The True Story of Sylvia Likens: the Horrific Child Abuse Uncovered in the Twentieth Century

In 1965 a sixteen-year-old girl in Indianapolis, Indiana, named Sylvia Likens was mercilessly tortured over the course of three months by the woman being paid to look after her. The torture resulted in an agonizing death for the girl and the woman responsible for the unconscionable misery was Gertrude Baniszewski. Shockingly, there were many participants in the abhorrent acts of cruelty and many witnesses to various signs of abuse and neglect, yet no one championed the welfare of...
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In 1965 a sixteen-year-old girl in Indianapolis, Indiana, named Sylvia Likens was mercilessly tortured over the course of three months by the woman being paid to look after her. The torture resulted in an agonizing death for the girl and the woman responsible for the unconscionable misery was Gertrude Baniszewski. Shockingly, there were many participants in the abhorrent acts of cruelty and many witnesses to various signs of abuse and neglect, yet no one championed the welfare of the young girl and she was left to die alone in the dark basement in unspeakable condition. The author compiles the numerous witness accounts including observations on record from her school, her church, police, and welfare reports into a single organized smooth-flowing narrative that, while difficult to read given the nature of the subject, is an important and succinct accounting of one of the most horrific cases of child abuse uncovered in the twentieth century.