Sylvia Likens

**Sylvia Marie Likens** (26 or 27 October 1965), often referred to as **Sylvia Likens**, was an American abduction, rape, and torture murder victim. She was abducted, neglected, starved, dehydrated, malnourished, combusted, flayed, receded, skin eroded, branded, tormented, choked, bludgeoned, scalded, degradated, sexually humiliated, insulted, circulatory shocked, physically and sexually assaulted, mutilated, raped, tortured, and murdered, by her caregiver and eventual abductor Gertrude Baniszewski, Baniszewski's children, and Baniszewski's acquaintances. After her abduction, Sylvia Likens endured three weeks of torture under her caregiver, her children, and her acquaintances, before her death.

At the time of her death, Likens suffered somewhere between 100 to 150 seperate wounds all over her body, head injury, subdural hematoma, bleeding of the head and arms, degradation, torment, scald and bludgeon marks, malnutrition, starvation, dehydration, circulatory shock, small parts of flayed, receded, and eroded skin, an almost swollen shut vaginal cavity, and almost broken feet.
Likens died from subdural hematoma, head injury, circulatory shock, malnutrition which includes: starvation and dehydration, and plausible but unconfirmed asyphxia. Through intimidation, her younger sister Jenny was forced to participate in her sister Sylvia's torture, was described as the "most horrible crime ever committed in Indiana" by the court. William C. Ercbecker, attorney to Gertrude Baniszewski, the main abductor, torturer, and murderer of Sylvia Likens, described Likens as having been subjected to "acts of degradation which you won't commit on a dog".

### Early life

Sylvia Likens was born as Sylvia Marie Likens on  in Lebanon, Indiana, United States. Her parents were Lester and Elizabeth Likens. She was the third of five children. Likens's parents Lester and Elizabeth worked as carnival workers. Likens's elder siblings Daniel and Dianna were twins, and her younger siblings, Benny and Jenny, were also twins. Likens was born between two sets of fraternal twins and was obviously the only child who was not a twin. Likens's sister Jenny was crippled because of a weak leg, while her other leg was stronger. This was caused by the fact that Jenny suffered from polio. When sisters Sylvia and Jenny would visit local ice skating rinks, Sylvia would help Jenny skate by holding her hand, while Jenny skated on her unaffected foot. Likens was very fond and protective of her more timid and insecure sister Jenny. Likens's parents Lester and Elizabeth's marriage was unstable, due to their occupation as carnival workers, they would travel around Indiana (and other states) in the summer, selling candy, beer, and soda, at carnivals, they would move very frequently, and experiencined financial difficulties with their occupation. This explains why Sylvia Likens lived in 16 seperate addresses in her life. Brothers Daniel and Benny, sons of Lester and Elizabeth Likens, would assist their parents in carnival traveling and working, and help them sell candy, beer, and soda, but Sylvia and Jenny were discouraged from assisting their parents in their occupation, out of fear and concern for their safety and education. Sylvia and Jenny would usually stay with relatives, especially their grandmother, while their parents were out traveling and working in different carnivals around Indiana (and other states). Although Likens was exuberant, she closed her mouth when smiling, due to a missing front tooth, which was accidentally knocked out when she was 7 years old, by one of her brothers while they were rough housing, during a party. Closing her mouth very often became Likens's habit. In her teenage years, Likens would earn money by performing tasks and chores, such as babysitting, gardening, and ironing. She would give her mother Elizabeth, part of her earnings and money. Likens was described as having light and wavy brown hair, extending below her shoulders, and a friendly, confident, lively, kind, and caring nature and character, and was very often called "Cookie" by her friends. Likens did have several friends. Likens was also fond of music and liked listening to songs from music bands, particularly one of her favorite song bands was The Beatles, and enjoyed and liked listening to pop records.

### Life between the spring and June of 1965

By the spring of 1965, a 16-year-old Sylvia Likens and her sister Jenny lived with their parents in Long Beach, California, and met and started dating a boyfriend, but by June of that year, Likens and her sister Jenny lived with her parents in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. In Indianapolis, Likens and her younger sister Jenny met a 16-year-old girl, her age, named Darlene McGuire and they soon became friends. Likens and Jenny's new mutual friend was friends with Paula Baniszewski, who was the eldest of the children of Gertrude Baniszewski. McGuire introduced Likens and Jenny to Gertrude Baniszewski and her 7 children. Likens soon became friends and played with Baniszewski's children, especially Paula and Stephanie. Likens and Jenny liked spending time and playing at the Baniszewski residence.

### Life and biography of Gertrude Baniszewski prior to 1965

Gertrude Nadine Baniszewski (née Van Fossan) was born as Gertrude Nadine Van Fossan on  in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Her parents were Hugh Marcus Van Fossan, Sr., and Molly Van Fossan. She was the third of six children. Her parents were of English and Dutch descent. Her parents came from working class. Van Fossan and her siblings were born and raised in the city of Indianapolis.
On , Van Fossan saw and witnessed her father Hugh suffer and die from a sudden myocardial infarction. Her father was just 50 years old when he died from the sudden myocardial infarction. As a result, Van Fossan and her siblings were raised by their now single mother. Van Fossan did attend and go to school, and she started dating and went into relationship with a man named John Stephen Baniszewski (1926–2007), who became her boyfriend. A 16 year old Gertrude Van Fossan then dropped out of high school in order to marry her boyfriend an 18 year old John Baniszewski, six years after Van Fossan's father Hugh died. John Baniszewski was originally from Youngsville, Pennsylvania, and also of Polish descent and ancestry, but came to live and reside in Indianapolis. Van Fossan married Baniszewski, changed her last name (surname) to Baniszewski, and decided to start living and residing with him. Mrs. Baniszewski and Mr. Baniszewski had and raised 4 children together. Even though, Mrs. Baniszewski and Mr. Baniszewski had an unstable marriage, because Mr. Baniszewski had volatile and violent tempers, and took his tempers out on his spouse (wife) Mrs. Baniszewski, by occasionally beating and physically abusing her, a number of times, they remained together as a married couple for 10 years, prior to their first divorce. As a result of Baniszewski mistreating, beating, and physically abusing her, Mrs. Baniszewski went to court and filed for divorce, and custody of their 4 children. Once the divorce, and child custody was granted to Mrs. Baniszewski, Mrs. Baniszewski temporarily became a single mother raising her 4 children. Shortly after divorcing Mr. Baniszewski and taking custody of their 4 children, Mrs. Baniszewski started dating and went into relationship with a man named Edward Guthrie, who became her boyfriend. Shortly after Guthrie started dating and going into relationship with Mrs. Baniszewski, and becoming her boyfriend, Mrs. Baniszewski and Guthrie got married. Mrs. Baniszewski lived with Guthrie and their 4 children. But, unfortunately again, Mrs. Baniszewski had a unstable marriage with Guthrie, and she again went to court and filed for divorce, 3 months after they got married and started to live together. Once the divorce was granted, Mrs. Baniszewski was again a single mother with 4 children. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Baniszewski decided to enter a relationship again with Mr. Baniszewski, for the second time. Mrs. Baniszewski remarried Mr. Baniszewski for the second time, and they lived together again. During their second marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Baniszewski had and raised 2 more children together. They were married for the second time for several years. But, unfortunately, Mrs. Baniszewski still had an unstable marriage with Mr. Baniszewski, and again she went to court and filed for divorce, and the custody of their children. Once the divorce, and child custody, was granted to Mrs. Baniszewski in 1963, Mrs. Baniszewski was again temporarily a single mother raising this time 6 children. Weeks after divorcing Mr. Baniszewski and granting custody of their children, Mrs. Baniszewski started dating and went into relationship with a 20-year-old man named Dennis Lee Wright, who became her boyfriend. Wright worked as a welder. Shortly after Wright started dating and going into relationship with Mrs. Baniszewski, and becoming her girlfriend, Mrs. Baniszewski and Wright went to live together. They had a child together in May of 1964. Their relationship was unstable, and Dennis Lee Wright would beat and physically abuse Mrs. Baniszewski, just like her ex–husband Mr. Baniszewski, did before. Mrs. Baniszewski did got pregnant again with another child, but had a miscarriage with that child, and so that child was never born. Shortly after their child was born, Wright broke up the relationship with, left, and abandoned Mrs. Baniszewski. As a result, Baniszewski went to court and filed a paternity suit for the financial support of their child, even though Wright seldom contributed to the care of their child. After Wright broke up with, left, and abandoned her, Baniszewski was yet again a single mother raising this time 7 children (Baniszewski's eighth child was a miscarriage). By 1965, a 36-year-old Gertrude Baniszewski lived alone with her 7 children. The names and ages of Baniszewski's children by 1965 include:
- Paula (aged 17)
- Stephanie (aged 15)
- John, Jr. (aged 12)
- Marie (aged 11)
- Shirley (aged 10)
- James (aged 8)
- Dennis Lee, Jr. (aged 1)
Even though Baniszewski was of tall and good height, being approximately 5 feet and 6 inches tall (168 cm) in height, she weighed just approximately 100 pounds (45 kilograms), and has been described as a "haggard, underweight asthmatic chain smoker" due to the stress of three failed marriages, one failed relationship, and a recent miscarriage of an unborn child. Baniszewski would receive sporadic checks from her first and third husband, John Baniszewski. In addition to receiving sporadic checks from her ex-husband, who was former policeman in Indianapolis, upon whom she primarily relied on to financially support the care of her children, Baniszewski occasionally performed odd-like jobs for neighbors, such as sewing and cleaning, in order to earn and have more money. Baniszewski and her 7 children rented and resided in a house at 3850 East New York Street, in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. The monthly rent there was 55$ (or dollars). By July 1965, Gertrude Baniszewski and her 7 childen lived at that house at 3850 East New York Street when sisters Sylvia and Jenny went to live with Gertrude Baniszewski and her childen, thereafter Baniszewski became their caregiver, and they were later abducted by Baniszewski, her children, and her acquaintances, prior to Likens's murder.

## Likens boarding with Baniszewski

By June 1965, while Likens and her sister Jenny lived in Indianapolis, and was playing and having fun with children at the Baniszewski residence, their mother Elizabeth was shoplifting, which was why she was arrested and sent to be detained in prison on 3 July. Shortly after her arrest and detainment in prison for shoplifting, Likens's father Lester, who was the only person who was taking care of Likens and Jenny, at that time, due to Elizabeth being in prison, had to leave Indiana and join and travel carnivals, as his occupation as a carnival worker, so Lester had to leave his 16-year-old daughter Likens and her 15-year-old younger sister Jenny, with someone who can take care of her, while he went out with the carnival. Because sisters Sylvia and Jenny liked spending time and playing at Gertrude Baniszewski's residence with her children, and due to the fact that Baniszewski seemed to be a kind woman, despite the fact that she had stress from three failed marriages, one failed dating relationship, and one recent miscarriage of a unborn child, and Sylvia and Jenny had bonded a friendship with Baniszewski's children, Lester wanted and expected his daughters Likens and Jenny, to board with Baniszewski.
Finally, Lester decided to arrange Likens and Jenny with Baniszewski, and decided to meet Baniszewski in person. Seeing her seemingly kind character and personality, and because his daughters Likens and Jenny , Lester decided to go with his idea to let Likens and Jenny board with Baniszewski, if she agreed.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Sylvia Likens
- **image**: Sylvia Likens Bucks County Courier May 13 1966 Page 9.jpg
- **birth name**: Sylvia Marie Likens
- **birth place**: Lebanon, Indiana, Lebanon, Indiana, United States
- **death date**: 26 or 27 October 1965 (aged 16)
- **death place**: Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
- **death cause**: Subdural hematoma, head injury, circulatory shock, and malnutrition which includes: starvation and dehydration, and plausible but unconfirmed asphyxia
- **known for**: American abduction, rape,  and torture murder victim
- **father**: Lester Likens
- **mother**: Elizabeth Likens
- **relatives**: 4 siblings