In October 1965, police in the US state of Indiana were called to a house to rescue a girl who had allegedly been attacked by a gang and was close to dying. But what police discovered was a teenager who had been severely abused for months. The victim, Sylvia Marie Likens, had been beaten, starved, and burned with cigarettes. The words “I’m a prostitute” had been carved into her stomach.

Police discovered that the torture had not been inflicted by just one person — Likens’ ‘caretaker’ Gertrude Baniszewski was identified as the prime accused, but she had been aided in her brutality by her children, some as young as 10, as well as a few youngsters from their neighbourhood, according to a report by Indiana-based Indianapolis Star (also known as IndyStar). 

In this week’s ‘Shocking Crimes’, ABPLive details the horrific ordeal suffered by Likens, who had been left in ‘Torture Mother’ Gertrude’s care by her parents, both of whom worked at carnivals, while they travelled for work. Likens died on October 26, 1965. 

Sylvia Marie Likens And ‘The Torture Mother’

According to the IndyStar, Sylvia Likens came from a large, struggling family. Her father, Lester Likens, had only completed the eighth grade and worked various jobs to support his family, including selling food at carnivals. When he and his wife Betty decided to return to the carnival circuit in 1965, they left Sylvia and her sister Jenny, who suffered from polio, with Gertrude.

Of their other children, the eldest, Diana, was married, while their two sons, Danny and Bennie, lived with their grandparents. 

The boarding agreement with Gertrude, whom the Likenses had met through a mutual friend, was that Lester and Betty would pay her $20/week for taking care of the two girls

According to Murderpedia (an online encyclopaedic resource on murderers and serial killers), when Sylvia and Jenny’s parents left them at the Baniszewski home in July 1965, they did not inspect the premises. The home reportedly had no stove or microwave; there were only enough beds for half the people in the house; the only things Gertrude kept in her pantry were bread and crackers; most of the surfaces in the home were caked with thick layers of dirt; and there only enough plates and eating utensils for 3 people.

As per the report in IndyStar, at the time, Gertrude was already caring for seven of her children born of two fathers: Paula, 17; John, 12; Stephanie, 15; Marie, 11; Shirley, 10; and James and Dennis, 18 months. 

The Torture Begins

From the initial stages, there was reportedly a rift between Sylvia and Paula. Some reports suggest Paula and Gertrude bore some resentment towards Sylvia for her striking appearance.

Then, this one week, the money order from Sylvia's parents didn’t arrive when Gertrude expected it, leading her to take Sylvia and Jenny upstairs and slap them, saying, “I took care of you two b****** for a week for nothing.” The money arrived the following day, but the situation had already deteriorated.

Weak and underweight, Gertrude relied on two items for punishment: a fraternity-style paddle and a thick leather belt left behind by her ex-husband, John Baniszewski, who was an Indianapolis police officer, the IndyStar reported.

She began using the paddle on Sylvia and Jenny for minor infringements, like exchanging soda bottles for spare change. When Gertrude suspected Sylvia of theft, she burned her fingers with matches. When her asthma left her too weak to discipline the girls, Paula stepped in to help.

Children from the neighbourhood also began gathering at the house to take part in the abuse. They practiced judo on Sylvia, throwing her against walls, and kicking as well as beating her. Some of them extinguished cigarettes on her skin. In one particularly horrifying incident, Sylvia was forced to undress in front of Gertrude and several teenagers and put a Coke bottle into her vagina.

Following the beatings, Sylvia was subjected to scalding hot baths as part of a “cleansing ritual”. 

In her final days, Sylvia was thrown into the basement and locked in with only crackers for food — she was also denied access to a toilet. Gertrude declared to her children that Sylvia was a “prostitute”. Later, she took a large needle and began to etch the words “I’m a prostitute and proud of it!” into Sylvia’s stomach. In the end, Richard Hobbs, a neighbourhood boy, finished the etching, the IndyStar reported.

When Gertrude realised Sylvia was close to death, she forced her to write a note claiming a gang of boys had attacked her. The plan was to abandon her in the woods with the note. Sylvia tried to escape, but Gertrude and one of the boys stopped her, beat her again, and threw her back into the basement.

When Sylvia Likens died on October 26, 1965, it was attributed to brain swelling, internal brain hemorrhaging, and shock caused by severe damage to her skin. Additionally, she was found to be severely malnourished. 

Trial 

At her trial the following year, Gertrude Baniszewski denied any involvement in the torture, claiming the children were responsible. She entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. On May 19, 1966, a jury convicted Gertrude Baniszewski of first-degree murder, while her daughter Paula Baniszewski was found guilty of second-degree murder. Richard Hobbs, Baniszewski’s son John, and another neighbourhood boy, Coy Hubbard, were convicted of manslaughter. Gertrude and Paula received life sentences at the Indiana Women’s Prison in Indianapolis, while the boys were sentenced to two-to-21-year terms at the Indiana State Reformatory in Pendleton.

In 1971, the Indiana Supreme Court granted Gertrude and Paula a new trial on the grounds of a “prejudicial atmosphere”. Gertrude was re-convicted of first-degree murder on August 5, 1971. Paula pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and served about two years. The three boys were paroled in 1968 after serving about two years each.

In December 1985, Gertrude was released on parole, changed her name to Nadine Van Fossan, and moved to Iowa, where she lived in obscurity until her death from lung cancer on June 16, 1990. Paula also moved to Iowa, where she married and settled on a farm.

John became a minister in Texas, where he counselled children of divorced parents. Hobbs died of cancer at 21, four years after his release. Hubbard faced various legal issues over the years. Lester and Betty Likens eventually divorced. Jenny Likens Wade died in 2004 at age 54, the IndyStar reported.