMEmagazinereport from March 17, 1980, Steven hadn't yet fully divulged what really happened to him. Proudly powered by WordPress [33], The production, which received four Emmy Award nominations, including one for Nemec, was based on a manuscript by Mike Echols, who had researched the story and interviewed Stayner and Parnell, among others. I dont know sometimes if I should have come back home. However, prosecutors were intent on seeking the death penalty for the murders ofCarole, Juli and Silvina; he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity but was convicted on all charges in August 2002. [40], White later became a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy. "It happened to me, and I didn't want to see it happen to anybody else.". The title of the film and book are taken from the first paragraph of Steven's written police statement, given during the early hours of March 2, 1980 in Ukiah. (The other driver, Anthony Loera, actually left the scene but ultimatelyturned himself in. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. All along, there was the assurance that his story would be made into a movie. 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. Cary with his little brother, Steven . Steven Stayner got married to Jody Edmondson in 1985. After performing a background check, they discovered this wasnt his first offense he had been convicted in 1951 for sodomy. Although he never disclosed the details of his sexual abuse, kids at school were heartless. Five hundred people attended his funeral, one being Timothy White who, at the age of 14, served as a pallbearer. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in . Hehad been working as a maintenance man and living at Yosemite's Cedar Lodge,where the trio were staying. He rode a motorcycle to work, but his manager suggested he take the franchises pickup truck home so he could stay dry. [10] After Stayner told Parnell many times during that first week that he wanted to go home, Parnell told Stayner that he had been granted legal custody of the boy because his parents could not afford so many children and that they did not want him anymore. . This dog had been given to Parnell by his mother, who was not aware of Stayner's existence during the period when he was being held by Parnell. He had been a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy for five years, according to thePress Democrat, and was survived by his wife and two children. He worked with child abduction groups and talked about childrens safety. Parnell bounced from one job to another, some requiring him to travel and leave Steven home alone. 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. "My older brother . Judge Thomas Hastings has said that the evidence is becoming repetitive, and he has ordered Stayners defense to tighten up testimony so the case can go to the jury early next week. "The worst thing that could possibly happen, happens to them," Dimmock said. In the early '80s, the story of Steven Stayner's childhood abduction and rescue riveted the nation. He didnt complain. On March 1, 1980, after two weeks, Steven had had enough. Steven Stayner's parents were left with many questions when their 7-year-old son vanished into thin air in 1972. But executing him is not going to bring them back.". Born In: Merced, California, United States, Spouse/Ex-: Jody Edmondson (m. 19851989). The nurse reported him to the local police and he was once again convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. [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. As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. At the time, Parnell was convicted for kidnapping and false imprisonment. The retired TV host rarely leaves his home due to illness, Everything We Know About Vanessa Hudgens Parents, Who is Charlie Kirks wife? He then violently murdered all three, according to History.com. And so Steven made it home, Timmy was returned to his parents, and two families could breathe again. JP Miller, the co-screenwriter ofI Know My First Name Is Steven,a mini-series about Stayners abduction and escape, said Steven struck him as a man unafraid of death. If you enjoyed this story, read about another kidnap victim who returned home safely Jayme Closs. Mike Echols, who wrote the manuscript for the series, later published a book with the same title in 1991. Steven Stayner testifies about his abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and his seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo. [30] On December 4, 1972, at the age of seven, Steven was approached after school by Edward Ervin Murphy, who claimed he was collecting money for church. [38] Timmy White, then a grown man, was subpoenaed to testify in Parnell's criminal trial. "It was my do-or-die chanceand I also would be coming home for doing something positive.". According to reports, Cary Stayner and Cory Stayner are Steven Stayner's two siblings. 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. Since then, Kay has preferred to keep her life private and hasnt spoken out apart from the interview on Captive Audience. She lost Delbert in April 2013. [17][18], By daybreak on March 2, 1980, Parnell had been arrested on suspicion of abducting both boys. He didnt whine about lousy breaks. Spouse. All about his family, Was Dave Hollis Sick? Motivated in part by the young boy's distress, Stayner decided to return the boy to his parents. During this time, he was working at Pizza Hut and later joined 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'. If they're just out on the porch, the door is always open. Furthermore, Steven had saved a then 5-year-old Timothy White from the same fate, escaping from the cabin where they were kept. . After he failed to find Timmy's parents, he decided to lead the young boy into the police station to get help, as he was not attempting an escape for himself. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. 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. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. He had a pretty sad life.. Sometimes I blame myself. He agreed to let them search his truck but balked when they wanted to look in his backpack, wondering if Armstrong's head was inside. Both Del and Kay Stayner testified during the penalty phase of the trial that October that they neglected Cary to a degree when Steven went missing. Hereturnedto school, where he was always an object of curiosity. ", Kay said in an interview, per CNN, "He came back different, very different. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. By the time she got there, the 7-year-old was nowhere to be seen. FBI agent Jeff Rinek, one of the agents who arrested Cary and then spent 90 minutes in the car withhim driving to bureau headquarters in Sacramento, remembered to the San Francisco Chroniclein 2002 howthe suspect willingly talked about what happened to his brother. He fell in love. He married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson in 1985 and together, they had two children, Ashley and Steven, Jr. 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. Steven Stayner was a typical 7-year old boy. Cary Stayner, Steven's older brother, was behind the Yosemite murders that rocked the small farming town of Merced, California in 1999. 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. Aged seven, Stayner, a California native, was abducted by child molester Kenneth Parnell. "He was spunky. He was held by his abductor until he was 14,. He was about 14 years old and had been kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell, who sexually abused him. From what we can tell, Key spends her life post-retirement in California with her grandchildren and other loved ones. The next day, Steven was told that his parents had given him up, that they couldnt afford so many children (Steven was one of five children), and they didnt want him anymore. Cory . Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 - September 16, 1989) was an American kidnapping victim. My dad said he didn't need any. The next day, on March 2nd, both the boys were reunited with their respective families and Parnell was arrested. His family, was declared dead kid with a good heart to our information three sisters and an brother! Testify in Parnell 's criminal trial, later published a book with the same title in 1991 assaulted girls... Told Steven that his parents were n't looking for him to the local police and he home. 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