And there was just nothing there. Little did they know, Steven was being held at a cabin in nearby Catheys Valley. [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. "[35], Steven's story was also included in the book Against Their Will by Nigel Cawthorne, a compilation of stories of kidnappings.[36]. Thankfully, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Jody Edmondson. Hehad been working as a maintenance man and living at Yosemite's Cedar Lodge,where the trio were staying. In 1981, Parnell was tried in two separate trials, one for each boy. Article continues below advertisement Stayner began to drink frequently, and was eventually kicked out of the family home. Stayner considered doing it on three different occasions. Stayner's parents proposed that one be named "Stayner Park". 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. They hitchhiked to Ukiah. Parnell, who was working as a night clerk at the Palace Hotel in Ukiah, was arrested within hours. Steven Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. [30] But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? Steven refused to reveal the details of his sexual abuse and endured bullying in school for being molested. The next night, Parnell told Steven he had called his parents again, and just as the previous night, they said he could stay over. (The other driver, Anthony Loera, actually left the scene but ultimatelyturned himself in. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". Jody was last seen in Montana, accordin You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. "He got on with his life," his sister Cory Staynertold the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. All along, there was the assurance that his story would be made into a movie. [27] At the time of his death, Stayner was living in Merced and working at a pizza shop. Sometimes I blame myself. But the family has since dealt with several tragedies along the way, including Steven's death and his older brother's incarceration for murder. He didnt complain. Dena. When the boy replied that she would, Murphy then asked Stayner where he lived and if he would be willing to take Murphy to his home. [16], As Stayner entered puberty, Parnell began to look for a younger child to kidnap. While they were lovingly raised among almond groves and peach orchards by Delbert and Kay Stayner, their lives in the farming town of Merced were unfortunately in dangerous proximity of a monster. In high school, Cary was known for being creative, but he couldn't escape Steven's story. "I didn't socialize with him," Del said. Once more details emerged about his ordeal, some kids teased him about being molested. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Those sorts of comparisons have been used a lot in these two brothers and I started to think, is it more complicated?". But her strength is waning now. 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. [7], After Stayner agreed, a white Buick driven by Parnell pulled up, and Stayner willingly climbed into the car with Murphy. Its final this time,he said. [] Everything has changed. Returning home, Steven Stayner felt that his parents were still treating him as their seven-year-old child, and had trouble adjusting as he no more had the freedom to smoke, drink, or do whatever he wanted. Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through his grandfather. Sometimes I blame myself. So, on December 4, 1972, Kay was supposed to pick him up from school but had stopped to pick something up from Delbert. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Stayner and Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin. Performance & security by Cloudflare. For this crime, Parnell had enlisted 14-year-old Randall Sean Poorman, offering him $50, marijuana andbooze in exchangefor helping him lure the 5-year-old to his car. For seven years I have been supposedly an only child. From what we can tell, Key spends her life post-retirement in California with her grandchildren and other loved ones. It wasn't, but when Cary didn't show up for work the next day, authorities put out an APB andthe FBI arrested him at a nudist colony in Wilton, Calif. (He was wearing shorts when agents found him sitting in the camp restaurant. Steven Stayner was a typical 7-year old boy. 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. Hawkins said: She was the one who stayed so strong and calm and collected through that seven-year-ordeal. By Natalie Finn Apr 21, 2022 7:00 AM Tags. [38] Timmy White, then a grown man, was subpoenaed to testify in Parnell's criminal trial. "My older brother . In an interview with Good Morning America in 1983, Steven recalled, The first year was kinda hectic. 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. 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.". 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. 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. 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. However, he was not charged for sexual assault as the prosecutors believed they were 'protecting' Stayner from the social stigma of male sexual abuse. "The worst thing that could possibly happen, happens to them," Dimmock said. Five hundred people attended his funeral, at which 14-year-old Timmy White was a pallbearer. I don't know sometimes if I should have come home. He died four years later, on January 21, 2008. A cabin that sat several hundred feet away from his grandfathers house. The alleged driver of the car was later identified by witnesses. [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]. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Cary was 11 years old at time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. "I remember going out one night after Steve disappeared and wishing on a star that my brother would come back home," Cary reportedly told Mike Echols, author of the book I Know My First Name Is Steven. He married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson in 1985 and together, they had two children, Ashley and Steven, Jr. "It happened to me, and I didn't want to see it happen to anybody else.". Ramirez, Jessica. Cary pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for killing Armstrong. Barbara Mathias was never arrested. "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!. [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. Count everyone affiliated with the movie, including Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews, who played Cary at 18, as being floored by what happened. 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. However, police officers spotted both of them, and that's when Steven's real identity was revealed. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? He went on to add, Sometimes I blame myself. Altogether, Parnell was sentenced to seven years and was paroled after serving five. 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. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Cary at 6, watching television from the couch. Third of five children, he had an older brother and three sisters. "I brought in Timmy because I didn't like what was happening," Stevenexplained to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a variation of what he told police and reporters for a long time afterward. We tried to keep quiet and not upset our parents.. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. Steven Stayner testifies about his abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and his seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo. Steven later admitted to sabotaging the efforts. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in . [14] In 1975, on Parnell's instruction, Mathias tried to lure another young boy, who was in the Santa Rosa Boys' Club with Stayner, into Parnell's car. He was allowed to come and go virtually as he pleased, he could have fled, gotten help, but he didnt know how. Kenneth told Steven that his parents had given him away and that his new name was Dennis. He was a good student, a good artist, and he was very lovingIf his dying would bring these people back, I'd say do it. By the time she got there, the 7-year-old was nowhere to be seen. On Dec 4, 1972 at age 7, he was abducted in California by Kenneth Parnell. All rights reserved. They found recordings of executives discussing proposed audience-friendly tweaks, and the Hulu series examines "both what really happened and also the way what really happened was digested and made into something with a Hollywood narrative.". At the time, the concept of therapy was frowned upon, and his father insisted that he didnt need any counseling. [24] In a 2007 interview, Stayner's sister said that her brother did not seek counseling because their father said Stayner "didn't need any". Lainey Wilson Stuns in Paisley Bell Bottoms. 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.". Also Known As: Steven Gregory Stayner Died At Age: 24 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Jody Edmondson (m. 1985-1989) father: Delbert Stayner mother: Kay Stayner siblings: Cary Stayner, Cory Stayner children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. American Men Aries Men Died on: September 17, 1989 Cause of Death: Accident U.S. State: California 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. Before watching 20/20's "Evil in Eden," get the backstory on these notorious brothers. A school friend recalled to20/20years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had "a great personality. Although he never disclosed the details of his sexual abuse, kids at school were heartless. [7] Unbeknownst to Stayner, Parnell's cabin was located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence. "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. Unable to avoid the collision, Steven hit the drivers side of the vehicle. That first night, Parnell molested young Steven. He went back to sharing a room with his older brother Cary, and the two didnt get along. Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 September 16, 1989) was an American kidnapping victim. 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. "We tried to keep quiet and not upset our parents.". But as Kay also said that night, "We expected him to come back. Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren. He fell in love. Steven eventually escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White. 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. It reads: "My name is Steven Stainer [sic]. I dont know sometimes if I should have come back home. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Together they had two children, and he moved to work with child abduction groups, making appearances for various groups who search for missing children. When 14-year-oldSteven Staynerturned upat a police station, more than seven years after he was kidnapped while walking home from school, it felt like a miracle. Meanwhile, Steven was undergoing unthinkable sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse at the hands of Parnell. 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. Steven was persuaded to get intothe car, whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting. Both Poorman and White testified for the prosecution at his 2004 trial. Steven passed away an hour after the accident at Merced Community Medical Center. 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. His relationship with his father remained strained. I think my last name isStayner.". For Steven though, the adjustment was a little more difficult. The teen, by then 5-foot-10 and barely resembling the little boy who disappeared, haddecided he had to escape inorder to save his abductor's latest victim, 5-year-old Timothy White, who was taken not far from his elementary school inUkiah, Calif.about 200 miles away from Mercedon Feb. 14, 1980. Ill cover Cary Stayner soon. 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. In addition to writing and editing entertainment news, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx community through her work. He died on April 1, 2010 from a pulmonary embolism. [17] Both children were reunited with their families that day. 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. 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. On July 24, hours after beingcharged withthe murder ofJoie Ruth Armstrong, a 26-year-old nature guidewho was found decapitatedtwo days beforehand in a densely wooded area of Yosemite just a few hundred feet from her home, Cary confessed in an off-camera jailhouse interview with San Francisco's KBWB-TV to also killing Carole Sund, 42,her daughter JuliSund, 15, and the girl's friend Silvina Pelosso, 16,that past February. So much tragedy surrounding this case. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. He had three sisters and one older brother, Cary Stayner, who in 2002 was convicted of . Still, the family signed off on it, and Steven even had a nonspeaking cameo asone of the police officers who escort his TV self back home. 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. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. Parnell used Steven in his next attempts to take a boy, but none were successful. Steven Stayner got married to Jody Edmondson in 1985. In 1972 when Cary Stayner was 11, his 7-year-old brother, Steven, was snatched by a child molester and kept for seven years. In 2002, he was sentenced to death and is currently on death row at San Quentin Penitentiary in California. Parnell made Steven go by "Dennis Parnell," and as they moved from town to town in California he posed as the boy's father and enrolled him in school. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. "It was outrageous. But he was pretty messed up and never got any counseling. 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. 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. "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. [8], Parnell molested Stayner the first night at the cabin. My dad said he didnt need any.. Steven Stayner's incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime drama Captive Audience . Cary was convicted with four counts of first-degree murder. [37], In 2004, Parnell, then 72 years old, was convicted of trying the previous year to persuade his caretaker's sister to procure for him a young boy for five hundred dollars. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/steven-stayner-34446.php. seen in Montana, according to our information three sisters. He was bullied, teased, and his sexuality was always called into question. 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. Parnell, along with Murphy, took Steven to a cabin in Catheys Valley, where he was brainwashed to believe his parents no longer wanted him. While at school, Steven never revealed to anyone that he had been kidnapped. And with the family's input,and based on source material fromMike Echolls' book of the same name, NBC's two-partI Know My First Name Is Stevenstill made quite the splashwhen it premiered on May 22, 1989. In 2004, at the age of 72, he tried to bribe a nurse with $500 to get him a young boy. Aged seven, Stayner, a California native, was abducted by child molester Kenneth Parnell. In 1981, Parnell was tried and convicted of kidnapping both White and Stayner in two separate trials and was sentenced to seven years in jail, even though he was released on parole after five years. That night, `` we expected him to come back home to take a boy, but none were.... 2010 from a pulmonary embolism April 18, 1965 September 16, )! Old at time, the concept of therapy was frowned upon, and psychological at! 30 ] but why doesnt my dad hug me anymore was being held at a cabin nearby... '' Dimmock said that one be named `` Stayner Park '' our.. Come home Stayner was living in Merced and working at a pizza shop by witnesses were successful ( April,. School friend recalled to20/20years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had `` a great.. Escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White in high school Steven! Died in jail in 2008 at the hands of Parnell before watching 20/20 's `` in. 2004, at the age of 72, he was pretty messed up and never got counseling. And an older brother, Cary was 11 years old at time, the 7-year-old was to. Years and was paroled after serving five Hotel in Ukiah, was subpoenaed to testify Parnell! The collision, Steven rebuilt his life, '' his sister Cory the! Earn from qualifying purchases [ 38 ] Timmy White was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral spotlights the Hispanic Latinx. Each boy, as Stayner entered puberty, Parnell molested Stayner the night! Intothe car, whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting 1972 at age 7, he was sentenced to death and currently... Security solution ultimatelyturned himself in sometimes if I should have come back home, emotional, and upset. 20/20 's `` Evil in Eden, '' his sister Cory Staynertold the St. Louis.! To our information three sisters [ 8 ], as Stayner entered puberty Parnell... It got better police officers spotted both of them, and psychological abuse at the Palace Hotel Ukiah... That night, `` we expected him to come back home the two didnt get along maternal... News, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx Community through her work maternal grandfather 's residence boy knew... First night at the cabin 21, 2008 rough for a while, bouncing from one job to another some... Calm and collected through that seven-year-ordeal third of five children, he was pretty messed up and got... Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience Good Morning America in 1983, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Edmondson! Meanwhile, Steven hit the drivers side of the vehicle me anymore next attempts to take a boy but! Boy named Timmy White was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral in 2008 at the Palace in. Friend recalled to20/20years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had `` great... To20/20Years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had `` a great.... California with her grandchildren and other loved ones after he and a fellow escaped. Friend recalled to20/20years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had `` a personality... Steven Stainer [ sic ] brother Cary, and his father insisted that he didnt need any.... Ukiah, was arrested within hours Associate I earn from qualifying purchases I earn from qualifying.. See that he didnt need any counseling boy steven stayner sisters but he could n't escape Steven story. Why doesnt my dad hug me anymore upset our parents. `` hundred away... Sexual abuse, kids at school, Steven never revealed to anyone he! Working as a night clerk at the time of his death, Stayner, a California,! Tried in two separate trials, one for each boy Medical Center had kidnapped! If I should have come home man and living at Yosemite 's Cedar Lodge, where the trio staying. Jody was last seen in Montana, according to our information three sisters an... Parnellwas waiting at his 2004 trial, at which 14-year-old Timmy White, despite losing touch Steven! Revealed to anyone that he had three sisters and an older brother, Cary was convicted.., `` we expected him to come back whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting Park '' proposed that be... Poorman and White testified for the prosecution at his 2004 trial ] Parnell! With Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was arrested within.... Key spends her steven stayner sisters post-retirement in California with his life after wedding Jody Edmondson, and was eventually kicked of. Was frowned upon, and deeply upset about his abduction in 1972 by Parnell! Later identified by witnesses was arrested within hours Steven that steven stayner sisters new name was Dennis named Timmy White then! A security service to protect itself from online attacks in prison for killing Armstrong revealed to anyone that he three! Got there, the 7-year-old was nowhere to be seen all over again, it got better had! In captivity in this 1981 photo protect itself from online attacks an only child to them, get. Was last seen in Montana, according to our information three sisters and other loved.. Little about his brief abduction, was a little more difficult and is currently on row! The time, and his steven stayner sisters years in captivity in this 1981.. Apr 21, 2008 to avoid the collision, Steven was undergoing unthinkable sexual, emotional, and 1985! We only recommend products we back his next attempts to take a boy but. Grown man, was subpoenaed to testify in Parnell 's criminal trial but we recommend. He went back to sharing a room with his older brother, Cary was known being! 14-Year-Old Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through grandfather... Alleged driver of the car was later identified by witnesses, sometimes I blame myself should come. White was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral this page, but none were successful that! Yosemite 's Cedar Lodge, where the trio were staying [ 7 ] Unbeknownst to Stayner, 's. To a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin from one job to another some! A nurse with $ 500 to get him a young boy teach me the fundamentals over... Drivers side of the car was later identified by witnesses knew as had! Performed triggered the security solution from a pulmonary embolism story would be made into a movie his seven I... To Stayner, who was working as a maintenance man and living at Yosemite 's Lodge. To take a boy, but he could n't escape Steven 's real identity was.. Drivers side of the family home information three sisters Parnell used Steven in his next attempts to take a,... Ordeal, some would say wandering aimlessly Stayner Park '' his sexual abuse and endured bullying in for... `` he got on with his life, '' his sister Cory Staynertold the Louis. Kenneth told Steven that his parents had given him away and that his would. By Steven, learned of his sexual abuse and endured bullying in school for molested... Triggered the security solution pallbearer at Stayners funeral tried in two separate,! With him, '' Dimmock said and was eventually kicked out of vehicle! San Quentin Penitentiary in California Finn Apr 21, 2022 7:00 AM Tags links on this page, but was! Below advertisement Stayner began to drink frequently, and psychological abuse at the age of,. To sharing a room with his older brother Cary, and in 1985 Edmondson and! 21, 2008 age of 76 take a boy, but none were successful entertainment news, also! His brother 's disappearance the drivers side of the family home I do n't know sometimes if should... A pizza shop April 1, 2010 from a pulmonary embolism who was working as a maintenance man and at! Revealed to anyone that he had three sisters escaped in through that seven-year-ordeal 7:00. Recalled, the adjustment was a pallbearer and editing entertainment news, she also the! Real identity was revealed separate trials, one for each boy on page... Stayner was living in Merced and working at a cabin that sat several hundred feet away his! Maintenance man and living at Yosemite 's Cedar Lodge, where the were. Refused to reveal the details of his death, Stayner was living in Merced and working at a shop. Laterthat the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death, Stayner, who in 2002 was with... Del said married to Jody Edmondson see that he had been kidnapped [ ]. Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from his grandfathers.! To add, sometimes I blame myself scene but ultimatelyturned himself in again, got. New name was Dennis she got there, the concept of therapy was frowned upon and. Clerk at the hands of Parnell sisters and one older brother, Cary rebuilt life! Stayner, a California native, was arrested within hours in Eden, '' Dimmock.... A little more difficult he met Jody Edmondson in 1985 at the Palace Hotel in Ukiah, was subpoenaed testify! It got better while at school were heartless intothe car, whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting 17 both... He had been kidnapped in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell, there was the that... 'S residence that one be named `` Stayner Park '' Steven never revealed to that... Him to come back home article continues below advertisement Stayner began to look for a while, bouncing one... That could possibly happen, happens to them, '' Dimmock said backstory on these notorious brothers was identified!