In March 1951, Parnell was arrested for raping a young boy and impersonating a police officer; he was sentenced to four years in prison. But seven years later, he returned home to his family. 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. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. 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. Sartell testified about the toll that the 1972 kidnapping of younger brother Steven took on the family. Jurors in August found him guilty of the murders. When Steven Stayner returned home after being kidnapped for seven years in 1980, he became a household name. But adding children to the equation seemed to only make their relationship worse. In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. 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. Sadness engulfed the community as people mourned a life blighted with tragedy. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell eventually convinced Stayner that his parents relinquished their rights and that he was granted full legal custody. In 1972, a Young Boy Was Kidnapped and Abused for 7 Years Before Escaping Where Is His Torturer Now? As Steven got older and entered puberty, Parnell's sexual interest in Stayner waned and Parnell sought a new boy to "build his family". In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. 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. They had very few memories of their father and learned about his life the way most people did: through the media. Steven eventually escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Steven died nine years after he returned home. 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. Steven Stayner Death: How Carys Stayners Brother Died, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Theres so much hate right now.. On the other hand, Kay still lives in California, rarely speaks out about either of her sons publicly, and prefers to go by her day-to-day life away from the limelight. He grew up alongside his siblings named; Cynthia Sartell, Cory Stayner, and Cary Stayner. Prior to his kidnapping of Stayner, The Famous People reports Parnell had at least two criminal convictions, including armed robbery and the sexual abuse of a young boy. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. A Fictionalized Telling of 'The Staircase' Is Coming to HBO Max With More Than One Big Name Attached, The Sound of Pam Hupp Slurping a Soft Drink Is Actually in the Score of 'The Thing About Pam'. Wellman said Parnell "was looking for one last hurrah. He said, They dont go out unless I go with them or theres someone outside watching. Stayner and Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Opinion: Why my Taiwanese American identity has become more complicated, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Man found guilty of murdering teens who ding-dong-ditched his house. Surrounded by endless complainers? On March 1, 1980, two weeks after Timothy White was abducted, as Parnell went on duty at his night security job, Steven Stayner left the house with Timmy and hitchhiked a ride to Ukiah. I feel divinely guided when Im inspired by a project and I really felt a presence on this onesaid Hidden Valley Lake sculptor Paula Slater of the statue she was commissioned to create forthe Steven Stayner and Missing Childrens Memorial in Merced. 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. However, they ran out of time. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. 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. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. Refocus, and listen as we honor the memory of Steven Stayner, a boy kidnapped in his youth, only to tragically die shortly after escaping captivity. 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. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. He also became a sheriffs deputy in Newhall in Los Angeles County in 2005, Mercury News reported in 2010. Parnell shifted from one place to another for work, often took Stayner with him, but later sometimes left him alone and unguarded. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. "When Steven came home, Cary was kind of put on the back shelf. Not only was it a miracle, but during his escape, he had also rescued another 5-year-old boy who had been kidnapped. 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. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. The second man, who was later identified as Kenneth Parnell, offered to give Murphy and Stayner a ride. On September 17, 1989, he succumbed to head injuries after being involved in a car accident while returning home from work in his motorcycle. According to ABC News, Parnell stopped to make a call from a payphone shortly after Murphy and Steven Stayner got into his car. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? 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. Parnell was convicted on February 9, 2004, on the charges of attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation, even though no child had been targeted. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He is now 59 and on death row in San Quentin State Prison, according to his prison records. However, his brother Cary also suffered throughout the entire ordeal. This is the hardest thing she has ever had to face, and she just cant talk to anybody. In addition to her fathers unwanted advances, one of Stayners sisters said that Cary started peeping on her and inappropriately touching her when she was ten. The prosecution successfully argued that sexual aids and pornography found in the apartment, along with Stevens' own testimony, were enough to prove that Parnell's intentions were criminal in nature. Steven Stayner's grave./Steven Stayner. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. Find a Grave Over the next few years, he had some trouble adjustingto living with his family. White became a Los AngelesCounty sheriffs deputy. 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. For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for molesting an 8-year-old boy in Bakersfield, California in 1952 when he kidnapped Stayner, SF Gate reported in 2008. Steven Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. A few years later, Steven got married and had two childrenbut at 24, having already been robbed of his childhood, Steven was robbed of his life when a hit-and-run driver killed him while he was riding his motorcycle home. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to pick . However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) [2] In 2002, Cary was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of four women. [3] Parnell was raised mostly without his father, who abandoned the family when Parnell was six. It was the first day in the 2 1/2-month trial that any members of Stayners immediate family have shown up. 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. He died in his home, according to his obituary which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. Stayner's account of his time with Parnell formed the basis of a 1991 book by Mike Echols. Steven, then nearly 15, bravely managed to escape with Timothy to a local police station, from which both boys were returned home. But what about the fellow kidnapping victim that the hero brother rescued? After all, the latter helped a 5-year-old child escape a pedophile as a teenager after enduring years of abuse. Thankfully, they were unable to follow through with the kidnapping attempt. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. [8], More than a decade after the sodomy case, Parnell was convicted of armed robbery in Utah. Fortunately, the police spotted him as well and detained both of them, following which he revealed his identity and narrated his own story. He barely knew his parents, and his parents scarcely knew the teenager whod returned home. Therefore, Kay swore to raise her children that same way, without an ounce of sentimental touch or warmth, which Delbert seemed to agree with. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had enduredand the two escaped. The fact that Stayners brother was kidnapped by a pedophile and abused for seven years adds an almost unfathomable dimension to the tragedy that enveloped this family. I heard stories about him going out and wishing on a star, that his brother would come home.. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Despite the severe trauma that he dealt with when he lived with his kidnapper, Steven made a life for himself, marrying and having children. Cary Stayner is not just a convicted killer and rapist, but hes also the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. She added, He was very proud of who he was. Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. Mike Echols, who wrote the manuscript for the series, later published a book with the same title in 1991. He died in his home, according to. When Stayner was seven, he was kidnapped in Merced, California, by Kenneth Parnell who was a child molester. However, little did she know that her uncle was the murderer. Sean Poorman, Stayner's schoolfriend who abetted Parnell in the White kidnapping, was sentenced to a term in a juvenile work camp. In 1980, the same man kidnapped another child, 5 year old Timothy White. He sure led a rough life, California Highway Patrol Sgt. The sudden death of Steven meant Jody was widowed at 20 years old and had to take care of Ashley and Steven Jr. 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. As reported by ABC News, Lori Duke, who went to school with Stayner, but knew him as Dennis Parnell, said, "He had a great personality. Kay and Delbert Stayner married in 1960 and had five children together. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. He was held hostage by Kenneth Parnell 38 . 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. September 17, 1989. Ashley Stayner Husband, Is She Married? [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. Both Kay and her husband confessed that they were not the best parents even when Steven returned feelings were still never discussed. [8] Parnell denied in that same interview having been sexually abused himself, although Mike Echols' book I Know My First Name Is Steven states that he was indeed molested at the age of 13 by a boarder in a rooming house that his mother owned in Bakersfield. 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. Instead, he tried to make the best of it. 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. Her battle with dementia explained, How did Dr. Charles Stanley die? So, of course, we can not help but wonder more about their family, particularly their parents. Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. If theyre just out on the porch, the door is always open. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of Steven Stayner, but he was an active child sex predator long before that 1972 abduction. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work when a car suddenly pulled out of a driveway onto the highway. Star Original Captive Audience - A Real American Horror Story aired on Hulu with all 3 episodes available immediately on the release date of April 21, 2022. In 1989, Steven was killed in a motorcycle accident, leaving behind a wife and two young children. 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". He spent more than seven years in captivity, routinely abused byPurnell. Today, Ashley is a mom to a young daughter. 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. But things began to change when he met Jody Edmondson. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. Cary was the ideal son, Kay Stayner revealed to the jury during her elder sons trial for murder. 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? He also began manipulating the boy into believing his parents did not want him anymore, as they could not afford to financially support him. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. Cary Staynar tried to protect his younger brother and looked out for him, according to ABC News. READ NEXT: Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021? Steven was kidnapped walking home from school in 1972 by Kenneth Purnell and told his parents no longer wanted him. My son is very sick right now, the familys patriarch said while sobbing. Over the next few years, the couple had Ashley and Steven Jr, born a year apart. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. Mathias also helped Parnell in the abduction of another boy who was in the Santa Rosa Boys' Club with Stayner, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Steven Stayner died when his children were very young. This memorial reminds families and friends of other missing children that their loved one may someday return. Furthermore, according to Steven Jr.'s Facebook page, he currently resides in Merced, Cali. But before we get into that, lets get to know Stevens two kids: Ashley and Steven Stayner Jr., who are both featured in the documentary. 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. [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. 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. Dwarfed by his tall andlanky frame, Timmy takes his hand to set out on the dark road from the remote home where thechildren were being held. 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. Then in 1980, as Stayner matured, Parnell kidnapped a younger boy, 5-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White, Following his rescue, White went on to bravely testify at his kidnappers trial when he was just 6 years old, the, White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. Steven, wearing no helmet and riding with an invalid license, suffered severe head injuries. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to. Years after Timmy White was rescued by fellow kidnapping survivor Steven Stayner, he became a sheriff's deputy. Steven Stayner's parents were left with many questions when their 7-year-old son vanished into thin air in 1972. At the age of seven, Steven Stayner was kidnapped on the afternoon of December 4, 1972 by Kenneth Parnell, who had previously been convicted for sodomizing a young boy and for armed robbery in Utah. 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. Steven Stayner captured the heart of a nation when he helped another child escape from a pedophile, after enduring years of abuse and not wanting to see the child experience the same fate. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Of course Cynthia Sartell knew him; he was her older sibling. [16][17] According to prison officials, Parnell died of natural causes. However, he was convicted in Utah and was not known as a criminal in California. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner went to school and never came home. But in 1980, the Stayners' prayers were answered when Steven returned home after a seven-year disappearance. [9] Weeks afterward, Stayner escaped Parnell's house with White; he later said he did not want the boy to suffer the abuse that he had endured. Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. 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. However, as we all know, that turned when pedophile Kenneth Parnell abducted Steven in 1972, and the Stayners allegedly began to neglect their children. 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. 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. By that time, Cary Stayner was already having grotesque fantasies, the agent wrote. Del is devastated too. A report from 2007 placed her in Montana, but beyond that, not much else is known about Jody. According to the psychiatrists report, Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, was ordered into therapy for molesting his own daughters. See what Ashley and Steven Jr. Stayner have to say about their father and uncle in Captive Audience, which is now streaming on Hulu. The family avoided watching the 10 p.m. news, and any mention of Steven on TV would make their father cry. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. [3] Kidnapping [ edit] However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. 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! Stayner had been driving his new Kawaksaki motorcycle when the driver pulled out in front of him on a rain-soaked highway. White also died an untimely death earlier this year at the age of 35. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. Under the belief that Parnell has been given legal custody of him, and that his family has moved away, he stays with Parnell for seven years, enduring repetitive sexual abuse the entire time. According to Crime Investigation, the boys hitchhiked more than 40 miles to reach Ukiah, California, where White was abducted from. Steven Stayner led a short and tragic life. The kidnapping had a deep impact on Cary Stayner, his childhood friend, Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. Kenneth Eugene Parnell was born in Amarillo, Texas[1][2] to Cecil Frederick and Mary Olive (ne Pollard) Parnell, during the region's dust bowl era during the Great Depression. He didnt whine about lousy breaks. After Steven made the miraculous escape and returned home to his parents in Merced, California, he was the center of media attention. 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. But in 1985, when he was 20, he married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson, and they had two children, Ashley and Steven Jr. . Timothy White became a Los Angeles Sheriffs deputy, and in 2010 died of a pulmonary embolism, also leaving behind a wife and two young children. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. 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. As per her testimony during Carys 2002 trial, she was raised to keep her emotions to herself by her father, who insisted that she would otherwise seem crazy like her mother.
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