Parents with children concerned Steven Powell will move into their motel

TACOMA, Wash. — After seeing KIRO 7’s report on Steven Powell’s release, a Tacoma mother reached out to state her concern over the sex offender’s intent to move into the same motel where she lives with her two daughters.

Heather Daniels said she will contact authorities on Monday to let them know there are children at the location Powell may move to.

“His crime was against little girls, and that’s definitely a concern for myself and my kids,” Daniels said.

Powell served time for recording video of 8 and 10-year-old girls bathing and using the toilet, all from inside his Puyallap home.

Powell is also the father-in-law of missing Puyallap woman Susan Cox Powell. After her disappearance, her husband, Josh Powell, killed himself and his two children.

Having seen these events play out in the news, Daniels said she showed Steven Powell’s picture to her 14 and 7-year-old daughters.

“I just explained to them what he went to prison for. We’re not going to harass him or bother him, but they’re aware that he’s there, or going to be there,” she said.

The manager of the Tacoma Center Motel in the 1200 block of Puyallap Avenue would not comment and asked KIRO 7 to leave the property.

Down the block, bartender Tom Webber said he would not like Powell living there.

“If he comes in here, I’ll probably punch him in the nose,” Webber said.

Webber also suspects Powell of somehow being connected to his son’s actions and to the disappearance of his daughter-in-law, but Powell was never charged with other crimes.

He has only been convicted of voyeurism, which is enough for parents like Daniels.

“I’m glad I’ll know where he’s at. I just wish it was a little farther away from us,” she said.

KIRO