MovieChat Forums > I Know My First Name Is Steven (1989) Discussion > The Stayner Family

The Stayner Family

posted 19 years ago by lilxpeppie
10 replies | jump to latest

After watching the movie that's all I can think about. Steven Stayner's case and what he went though. That's so horrible. And now I find out that his brother is a killer? How can one family take so much pain?

[–] lilant 19 years ago

Where is his sisters?

[–] sshock419 19 years ago

I saw their pictures on a news website. It was of all of them standing outside the courthouse where Cary Stayner was on trial for the Yosemite murders. It didn't go into detail about their lives, in fact almost all stories on the Stayner family only covers the parents. I think that it is safe to assume that they probably just want to be left alone to their privacy. It cannot be easy being a member of that family.

[–] lilant 19 years ago

You right about that.

[–] taylorje 18 years ago

The Stayners were a troubled, dysfunctional family well before Steven's kidnapping. The children were physically punished and a postman reported later that he had frequently heard "a lot of yelling and screaming" coming from the Stayner home. Also, when Steven came back after the kidnapping, although he had been sexually molested by Parnell for years, he never received counseling for this or any kind of help. His family just ignored it.

[–] stevenackerman69 17 years ago

It is amazing that they were able to stay together, although Del and Kay separated at first they did get back together. I guess even if you are great parents, it is just a crapshoot on how your kids turn out. But remember this, at the time of Steven's kidnapping, parents didn't really prepare their kids not to talk to strangers or get in cars with strangers, probably because at the time it wasn't taken seriously. It really wasn't until the 80's that that changed with Adam Walsh and John's crusade.

[–] tkranjc 16 years ago

Well you guess wrong, if you are great parent your kids will turn out just fine.

[–] stevenackerman69 16 years ago

You can never tell. Sometimes you can be a great parent and your kids get involved in the wrong crowd. It is a crapshoot.

[–] cataclysm1071 17 years ago

I got the feeling that the family was not as loving and attentive to Steven (after he returned home) as the movie portrayed. TV tends to sugar coat situations.

[–] texasturkey 16 years ago

I read the book, saw the movie and reserched it on the internet. Steven's family welcomed him home after 7 years with open arms. But, their problems were just beginning. Especially with this father. No, the TV movie did not sugar coat that. Steven had little supervision and no stability for 7 years. He no longer fit in with his family. He dropped out of high school and moved into a trailer. He got his girlfriend pregnant and married her. They had 2 daughters.

The Stayners were a typical 70's family. But, like you said "dysfunctional". 95% of families then were. Kay and Dale used physical discipline on the children. Particularly Kay, who paddled them frequently. Mothers in the 70's did that. Now, 30-40 years later, it is called "child abuse". The Stayners never talked to Steven about talking to strangers or walking home from school alone. This all happened alog time ago, before Child Safety Awareness and Prevention.

[–] kitsmeow 16 years ago

Steven Stayner had a Daughter (Ashley) and a Son (Steven II).