Gertrude Baniszewski - the torture of Sylvia Likens
In July 1965, Sylvia and Jenny Likens’ parents dropped them off with Gertrude, who agreed to watch the teenage girls while the parents went to work out of state. She was to receive $20 per week from the parents.
The first time she beat the girls was when the $20 did not arrive on time. They were beaten again when Gertrude accused them of stealing candy. Within a month, not only was Gertrude verbally and physically abusing Sylvia, but she had her own children participating in the abuse. Gertrude often called Sylvia a prostitute. After the Likens’ sisters apparently accused Gertrude’s daughter, Stephanie, of being a prostitute, Stephanie came home with her boyfriend and his friends, and they all beat Sylvia. Jenny was also forced to hit her sister. Neighbourhood children would also come in and participate in beating Sylvia.
After Sylvia was incontinent on one occasion, Gertrude locked her in the basement, where she would “cleanse” her with scalding water and salt. She was usually naked and starved. Gertrude and her 12-year old son forced Syliva to eat feces.
Jenny makes contact with another older sister., Diana. She writes to her and tells her what is going on, but Diana does not believe her. Diana does come to visit the girls, but Gertrude will not let her in the house. Diana waited outside until Jenny came out, but Jenny told her she couldn’t talk to her. Diane went to social services, but when a worker went to the house, Gertrude told them she had kicked Sylvia out because she was a filthy prostitute. Jenny was told that if she did not lie to the social worker, she would get the same treatment as Sylvia.
It all ended in October, when Gertrude instructed some of the kids to bring Sylvia upstairs and tie her to a bed. The next morning, when Gertrude saw that Sylvia had wet the bed, she raped her with a Coke bottle, and then carved “I’m a prostitute and proud of it” into her abdomen with a hot sewing needle.The next day, Gertrude dictated a letter for Sylvia to write, to make it look like she had run away but Sylvia did not finish the letter. Sylvia then overheard Gertrude telling the kids about a plan to dump Sylvia - in the dump - and let her die. Sylvia tried to run, but she was caught and thrown back in the basement. The next day, Gertrude unsuccessfully tried to bludgeon Sylvia - only succeeding in injuring herself. Stephanie’s boyfriend went in the basement and beat Sylvia with a broomstick until she was unconscious. Apparently, the next day, Stephanie and her boyfriend brought Sylvia upstairs for a bath, and when they took her out of the bath and put her on the bed, she was not breathing.
The police were called. When they arrived, Gertrude tried to show them the note that she had forced Sylvia to start writing, but Jenny Likens whispered to one of the police “Get me out of here and I’ll tell you everything”. What she told the police, combined with the condition of Sylvia’s body, led to the arrest of Gertrude, her children, some of their friends, and some neighbourhood children.
An examination and autopsy of Sylvia Likens’ body revealed numerous burns, bruising, muscle and nerve damage. In her death throes, Sylvia bit through her lips, nearly severing each of them. Her vagina was nearly swollen shut, although an examination of the canal determined that her hymen was still intact, discrediting Baniszewski’s assertions that Sylvia was a prostitute and her insistence that she was pregnant. The official cause of death was brain swelling, internal hemorrhaging of the brain, and shock from severe and prolonged damage to her skin.
Baniszewski was found guilty of murder in the first degree. She was sentenced to life imprisonment. She had been a model prisoner and other inmates called her “Mom” - up until she was paroled and walked out of prison in 1985. The bitch finally died from lung cancer in 1990.
When she was convicted, it was called the “the single worst crime perpetrated against an individual in Indiana’s history”.

I AM SO CONFUSED

OKAY, SO, MY DAD COMES IN AND HANDS ME A LETTER TODAY AND HE WAS LIKE “well I don’t know what’s happening but I’m pretty sure this is for you” AND THIS IS WHAT HE HANDS ME:

so naturally I OPEN IT.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I WAS EXPECTING TO FIND

someone legitimately took the time and money to write out this letter EXACTLY as it appears in Goblet of Fire, and COVER IT IN STAMPS. THEY EVEN SEALED IT WITH WAX.

I DON’T KNOW WHO THE FUCK DID THIS

WHAT IS HAPPENING