In the time leading up to Stevens sudden death in 1989, the couple had been estranged but were working towards making things better. Jody expressed her frustration with the hit-and-run, saying, Im very, very, very angry. As Steven reached puberty, Purnell preference for younger boys drove him to abduct 5-year-old Timothy. Steven, wearing no helmet and riding with an invalid license, suffered severe head injuries. Its final this time,he said. 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. At the time of Stayner's kidnapping, Parnell was employed at the Yosemite Lodge, which according to ABC News, was approximately two hours away from Merced. Fortunately, the police spotted him as well and detained both of them, following which he revealed his identity and narrated his own story. 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. The statue tells the story of Steven Stayner, a Merced youth who was abducted in 1972 and Timothy White, the 5-year-old boy he rescued from suffering the same fate. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. 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. So, if youre curious about where she might be today, heres what we know. Stayner waited until Parnell had gone to his night shift job as a clerk at a local motel on March 1, 1980 and, carrying White on his back, hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. However, he was not charged for sexual assault as the prosecutors believed they were 'protecting' Stayner from the social stigma of male sexual abuse. In 1972, a Young Boy Was Kidnapped and Abused for 7 Years Before Escaping Where Is His Torturer Now? Steven with his wife and two children in 1988. When Steven passed away, Ashley was 3 years old and Steven Jr. was 2 years old. 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. That evening, Steven was supposed to have dinner with his wife at their favorite restaurant, but it never happened. In 1972, 7 year old Steven Stayner was kidnapped on his way home from school. Steven passed away an hour after the accident at Merced Community Medical Center. He also began manipulating the boy into believing his parents did not want him anymore, as they could not afford to financially support him. Shortly before his death, Steven had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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. Hulus Captive Audience delves into the circumstances surrounding Steven being taken and how he finally escaped, saving a 5-year-old in the process. 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. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. Jurors in August found him guilty of the murders. According to Crime Investigation, the boys hitchhiked more than 40 miles to reach Ukiah, California, where White was abducted from. The officers soon realized that both of the boys had actually been kidnapped, and the one identifying himself as Dennis Parnell was actually Steven Stayner. If its the last thing I do, Ill nail him if I possibly can. 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. Sandra Hawkins, a family friend, toldPeoplethat Kay stayed strong during the abduction but was totally crushed after learning of Stevens death. Stayner was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the article said. Surrounded by endless complainers? This memorial reminds families and friends of other missing children that their loved one may someday return. Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. They had a daughter, Ashley, who was 3 at the time of her fathers death, and a son, Steven Jr., who was 2. have yall heard of Steven and Cary Stayner? 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. It would have been a lot different if this man who hit him had stayed. 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. 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". He is now 59 and on death row in San Quentin State Prison, according to his prison records. At the time, Steven was 20 years old, and Jody was 17. He was raising hell at school and causing trouble with the law but things started to change when he met Jody Edmondson. That statue was revealed inApplegate Park Saturday morning for a crowd of hundreds that included friends and family ofSteven Stayner and Timothy White. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking home from school in Merced, California, when he was approached by a man passing out religious pamphlets. Not only was it a miracle, but during his escape, he had also rescued another 5-year-old boy who had been kidnapped. However, as we all know, that turned when pedophile Kenneth Parnell abducted Steven in 1972, and the Stayners allegedly began to neglect their children. Hulu's 'Captive Audience' delves into a [] Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. 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. All Rights Reserved. But she said it wasnt the brother she remembers. Steven returned to Merced to marry and start a family, becoming a champion for the cause ofmissing children until his untimely death at the age of 24 in 1989. 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. Thus, sadly, all we know is that Delbert passed away at 79-years-old in his house in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. A new docuseries dives into the unbelievable tale of two brothers, one of whom was a child kidnapping victim-turned-national hero and the other who became a serial killer. However, they ran out of time. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. 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. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. 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. In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. My dad was on a mission trying to find his son, she said. He was held hostage by Kenneth Parnell 38 . Moreover, according to his testimony in 2002, when Steven went missing, he became fixated with finding him and neglected his four other children in the process, particularly Cary. Mike Echols, who wrote the manuscript for the series, later published a book with the same title in 1991. 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. However, he allowed him to keep the middle name "Gregory" and his original birthdate. They dated for a year and got married in June 1985. Instead, he tried to make the best of it. Steven unexpectedly died in a motorcycle crash in 1989 when he was 24 years old. Prior to publication, the manuscript served as the basis for the 1989 TV miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven (also known as The Missing Years), with Arliss Howard as Parnell. Copyright 2023 Distractify. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. Following his rescue, White went on to bravely testify at his kidnappers trial when he was just 6 years old, the New York Times reported in 2010. Steven Jr. was his son, and Ashley was his daughter. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". The devastation of losing their son twice within 10 years was excruciating for Steven Stayner's parents. Despite the extreme trauma he experienced while living with his captor, and Steven went on to marry and have children. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Born on April 18, 1965, Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner. However, they ran out of time. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. Parnell shifted from one place to another for work, often took Stayner with him, but later sometimes left him alone and unguarded. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Northern California town on edge after second fatal stabbing in a week, Photos: Opening day of trout season in the Eastern Sierra, CEO of Cookies pot brand accused of kickbacks, strong-arm tactics. But seven years later, he returned home to his family. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had enduredand the two escaped. [18], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Youth Abducted Seven Years Ago Goes Home Again", "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Sex Offender Kenneth Parnell Dies in Vacaville", "Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism", "Kenneth Parnell, kidnapper of Steven Stayner, dies at 76", "Kenneth Eugene Parnell, A Notorious Child Molester Dies In Prison", abducted man posing pastor launched-daring-escape, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenneth_Parnell&oldid=1152184607, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 18:34. Here's what Ashley and Steven Jr. Stayner, who appear in 'Captive Audience,' are up to now. Hulus Captive Audience sheds a light on the Stayner family and how the media can influence the publics perception of a case. 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. She previously attended a military university and served in the U.S. Air Force from 2007 to 2011. which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. In an interview with SFGate, Michael Kollman, who was a longtime neighbor of the Stayner family, said, "I think it must have really affected Cary," said Michael Kollman. Stayner was walking home from school December 4, 1972, when the men lured him into their vehicle, saying they had just talked to his parents and they no longer wanted him, ABC reported. And while Captive Audience focuses mostly on the Stayner family and how Stevens brother Cary grew up to be a serial killer, Whites life and story was changed forever by his ordeal. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Ive never been this angry. It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. As for where Delbert and Kay Stayner are now, the pair had made it evident that they wanted to lead quiet lives after the events of the early 2000s. [10] Unfamiliar with the city, Stayner decided the best option was to seek out the local police, who originally considered him a delinquent, until an exhaustive search of missing child posters and a piecemeal interrogation confirmed he was a missing child as well. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. Jody emotionally described how she and Stayner planned to visit their favorite restaurant after he got home. September 17, 1989. 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. Cary Stayner is not just a convicted killer and rapist, but hes also the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. 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. Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021. However, his brother Cary also suffered throughout the entire ordeal. Stayner became known as a hero and inspired a television miniseries, I Know My First Name is Steven.. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Steven in order to hopefully save other children from the same tragic fate. 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. Aged seven, Stayner, a California native, was abducted by child molester Kenneth Parnell. We were kind of on our own, Sartell said. 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. While they never gave up hope, the ordeal took a toll on the whole 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. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. I know where Stevies at now., Read Next: Bonny Lee Bakleys death The accusations behind her unsolved murder, Everything we know about Halseys parents, Bonny Lee Bakleys death The accusations behind her unsolved murder, Is Cissy Houston still alive? He told The San Jose Mercury News that watching his children play was 'like having another childhood - the childhood I didn't have.' "Steven was bravely going about reconstructing his life," JK Miller said. Parnell died in 2008 while incarcerated. His family was happy to have him back, but things were different. Steven Stayner became a household name in 1980 when he returned home after being kidnapped about seven years earlier. Kenneth Eugene Parnell (September 26, 1931 January 21, 2008) was an American convicted sex offender, child rapist, and kidnapper infamously known for perpetrating the abductions of 7-year-old Steven Stayner and 5-year-old Timothy White in Merced, California. 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. Steven refused to reveal the details of his sexual abuse and endured bullying in school for being molested. The couple became estranged albeit, they were actively trying to fix things. So, if youre curious about where she might be today, heres what we know. At the time, Stayner had been missing for more than seven years. Del is devastated too. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. Sean Poorman, Stayner's schoolfriend who abetted Parnell in the White kidnapping, was sentenced to a term in a juvenile work camp. 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. 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. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner went to school and never came home. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to pick . However, the young boy could not take advantage of those opportunities as he was reportedly unaware how to summon help. I dont think he should be executed because hes sick. But Cary still got the death penalty. But things began to change when he met Jody Edmondson. When he returned, he told the boy that he called his parents and they said they did not want him anymore. He loved his family, his career and boating, especially at Lake Pyramid, the obituary states. Steven Stayner, then 24, had married and had two children. Cary was very upset, he said. 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. Parnell was arrested that day,[14] subsequently telling authorities "I wanted a family". A report from 2007 placed her in Montana, but beyond that, not much else is known about Jody. Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. He had a pretty sad life.. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. So, on December 4, 1972, Kay was supposed to pick him up from school but had stopped to pick something up from Delbert. Stayner had been driving his new Kawaksaki motorcycle when the driver pulled out in front of him on a rain-soaked highway. One of the most curious cases Steven Stayner was kidnapped and held captive for man years under child predator Kenneth Parnell; he would get away, get married and have children only to face another tragedy; his older brother Cary, would go onto a whole other path.an extremely violent one. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. He also felt more directly responsible. 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. In 1980, the same man kidnapped another child, 5 year old Timothy White. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. He worked with child abduction groups and talked about childrens safety. Steven Stayner died in 1989. He was a survivor.. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! The media framed Steven as a hero. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. [16][17] According to prison officials, Parnell died of natural causes. Cary Stayner will forever be known for marring Yosemite's reputation as a peaceful retreat with the brutal murders of four innocent women. 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. The abductor abused Steven and planned to use the boy to abduct more victims. Steven Stayner's parents were left with many questions when their 7-year-old son vanished into thin air in 1972. 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 Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. Realizing how the young boy would suffer at the hands of his captor, Stayner decided to return Timmy to his parents. Steven devoted much of his time upon returning home to telling his story, teaching parents, children and a whole nation how to protect themselves from what had happened to him. Assistant Sheriff Strength said Stayner was on the waiting list for a job as a county jail guard.. After convincing the boy his parents did not want him anymore, he changed his name to Dennis Parnell. Therefore, Kay swore to raise her children that same way, without an ounce of sentimental touch or warmth, which Delbert seemed to agree with. Barbara Mathias, Parnell's girlfriend who lived with him and Stayner for some time, was never charged with any violation and cooperated with authorities in Parnell's trials.