Not wanting to see the 5-year-old go through the same pain he had experienced, Steven attempted to walk White back to his house on March 1, 1980. 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. ", 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.". He and her son Lloyd played together. An ex-con who had already spent three years in San Quentin formolestingan 8-year-old boy plus another six years in a Utah prison on armed robbery and grand larceny charges, Parnell told Steven that he wasgoing to adopt him because his parents didn't want him anymore. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! The Mendocino County prosecutors, acting almost entirely alone, decided not to prosecute Parnell for the sexual assaults that occurred in their jurisdiction. Steven was persuaded to get intothe car, whereKenneth Parnellwas waiting. Stayner was the third of five children born in Merced, California to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Third of five children, he had an older brother and three sisters. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. He was held by his abductor 38 miles (61km) away in Mariposa County, California, and later in Mendocino County, California, until he was aged 14, when he managed to escape with another of Parnell's victims, Timothy White. "We thought we were prepared and, of course, we weren't," Carole's father, Francis Carrington, told theLA Times after his granddaughter was found. The driver, Antonio Loera, drove off, leaving Stayner helpless on the rain-soaked highway. A police investigation didnt trace the deaths back to Cary, although he was interviewed. But why doesn't my dad hug me anymore? 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. Sartell testified about the toll that the 1972 kidnapping of younger brother Steven took on the family. I don't know sometimes if I should have come home. He took a job at a local Pizza Hut, and on Saturday, September 16, 1989 a heavy rain fell. Article continues below advertisement Parnell then drove a confused Stayner to his cabin in nearby Catheys Valley instead. On the show, Kay stated that the couple always planned on having a family. Stayner began to drink frequently, and was eventually kicked out of the family home. He literally said, I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. 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. Insisting to police that he "wasn't mistreated the boy clearly has conflicting thoughts about his captor," the article notes. April 20, 2022 Steven Stayner became a household name in 1980 when he returned home after being kidnapped about seven years earlier. Now I had to compete with a brother and three sisters. They dated for a year and got married in June 1985. He remains on death row as of July 2021, but there have been zero executions in the state of California since a 2006 court ruling on the flaws found in the management of capital punishment. "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. Ukiah, California, U.S. And we had a rough time getting used to having him home.. He died on April 1, 2010 from a pulmonary embolism. In an interview with Good Morning America in 1983, Steven recalled, The first year was kinda hectic. The Abduction Of Steven Stayner. During the years Steven was missing, Cary's life continued, but it was never the same. Steven died nine years after he returned home. We expected him to come back. 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. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. [40], White later became a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy. Initially wanted as an eyewitness, Cary was confronted by police in July of 1999, and ended up confessing to all four murders. But he was pretty messed up and never got any counseling. He was bullied by other children at school for being molested and eventually dropped out. He remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison, though California hasn't executed a prisoner since 2006 and Gov. April 22, 2022 Steven Stayner's miraculous story of escape from his kidnapper in 1980 garnered national headlines at the time. He went back to sharing a room with his older brother Cary, and the two didnt get along. Five hundred people attended his funeral, one being Timothy White who, at the age of 14, served as a pallbearer. Steven Stayner testifies about his abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and his seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo. 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. 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 was released after five. [16], As Stayner entered puberty, Parnell began to look for a younger child to kidnap. Steven passed away an hour after the accident at Merced Community Medical Center. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "He was spunky. On December 4, 1972, he was walking home from school when he was spotted by Kenneth Parnell and his friend Ervin Murphy. Cary would have trouble with the law well into his adult life. Steven Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. All along, there was the assurance that his story would be made into a movie. Steven with his wife and two children in 1988. who claimed he was collecting money for church, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, The compelling story of the Stayner brothers is at the center of. He didnt whine about lousy breaks. [7] Unbeknownst to Stayner, Parnell's cabin was located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence. In April 2022, Hulu released a limited true-crime docuseries "Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story" following the life of Stayner and his family and how the kidnapping impacted their lives. Knowing Steven wouldnt get him someone, Parnell bribed one of Stevens teenage friends, Randall Sean Poorman, to help with the promise of drugs and cash. [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. He also seemed angry at the driver who fatally crashed into him and ticked off by the light sentence given to Parnell, a free man at the time. Cary Stayner, Steven's older brother, was behind the Yosemite murders that rocked the small farming town of Merced, California in 1999. Cary at 6, watching television from the couch. According to a TIMEmagazinereport from March 17, 1980, Steven hadn't yet fully divulged what really happened to him. Steven Stayner was a typical 7-year old boy. She urged the jury not to sentence him to death, adding, If his dying [death] would bring these people back, Id say do it. in journalism and creative writing. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in . Of course Cynthia Sartell knew him; he was her older sibling. But why doesn't my dad hug me anymore? After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. Throughout the first week, Stayner repeatedly told Parnell that he wanted to go home, to which, Parnell told him that he had been granted legal custody of him by his parents. Five months later, he killed Joie Armstrong, a Yosemite Institute employee. Steven ultimately shared that Parnell had done a very good job convincing him that his family didn't miss him, pretending to talk to his mom on the phone in front of him to get permission to let him stay, and telling the boy a judge had awarded him custody. 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.". Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. "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. 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. Dena. He was sentenced to seven years, but was paroled after serving five.[19][20]. Hewasn't wearing a helmet and he was pronounced dead of a skull fracture at a nearby hospital. Stayner revealed later that he had intentionally sabotaged these failed kidnappings. I guess seven years changed him, too. So, if youre wondering where she might be today, heres what we know. After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. But the children in the family kept their feelings to themselves and didnt discuss their emotions. Parnell approached with the car, and they left. For the sexual assaults carried out in Mendocino County, prosecutors chose not to prosecute. While he still blamed himself for his abduction, starting a family helped him cope with his past, and he began interacting with child abduction groups and provided advice to children on the topic. 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. 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. 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". [22] Stayner's kidnapping and its aftermath prompted California lawmakers to change state laws "to allow consecutive prison terms in similar abduction cases. "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. Parnell was not charged with the numerous sexual assaults on Stayner and other boys because most of them occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Merced County prosecutor or were by then outside the statute of limitations. Steven was declared a national hero, and within days made an appearance on Good Morning America. There, he told the host, David Hartman, that it felt great to be home, that his parents didnt change that much, and regarding his brother and sisters, they changed a lot. From what we can tell, Key spends her life post-retirement in California with her grandchildren and other loved ones. My dad said he didn't need any. He was bullied, teased, and his sexuality was always called into question. 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. Its late and dark when they arrive, and Timothy cant remember where he lives, so they went to the police. But for the Stayners, this seemingly closed hellish chapter of their lives turned out to beonly the first of the worst-nightmare scenarios that they faced. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. Both Poorman and White testified for the prosecution at his 2004 trial. 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 this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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.". Stevens drivers license had been suspended, and didnt want to risk an accident in the company truck, so he declined the offer. [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. He even had a regular babysitter for awhile, a single mom namedBarbara Mathias, who ended up moving in with them for nine months. Despite his refusals, since he was just a few blocks from home, Steven finally gave in and accepted the ride. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. She later insisted she hadno idea that"Dennis"wasn't Parnell's real son, that he even had a birth certificate for the boy. Would I have been better off if I didn't?". When Steven Stayner hitchhiked his way to freedom in 1980, reporters . How does it feel to be "brought through the experience of feeling a deep sympathy for a family, for a mother, and then to have a sudden left turn?" When Parnells mother gifted him a dog, he gifted it to Steven. The attempt was a failure. 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. Adjusting to post-abduction life was no easy task for Steven. Steven Stayner (April 18, 1965 - Sept 16, 1989) was a kidnapping victim. Parnell shifted from one place to another for work, often took Stayner with him, but later sometimes left him alone and unguarded. 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. His business savvy partner, Bonny Lee Bakleys death The accusations behind her unsolved murder, Who are Miles Pfeffers parents? I guess I was jealous. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}Jennifer Garner Debuts Daring New Look, 42 Sad Quotes to Power You Through Hard Days. But, in 1974, things were much different as the family of Steven Stayner would discover. 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. 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. 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. But executing him is not going to bring them back. During the testimony, Kay also said that her father molested her when she was younger. "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, Steven's high school girlfriend, to ABC News. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. [3], On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Stayner was approached on his way home from school by a man named Ervin Edward Murphy, who had become acquainted with convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell as they both worked at a resort in Yosemite National Park. [] Everything has changed. Over the next several years, he was enrolled in various schools around California. "How does that change the way we think about responsibilityand does it bring us into an uncomfortable place?". 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. [15] Mathias later claimed to have been completely unaware that "Dennis" had been kidnapped. Claiming full legal custody of Steven, Parnell changed his name, calling him Dennis Gregory Parnell, allowing him to keep his real middle name. In the 20/20 special, Cary, the older of the two, is described as being a loving brother who enjoyed spending time with Steven. Gavin Newsom imposed a moratoriumon carrying out the death penalty while he's in office. On February 14, 1980, Parnell employed Randall Sean Poorman, a teenage friend of Stayner, to abduct a five-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White in Ukiah, California. Hes free.. We were kind of on our own, Sartell said. I never recognized either one of them. Despite his circumstances, he did well among his peers, and even became known as an all-around happy person. Awesome, cant wait to read! Realizing how the young boy would suffer at the hands of his captor, Stayner decided to return Timmy to his parents. Altogether, Parnell was sentenced to seven years and was paroled after serving five. Meanwhile, Steven was undergoing unthinkable sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse at the hands of Parnell. The memorable title came from thepolice'sfirst encounter with the teen, who was reluctant to talk, but said, "I know my first name is Steven. He was described as a quiet kid, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends, going to the park, riding his skateboard, or even his bike. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". A woman named Barbara Mathias moved in and lived with them for eighteen months. Murphy had a stack ofreligious pamphletsand, explaining that he was collecting money for his church, offered the boy a lift home. 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. Timmy White and Steven Stayner during a press conference. The boy, who was in the Santa Rosa Boys Club with Steven, wouldnt be so easy. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. 2023 E! His relationship with his father remained strained. 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. I was the oldest and all that. 195 in 2010) in Mendocino County, Calif., and hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. That year Parnell recently kidnapped another young boy to replace the aging Stayner, 5-year-old Timothy White. Today, the idea of a 7-year old walking home from school alone is almost unheard of. Stayner's parents fear losing another son. '", While promoting the movie, Steven said of his own kids,"They don't go out unless I go with them or there's someone outside watching. The next day, on March 2nd, both the boys were reunited with their respective families and Parnell was arrested. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. Would I have been better off if I didnt?, Steven underwent counseling, albeit brief. It was a sad end to a tragic life,Allen Maxfield, CHP traffic safety officer, said. 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. Despite his efforts, Parnell had another young boy. Steven eventually escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White. Parnell had been with a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of one and half years, during which they reportedly forced Stayner into sexual activities at least nine times. 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. I know my first name is Steven, I'm pretty sure my last is Stainer [sic], and if I have a middle name, I don't know it. If you enjoyed this story, read about another kidnap victim who returned home safely Jayme Closs. "The Abductions That Changed America", Article by Tim Bragg (staff writer) printed in the, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, List of child abuse cases featuring long-term detention, "Crash ends life scarred by childhood abduction", "Kidnapper arrested, accused of trying to buy a child", "Kidnap victim reunites with 'mystery woman', "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Stayner, serial killer Cary Stayner's brother, was abducted for 7 years - Crime Library on truTV.com", "17 Years Later, a Tv Miniseries Forces Steven Stayner to Relive the Horror of His Childhood", "Mormon News for WE 01Aug99: Stayner family's woeful history", "A Hit-and-Run Crash Ends the Life of Kidnap Victim Steven Stayner", "A Kidnapping Victim Rates The Film About His Ordeal", "OAKLAND / Child predator sentenced to 25 years to life / Steven Stayner's kidnapper tried to buy 4-year-old in Berkeley", "Sex offender Kenneth Parnell dies in Vacaville", "Ukiah Daily Journal: Timothy White, boy saved by Steven Stayner, dead at 35", "Timothy White, victim of 1980 kidnapping, dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steven_Stayner&oldid=1141810053, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 22:53. "But he was pretty messed up and he never got any counseling. Aware of Parnell's past, she reported this to local police. 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. He rode a motorcycle to work, but his manager suggested he take the franchises pickup truck home so he could stay dry. [4], One of the few positive aspects of Stayner's life with Parnell was the dog he had received as a gift from him, a Manchester Terrier that he named Queenie. In 2004, at the age of 72, he tried to bribe a nurse with $500 to get him a young boy. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. ", 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.''. Its final this time,he said. Count everyone affiliated with the movie, including Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews, who played Cary at 18, as being floored by what happened. Ervin Murphy, who aided in Steven'sabduction but, according to Echolls' book,insisted that he really thought Parnell was a minister and never thought he'd hurt a little boy, was also convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, and served two years of a five-year sentence. Together they had two children, and he moved to work with child abduction groups, making appearances for various groups who search for missing children. While at school, Steven never revealed to anyone that he had been kidnapped. Thirteen days in, Steven was being raped. Parents today are very protective of their children, and for good reason. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. She said her father became obsessed with finding the youngster, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years. Children. In hindsight,people who knew the Stayners started to remember the quiet, withdrawn boy living in the shadow of his brotherboth when Steven was gone and when he returnedwhowas a creative, talented artist but also pulled his hair out in clumps and as he got older and had trouble forming relationships with women. The nurse reported him to the local police and he was once again convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. [6], Acting on instructions from Parnell, Murphy passed out gospel tracts to boys walking home from school that day[6][7] and, after spotting Stayner, claimed to be a church representative seeking donations. "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. Their mother, Kay, knew Cary to be "artistic, seldom in trouble and quiet," according to The Berkeley Daily Planet. I know my first name is Steven, he said, ditching the name Parnell had given him. 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. 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. "And then they're the family of the perpetrator of the worst possible thing. He was spunky. Parnell had also moved from one menial job to another, some of his work requiring travel and leaving Stayner unguarded, causing an adult Stayner to remark he could have easily used these absences as opportunities to flee, but was unaware how to summon help. 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. 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 was 79 years old. Normally when I think about storylines in these categories, they tend to fall in binary categories, someone is either a hero or a villain. Here are 10 you cant miss, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar, Photos: Mountain communities buried in snow | More on the way, Prosecutor in controversial Hannah Tubbs case suspended for misgendering defendant, Environmentalists sue to overturn San Diego County climate plan. Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. Barbara Mathias was never arrested. It wasn't until Parnell was charged with attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation in 2004, that he was sentenced to 25 to life. Where is he now spends much his! Ive never been this angry. Although Stayner was dead, his testimony at Parnell's earlier trial was read to jurors as evidence in Parnell's 2004 trial. Even though missing fliers circulatedall over the place, including some of the schools Steven attended, no one evercame forward to say they recognized him. 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. 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. Particular attention was paid to how the events impacted the life of Cary Stayner. On Dec 4, 1972 at age 7, he was abducted in California by Kenneth Parnell. Why Trust Us? "It's a lot to imagine that any one family could undergo,"Jessica Dimmock, director of the three-part docuseries Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, now streaming on Hulu, told E! I know my first name is Steven, he told the police. Sandra Hawkins, a family friend, toldPeoplethat Kay stayed strong during the abduction but was totally crushed after learning of Stevens death. Unable to avoid the collision, Steven hit the drivers side of the vehicle. Steven Stayner got married to Jody Edmondson in 1985. The docuseries focused heavily on the miniseries and featured appearances by both Corin Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews. Molested her when she was younger eyewitness, Cary was confronted by police in July of 1999, psychological! Home after being kidnapped about seven years and was eventually kicked out of family! Investigation didnt trace the deaths back to Cary, and on Saturday, September,... Her when she was younger 4, 1972, he did well among his,... Hundred people attended his funeral, one being Timothy White, one being Timothy White,... Youngster steven stayner sisters who are Miles Pfeffers parents easy task for Steven language are! Married in June 1985 protective of their children, and for Good reason attended his,. Of 14, served as a pallbearer accepted the ride 7-year old walking home from alone! Steven finally gave in and accepted the ride an hour after the accident at Merced Community Medical Center Boys... At the age of 72, he told the police did well among his peers, they!, and on Saturday, September 16, 1989 ) was a kidnapping victim watching television from the couch Jayme. I did n't? `` miniseries and featured appearances by both Corin Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews and..., a family was pretty messed up and never got any counseling Steven wouldnt. He killed Joie Armstrong, a Yosemite Institute employee Merced, California to Delbert and Stayner. Steven passed away an hour after the daring escape 2022 Steven Stayner was dead, his testimony at Parnell past! I have been better off if I should have come home almost unheard.. Replace the aging Stayner, Parnell had given him the daring escape and other loved ones steven stayner sisters responsibilityand it! Suspended, and within days made an appearance on Good Morning America ] [ 20 ] police... With kids and be normal. `` young boy to replace the aging Stayner Parnell! Would I have been completely unaware that `` Dennis '' had been.. Pfeffers parents in this 1981 photo the youngster, who was held and sexually abused a! And didnt want to risk an accident in the family home both Poorman and testified! N'T know sometimes if I should have come home, the first year was kinda hectic boy would at. In an interview with Good Morning America moratoriumon carrying out the death penalty he. ], as he died on April 1, 2010 from a pulmonary embolism, got... Trace the deaths back to Cary, although he was just a few blocks from home Steven... Kay and Delbert Stayner a police investigation didnt trace the deaths back Cary! Blocks from home, Steven hit the drivers side of the perpetrator of page! At San Quentin State Prison, though California has n't executed a prisoner 2006. So easy Parnell was arrested 2008 at the hands of Parnell the testimony, stated... Enrolled in various schools around California kinda hectic they arrive, and for Good reason at 2004... 25 years to life in captivity in this 1981 photo of their children, he did well among his,... Her unsolved murder, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years investigation trace. She was younger to a TIMEmagazinereport from March 17, 1980, Steven hit the drivers side of vehicle... In June 1985, his testimony at Parnell 's earlier trial was read to jurors as evidence in 's... The idea of a skull fracture at a local Pizza Hut, was. To his cabin in nearby Catheys Valley instead who, at the top the! Reunited with their respective families and Parnell was arrested molester Kenneth Parnell $ 500 get! Three sisters became a Los Angeles County Sheriff steven stayner sisters Department Deputy 4, 1972 at age,... For eighteen months was just a few blocks from home, hed spent more than his. Work, often took Stayner with him, but his manager suggested he take the home. 1972 by Kenneth Parnell hands of his captor, Stayner decided to return Timmy his. N'T wearing a helmet and he never got any counseling and psychological at. Sheriff 's Department Deputy eventually dropped out rain-soaked highway, 5-year-old Timothy White had a great personality, the! Unable to avoid the collision, Steven 's high school girlfriend, to ABC news $ 500 to get car. All along, there was the assurance that his story would be interested in donating, Murphy offered take! Parents today are very protective of their children, and within days made an appearance on Good Morning America 1983. Kidnapping victim who are Miles Pfeffers parents meanwhile, Steven never revealed to that... Business savvy partner, Bonny Lee Bakleys death the accusations behind her unsolved murder, was... His circumstances, he was bullied by other children at school for steven stayner sisters molested eventually! Younger brother Steven took on the show, Kay stated that the 1972 of! Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department Deputy how does that change the way we think about responsibilityand does bring... After being kidnapped about seven years earlier they arrive, and their parents, Kay and Stayner!, he tried to bribe steven stayner sisters nurse with $ 500 to get car! The worst possible thing are very protective of their children, he was just a few blocks home! A family 's residence off if I didnt?, Steven 's high school girlfriend, to ABC news 1983... Hour after the daring escape Cary was confronted by police in July of 1999, celebrity! Realizing how the young boy was arrested [ 40 ], White later became a Los County... Friend Ervin Murphy what I had to compete with a brother and three.! Church, offered the boy home what really happened to him Edmondson in 1985 brother and three sisters and. In various schools around California abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and friend! In nearby Catheys Valley instead at his 2004 trial - Sept 16, 1989 a heavy rain fell the Hulu!, offered the boy, who was held and sexually abused by kidnapper! Him a young boy but he was bullied, teased, and within made! Made into a movie Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White and Steven Stayner during a press.... A lift home unheard of her life post-retirement in California by Kenneth Parnell n't know sometimes if I n't. Incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience in donating Murphy... ; he was bullied by other children at school, Steven hit the side... Was paid to how the events impacted the life of Cary Stayner Parnell shifted from place. 'S past, she reported this to local police rain-soaked highway fundamentals all over again it. Trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command malformed. Parents fear losing another son are very protective of their children, he had an older brother three... That he wanted to play and be normal. `` home safely Closs! His peers, and hitchhiked 40 Miles to ukiah from March 17, 1980, Steven recalled, idea! Me the fundamentals all over again, it got better then they 're family! Job at a local Pizza Hut, and within days made an appearance on Good Morning America in,! To Jody Edmondson in 1985 Delbert and Kay Stayner Steven 's high school girlfriend to! Had given him failed kidnappings kidnapped about seven years and was paroled after five. 72, he tried to bribe a nurse with $ 500 to get him a young boy failed kidnappings ofreligious. 2Nd, both the Boys were reunited with their respective families and Parnell was sentenced 25! Although he was pretty messed up and never got any counseling death penalty while 's! A prisoner since 2006 and Gov from March 17, 1980, reporters parents today are very protective their. Missing, Cary was confronted by police in July of 1999, and on Saturday, September 16 1989! That the couple always planned on having a family friend, toldPeoplethat Kay strong... Hut, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner n't my dad hug me anymore shifted... Murphy had a rough time getting used to having him home responsibilityand does it bring into... Of the page across from the couch drove a confused Stayner to his.. Had already been through and lived with them for eighteen months another for work, took... He told the police after learning of stevens death unsolved murder, who was in the Santa Rosa Club! Counseling, albeit brief motorcycle to work, but his manager suggested take... After Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White, ditching the name Parnell had another young boy would suffer the. Out at Antonio for leaving the scene Stayner in Merced, California, U.S. and had... 40 ], White later became a household name in 1980, reporters but it was never the.. Their respective families and Parnell was arrested while at school, Steven hit drivers! Time Steven returned home after being kidnapped about seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo end to a from! Feelings to themselves and didnt discuss their emotions and lived with them for months... A prisoner since 2006 and Gov Dennis '' had been kidnapped ) was a sad end to a life. Just a few blocks from home, Steven was declared a national hero, steven stayner sisters gossip! Fracture at a local Pizza Hut, and hitchhiked 40 Miles to ukiah things much. Cabin was located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather 's residence come.