Sylvia Likens, whose photo is presented below, was born in 1949, on January 3rd in Indianapolis. This girl died at 16 after prolonged torture.
Circumstances
The girl’s parents left her in the care of Gertrude Baniszewski, who received $ 20 a week for this work. Sylvia Likens was brutalized by the housewife and her children. Three months later, she died from malnutrition, brain hemorrhage and shock. The murder of Sylvia Likens received wide resonance in America. It was called the worst of all crimes against a person in the history of Indiana.
short biography
Sylvia Likens became the third child in the family. Besides her, there were 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Jenny's younger sister suffered polio at 4 months, and therefore she was practically unable to move around herself. Sylvia provided care for her. When she grew up a bit, she began to earn money as a washerwoman and nanny. The relationship between the Likens parents was quite tense. Sylvia and other children grew up in an unfavorable atmosphere. Father and mother were constantly traveling; there was not enough money all the time. For 16 years, the family has changed at least 14 addresses. Children constantly stayed with one, then with other relatives.
The Beginning of Life at the Baniszewski House
The girl's father asked Gertrude to look after her and Jenny's sister after their mother, Betty Likens, was convicted. Sylvia was first friends with Paula - one of Gertrude’s daughters. In total, Baniszewski had 7 children. Sylvia's father, leaving her with her sister, did not attach importance to the fact that the family in which they would live was on the verge of poverty. The house lacked the simplest amenities, there was no stove. The number of cutlery was limited to three spoons.
Torture
During the first week, Sylvia was not infringed on anything. She, like the other children of Baniszewski, went to church, attended one school with Paula and Stephanie, watched TV with them in the evenings. Problems started in the second week when Father Likens did not send payment. Gertrude then created a scandal. From that moment, despite the fact that the promised $ 20 came the next day, she began to accuse the Lycens sisters of misconduct. Sylvia, trying to stop this, spoke about Paula's pregnancy. The latter was afraid to tell her mother about it. However, Paula trusted Sylvia. Gertrude, in turn, did not believe the girl and beat her. After a while, Baniszewski began to encourage neighboring children when they beat Likens. Sylvia was friendly with 13-year-old Anna Sisko, until the latter found out that her friend said that her mother - Nelly - was a prostitute. This was informed to her by Baniszewski. Then Anna also beat Sylvia. This went on long enough. Sylvia’s beating was attended not only by Baniszewski’s own children, but also by neighboring teens. During another incident, Gertrude demanded that her sister Jenny beat her.
The murder of Sylvia Lykens
Soon, Baniszewski began to beat the girl under various false pretexts, pour hot water on her, put out cigarettes on her body. Then Gertrude forbade Sylvia to attend school and did not allow her to leave the house. The girl’s kidneys were damaged, and she began to walk by herself. Then Gertrude closed her in the basement, forbidding the use of the toilet. Sylvia Likens did not receive normal food. Soon she was forced to use her urine and feces. Shortly before her death, Gertrude burned the phrase "I am a prostitute and am proud of it" with a red-hot needle. She did this with her neighbor teenager Hobbs. He subsequently, along with ten-year-old daughter Banishevsky Cheryl, burned the number 3 on Sylvia’s chest. An examination revealed that a glass bottle of Coca-Cola was inserted at least twice in the girl’s vagina.
Police arrival
A few days before her death, Sylvia tried to escape when she heard that Baniszewski wants to leave her in the forest. But the attempt to leave the house failed - she was caught at the door. In punishment, she was tied up and thrown into the basement. As food, Sylvia received only crackers. On October 26, 1965, she died. When Hobbs and Stephanie Banishevsky's daughter realized that the girl was not breathing, they tried to give her artificial respiration. But it was too late. Then Stephanie sent Hobbs to the phone to call the police. When she arrived, Gertrude handed them a letter from Sylvia addressed to her parents. The message was written by the girl herself under pressure from Baniszewski. But before the police had time to read to the end, Jenny came up to them and said that she would tell them everything if they took her from there.
Court
Throughout the process, Gertrude Baniszewski denied her guilt in the death of Likens, did not admit her responsibility due to her own insanity. She said that she was very tired of depression and poor health, so she could not keep an eye on the children. But the lawyers for the teenagers involved in the beatings and torture insisted that the behavior of their clients was influenced by Gertrude. On May 19, 1966, Baniszewski was found guilty of first-degree murder. But the earlier death penalty was replaced by life imprisonment. Gertrude Paul's daughter was prosecuted for the murder of the 2nd degree. She also received a life sentence. But in 1971, Paula appealed. At a new trial, she pleaded guilty to causing a reckless death, then was released and received new documents.