2023
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A TV mini series that explores the life of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped by a cult leader as a child and escaped 7 years later. The series also features his family's story and the connection to another kidnapping case in Yosemite.
- (2.6K)
- 2022-04-21
- Documentary, Biography, Crime
- 46
Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story is a 2022 three-part true crime docuseries directed by Jessica Dimmock and executive produced by The Russo brothers, which premiered on Hulu April 21, about the 1972 kidnapping and eventual 1980 return of Steven Stayner and the impact it had on the Stayner family (especially older ...
Learn the meaning of captive audience, a group of people who listen to or watch someone or something because they cannot leave. See how to use this phrase in different contexts and find synonyms and translations.
- Steven Stayner's Abduction
- A Hero Is Born
- Steven's Final Years
- Cary Stayner Taints The Family's Legacy
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
On Dec. 4, 1972, the Stayner family's low profile permanently changed when 7-year-old Steven Stayner, the middle child, was abducted walking home from school. He was given a new identity — Dennis Parnell — and for seven years endured sexual abuse at the hands of his captor. During that time, Delbert and Kay struggled to move on without answers abou...
An investigation into Steven's reappearance uncovered that he was motivated to plan an escape after his captor abducted Timmy. He was reportedly troubled by Timmy's distress and unwilling to watch an innocent young boy undergo the same abuse he suffered. One night, he and Timmy snuck out while their abductor was working and they hitchhiked to Ukiah...
Amid the mayhem, Steven learned to live with the publicity, for better or worse. By 19, he had wed Jody Edmondson — a girl whom he met at the butcher shop where he worked — and started a family. Soon, the couple had two children: Ashley and Steven Jr., both of whom weigh in throughout the docuseries. "He was a good dad, he was a good family man," J...
Following Steven's death, the Stayners began to fade out of the news — but then, "terrible things start all up again," Cory says. In 1999, three tourists vanished in Yosemite National Park. Much like Steven's, their disappearance shocked the nation and dominated headlines as investigators frantically searched for them. Soon after, two of the women'...
The docuseries revisits the traumatic events that captivated a nation for 30 years, from Steven Stayner's abduction and escape to his brother's serial killing spree. It explores how the family coped with the spotlight, the media attention and the aftermath of the crimes.
- Kyler Alvord
- 2 min
A documentary series about a missing child case that became a media sensation in 1972. Watch the full season online with a free trial or a subscription plan.
In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner mysteriously vanished on his way home from school. Nearly a decade later, his dramatic return to his family sparked ’80s-e...
- 2 min
- 313.9K
- Hulu
Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story In 1972, seven-year-old Steven vanishes from Merced, California. When he heroically returns 7 years later, the media can’t get enough of the story.
