/founder of A Support Group for Depression and Anxiety where Eat Cereal. After seven years of being kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell who was a child molester, he was able to escape with another victim. (Photo by John Storey/Getty Images) PURCHASE A LICENSE. As of July 2021, Cary Stayner, now 59, is still incarcerated at the notorious San Quentin State Prison, where he sits on Death Row. In late 1989, Steven was riding his new Kawasaki motorcycle home from his job as a pizza delivery man when a car pulled out of the driveway just ahead of him. The driver, Antonio Loera, drove off, leaving Stayner helpless on the rain-soaked highway. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. And for the next 7 years Steven lived publicly as Parnells son and privately as his object of sexual abuse. In addition, they were extremely close. Berry Gordy was the man behind Little Stevie Wonders stage name. Timothy White was abducted from Ukiah, Calif. Victim of a Notorious Kidnapping Timothy White Dead or Alive? He had a pretty sad life.. "[25], Stayner underwent brief counseling but never sought additional treatment. Decades later, Steven's older brother, Cary Stayner, made headlines when he was arrested and convicted of the serial slayings of four females. After courting for a year prior to their wedding in June 1985, the couple tied the knot. [2] In 2002, Cary was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of four women. He is most well-known as an American kidnapping victim on the 4th of December 1972. His parents have a total of five children and they experience tragedy upon tragedy. Although all of Ashley's fame is mainly associated with her father's life, she, however, did not get to spend enough time with him as he died shortly after she was born. He had also just welcomed his first grandchild . At the time of Steve's kidnapping, he was only seven years old in Merced, California, in 1972. Stayner was questioned several times by law enforcement and eventually confessed to the 1999 murders of 42-year-old Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, their 16-year-old family friend . On Dec. 4, 1972, Steven, 7, was walking alone to his family's home in Merced, California, when he was coaxed into the car of convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell, who was posing as a minister. Their case inspired the much-watched 1989 TV movie I Know My First Name Is Steven. Stayner died in a motorcycle crash the same year the movie was released. In Merced, California, on April 18, 1965, Steven Gregory Stayner was brought into the world by his parents, Delbert and Kay Stayner. Here's what happened to Steven, his brother Cary, his kidnapper Parnell, and the small boy he rescued, Timmy White. Lets find out. 'Dennis' was then forced to endure years of sexual assault before being put to work to steal other children. After eight years of torment searching for what happened to Steven, his once tight-knit family particularly brother Cary had begun to unravel. He lived with his abductor 200 miles away in Mendocino County, California until he . When Steven Stayner was 14 years old he managed to escape with one of Parnells victims, Timothy White on March 1st, 1980. Jody Edmondson is better known as the wife of an American kidnapping victim, Steven Stayner. This is the hardest thing she has ever had to face, and she just cant talk to anybody. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter . Hulu's latest true-crime documentary, "Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story ," traces the nearly unbelievable tale of the Stayner family. Steven Stayner's incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime drama Captive Audience.Aged seven, Stayner, a California native, was abducted by child molester Kenneth Parnell. Sadness engulfed the community as people mourned a life blighted with tragedy. He is married with children, and both Steven Jr. and his wife have served in the US Army, according to our information. He confessed when he was taken into the station, confirming he killed Armstrong as well as the three other backpackers earlier that year. His punishment, however, was only for five years. Ive never been this angry. 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. After dating for a year, they married in June 1985. And then. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. At the time, the concept of therapy was taboo, even though Steven had clearly gone through unendurable physical and emotional distress. If you're interested in finding out about Steven's stayner wife today, you've come to the right place. Because of Stevens heroics Timothy did not have the years and years of abuse to recover from that his savior did. Stevens wife was furious when the driver who left her husband to die in the street was punished with a mere 3 months in jail and a $100 fine. [41][42] Nearly five months later, on August 28, 2010, a statue of Stayner and White was dedicated in Applegate Park in Merced. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. A decade after their father passed, four women were brutally murdered in nearby Yosemite. Adam Levine cheat: How many times did Adam Levine cheat on wife? When Kenneth Parnell was finally caught, it was discovered that Steven and Timmy's kidnaps were far from his first attempt at stealing young boys. He was 24 years old. He served only three years for that crime and, at the time he kidnapped Steven Stayner, Parnell was a registered sex offender, Oxygen reports. The 1965-born genuine legend died inopportune at the time of just 24 years of age, which drove Jody to independently bring up their children. Publisher - Celebrity News, Biographies And Social Content. As a result, he received a seven-year sentence, and he served five. A sad tale that just kept getting sadder. By then, he was working with children about keeping safe, worked alongside child-abduction charities, and had made several public speeches about his experience with Parnell. In 1989, a miniseries based on Steven's experience was released by NBC. Steven Stayner with his wife and two children in 1988 Source: Good Housekeeping. Press Esc to cancel. The Mendocino County prosecutors, acting almost entirely alone, decided not to prosecute Parnell for the sexual assaults that occurred in their jurisdiction. Im fine as long as I can see them and hear their voices. However, in September 1989, the family was given a tragic blow when Steven was killed in a car accident on his way home. Even after watching, you're still trying to wrap your head around the utter devastation the Stayner family were put through. But at the same time, they dealt with a lot of disagreements. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [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. Also, their son, Steven Jr., full name: Steven Gregory Stayner, and his wife served in the US Army. The couples divorce later and are currently living differently in their various homes and doing and living their normal lives. He was then forced to flee with Timothy White, another Parnell victim. Cary Stayner. Jody Edmondson has remarried after their divorce. The murder of Armstrong proved to be his undoing, with eyewitnesses near the scene of the crime spotting a blue 1979 International Scout, the same car Cary drove, near the vicinity at the approximate murder time. In 1999, against the wishes of the Stayner family, Echols wrote an additional chapter about Steven's older brother Cary at the request of his publisher, which then re-published the book.[34]. Let's find out. Cary Stayner in 2019 Source: KPIX 5. In the years that followed, Cary was increasingly placed under pressure to look after the family. The trusting boy soon got into a car with the man and another male driver, as they promised to drive him home and talk to his Mom about donating some items. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 22:53 (UTC). On March 1, 1980, when Steven Stayner was only 14 years old, he and another victim of Parnells, Timothy White, were able to flee the house together and get away. On December 4, 1972, Stayner, age 7, was abducted in Merced, California by child molester Kenneth Parnell. After they were unable to locate White's home, they went to a police station. Steven Jr presently resides in the city of Merced in the state of California. 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. Both boys had been victims of kidnapping. He was sentenced to seven years, but was paroled after serving five.[19][20]. Steven, taking a leave of absence from his job, acted as an advisor for Lorimar-Telepictures and had a non-speaking part, playing one of the two policemen who escort 14-year-old Steven (played by Corin Nemec) through the crowds to his waiting family, on his return to his Merced home. 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. Of course, the families of both boys were overjoyed to be reunited with their sons and Steven Stayner was hailed as a hero. He was found guilty of abducting both youngsters in 1981 and sentenced to seven years in state prison. Jody emotionally described how she and Stayner planned to visit their favorite restaurant after he got home. Steven was 20 years old, and Jody was 17 years old. Here are the details of it. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. Jody Edmondson is widely known as the wife of American kidnapping victim late Steven Stayner. In front of the Mormon church. He had begun working as a handyman at a motel in El Portal in the 1990s. It was a sad end to a tragic life,Allen Maxfield, CHP traffic safety officer, said. Jump To Steven Stayner Son: Who Is Steven Stayner Jr? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ghbase.com is a popular news website that publishes content on several personalities around the world. Steven Stayner: Lost, Found, Freed. "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. The 1965-born real-life hero passed away untimely at the age of only twenty-four years old, which led Jody to raise their kids singlehandedly. Steven Jr. was only two years old when his father died, but despite the familys aversion to discussing it, he learnt about his fathers life afterwards. He was the third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at the age of . He currently remains on death row in California. Stayner brought White with him to the police when he fled from Parnell. Accept He was the third child of his parents five children. Parnell was 76 years old at the time of his death. But, as it turns out, this proved to be the beginning of the story. Jody Edmondson has remarried and now lives a private life away from the spotlight in Sheridan, Oregon. The Where is Steven Stayners Daughter Ashley Now? When Steven repeatedly "failed", Parnell roped in a local boy to kidnap Timmy White. He worked as a sheriffs deputy for five years until his life was cut tragically short in April of 2010 when White died of a pulmonary embolism at age 35, according to the New York Times. A decade later, he was arrested for armed robbery. Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Keto Diet Questions And Answers, Big Brother Season 23 Episode 13 Release Date & Spoiler. "[35], Steven's story was also included in the book Against Their Will by Nigel Cawthorne, a compilation of stories of kidnappings.[36]. [] Everything has changed. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Steven Stayner was an American kidnap victim who was abducted at the age of seven from Merced, California by child molester Kenneth Parnell and his accomplice Ervin Edward Murphy. For seven years he was held captive by a man who routinely abused him. [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. He now spends much of his time with his loved ones and is passionate about motorcycles. 42-year-old Carole Sund . Thats not to say Cary hadnt faced his own amount of childhood trauma; when Cary went to live with his uncle Jesse after his brother died, his uncle was promptly murdered by an unknown assailant. They were blessed with two children namely Steven Stayner Jr. and Ashley Stayner. Life in a hellish maximum security prison? Radim Zohorna Height: How Tall Is Radim Zohorna? The two got married in June 1985 after dating for a year. Steven Stayner Jr Mother And Sister. They were blessed with two children namely Steven Stayner Jr. and Ashley Stayner. His parents had him as the third of their five children. He loved his family, his career and boating, especially at Lake Pyramid, the obituary states. 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. Parnell then drove a confused Stayner to his cabin in nearby Catheys Valley instead. Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 - September 17, 1989) was an American kidnap victim. In 1972, 7 year old Steven Stayner was kidnapped on his way home from school. However, when one does happen it captures the publics attention like nothing else. [24] In an interview with Newsweek shortly after his escape, Stayner said, "I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year-old. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The abduction of Timmy proved to be the catalyst Steven needed to break free from the hold Parnell had over him and get him to safety. In fact he was nabbed in a 2004 sting operation in which he was trying to purchase a 4 year old online. Wonder was born on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, as Stevland Hardaway Judkins, the third of five children born to Lula Mae Hardaway and the second of Hardaways two children with Calvin Judkins. At the time, the concept of therapy was frowned upon, and his father insisted that he didnt need any counseling. He is married with children, and both Steven Jr. and his wife have served in the US Army, according to our information. In court, he cried and claimed he, "didn't know why" he did it, declaring his actions "senseless". Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. - Advertisement -. which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. Cary didnt grieve too hard for this though, as he claims the uncle was molesting him. He made some money consulting on a TV film written about his horrifying ordeal and got a reward for rescuing the 5-year . He was the third child out of a total of five children that his parents had. Timothy even forgave his teenage kidnapper, a repentant Sean Poorman who Timothy felt had been manipulated by Parnell. He was one of five siblings having three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Steven Stayner was eventually reunited with his family and hailed as a hero. Where is Steven Stayner wife today? Although pleased with the dramatization, Stayner did complain that it depicted him as a somewhat "obnoxious, rude" person, especially toward his parents, something he refuted while publicizing the miniseries in the spring of 1989. Where is Steven Stayner's wife today? [8], Parnell molested Stayner the first night at the cabin. This amazing statue dedicated to the life & unfortunate passing of #StevenStayner whom I had the great privilege . Parnell shifted from one place to another for work, often took Stayner with him, but later sometimes left him alone and unguarded. By Mike Moran of the Confessional Podcast: Stand up comic/Confessional Podcast/written for Skeptic Magazine, Hard Times, etc. The two were too much in love and they married later. However, tragedy struck them in 2010, when Timmy died of a pulmonary embolism. Child kidnap victim Steven Stayner, now 23, sitting on lawn w. His wife, Jody & young children, Ashley & Steven Jr. [38] Timmy White, then a grown man, was subpoenaed to testify in Parnell's criminal trial. 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. And then one night, on his way home from work, a helmet-less Steven was killed in a hit and run accident on his motorcycle. Rape Crisis Scotlands helpline number is 08088 01 03 02. Parnell created a new identity for Stayner, giving him the new name, Denis Gregory Parnell, but retained his original middle name and his original date of birth. Hawkins said: She was the one who stayed so strong and calm and collected through that seven-year-ordeal. During this time, he had grown very fond of his pet dog Queenie, a Manchester Terrier. Photo: AP. He eventually lived with his uncle Jesse, whom he claims molested him. Thankfully he stayed in prison this time, until his death a few years later. Steven Stayner Wife: Where is Steven Stayner Wife? On Dec 4, 1972 at age 7, he was abducted in California by Kenneth . In 1985, he married Jody Edmondson and together they had two children daughter Ashley and son Steven Jr and he started working at a pizza shop in Merced, California. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. [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. The abductor abused Steven and planned to use the boy to abduct more victims. Steven Stayner was an American kidnap victim who was abducted at the age of seven from Merced. Steven Stayner Kidnapping Story: Where Is Kidnapper Kenneth Parnell Now? a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Steven passed away an hour after the accident at Merced Community Medical Center. Tom Sandoval Wife: Who Is Tom Sandoval Wife? In court, the defence pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but failed. Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including sexual assault on minors that some readers may find upsetting. 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.