Steven Stayner

Steven Gregory Stayner was an American kidnapping victim abducted at age 7 in Merced, California, in 1972 and held by Kenneth Parnell for more than seven years.

Steven Gregory Stayner was an American child who was abducted at age seven in Merced, California, in 1972 and held by Kenneth Parnell for more than seven years. He escaped in 1980 with another child victim, Timothy White, and later became the subject of books and television films about his ordeal.

Early life and abduction

Steven Stayner was born on April 18, 1965, and lived in Merced, California. On December 4, 1972, while walking home, he was abducted by Kenneth Parnell. Parnell held him for more than seven years, moving him between locations in California.

Captivity and escape

In 1980, after Parnell kidnapped another boy, five-year-old Timothy White, Stayner escaped with him and alerted police. Both were returned to their families.

Aftermath and public attention

Stayner's case became widely known in the United States and was described in books and television adaptations, including the film I Know My First Name Is Steven. The case helped prompt legal attention to child kidnapping sentencing in California.

Death and legacy

Steven Stayner died in a motorcycle accident on September 16, 1989, at age 24. He is remembered primarily for surviving one of the best-known child kidnapping cases in the United States.