Episode 209: Horror and Heroism

Not Today

True Crime, Society & Culture, Comedy

4.4 • 933 Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2024

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Steven Stayner was abducted at the age of 7 in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell, who held him captive for seven years. Steven eventually escaped in 1980 at the age of 14 and in a courageous act, he also rescued another kidnapped child, Timothy White. His remarkable survival story immediately became a national sensation. However Steven’s story is linked to his older brother, Cary Stayner, who later gained infamy for committing a series of murders in the 1990s.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, I'm Steph, and this is not today.
0:19.9	Hello and welcome. Today I've got a massive story for you that is full of unexpected turns.
0:26.6	It's a very dark and unique story that shows some of the worst sides of humanity, but also some of the best.
0:32.6	Before we get started, I did want to give a quick trigger warning. The story does involve sexual abuse.
0:38.4	But with that being said, this is a long one, so I figure we'd just buckle up and jump right in.
0:44.0	Stephen Gregory Stainer was born on April 18, 1965, in Merced, California, to his parents, Kay and Delbert, or Del, as we're going to call him.
0:55.7	He had two younger sisters,
1:01.5	Jody and Corey, an older sister named Cindy, and an older brother named Carrie. Stephen spent his early childhood in the family's ranch home on a 20-acre property near Snelling, California.
1:07.4	The property was an almond grove. They had farm animals and the family was generally happy there.
1:12.5	Stephen loved it since there was a lot of room to run around and plenty to do.
1:16.9	The stainers were a Mormon family and religion was a big part of their lives. And actually
1:21.6	the kids didn't mind going to church. The family would drive 20 miles to the nearest Mormon church
1:27.1	twice a week. But growing up,
1:29.5	Stephen's favorite thing to do was hanging out with his father, Del. From when Del would go out to work
1:34.1	on the ranch in the morning to when he sat down on the couch to unwind at night, Stephen would
1:38.3	follow his father around like a little puppy. They were best friends, and he was like his little
1:42.9	shadow. The two also enjoyed going on hunting and fishing trips together. They were best friends, and he was like his little shadow. The two also enjoyed going on hunting
1:45.6	and fishing trips together. They had a dog named Daisy. She was a collie, and Stephen loved running
1:50.8	around the orchard with her as well. He was a very happy, friendly kid who got along well with
1:55.9	others. He was eager to help out around the farm, and he was very polite, although a little bit shy.
2:01.7	In 1971, the family had to sell their ranch and move to Merced, which is a small city in
2:07.3	California near Yosemite National Park. It's known as the gateway to Yosemite. The move was pretty
	...

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