On May 2 and 3, Jenny Likens testified against all five defendants, stating that each had repeatedly and extensively, both physically and emotionally, abused her sister, adding that Likens had done nothing to provoke the assaults and that there had been no truth in either the rumors she had been falsely accused of spreading or the slurs each had made against Likens's character. During her testimony, Jenny stated the abuse her sister and, to a much lesser degree, she herself had endured began approximately two weeks after they had begun to live in the Baniszewski household, and that as the abuse her sister was forced to endure escalated, Likens had occasionally been unable to produce tears due to her acute state of dehydration. Jenny burst into tears as she recalled how, just days before Likens died, she had said to her: "Jenny, I know you don't want me to die, but I am going to die. I can tell it!" [24] Movies have been made about her. True crime stories about her have appeared regularly over the years. Several novels have been based on her story. One of the defense lawyers, Forrest Bowman Jr., wrote about the trial many years later and published a book in 2014. Kate Millett, artist and scholar, author of Sexual Politics, built cage sculptures about Sylvia and wrote The Basement: The Story of a Human Sacrifice, in which she tries to make sense of it all. Part true story, part cultural-philosophical-feminist critique, part novel, Millett’s book includes the running thoughts of victim and perpetrators, an effort to capture what the author imagines happened from the inside, but for me there is something wrong with this ventriloquism, and the imaginative intrusions fail. In House of Evil: The Indiana Torture Slaying, the journalist John Dean doesn’t try to make sense of it all. He tells a story, and he reports: “Child after child, when asked to explain why he or she participated, said simply, ‘Gertie told me to.’” The Torture Killers on Trial". TruTV. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012 . Retrieved June 16, 2019. Each prospective juror was questioned by counsels for both prosecution and defense in relation to their opinions regarding capital punishment being a just penalty for first-degree murder and whether a mother was actually responsible for the "deportment of her children." Jurors who expressed any opposition to the death penalty were excused from duty by Leroy New; any who either worked with children, expressed prejudice against an insanity defense, or repulsion regarding the actual horrific nature of Likens's death were excused by defense counsels. [116] Noe, Denise. "The Torturing Death of Sylvia Marie Likens: Drama in the Court Room". TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on August 24, 2008.

Nash, Jay Robert (1992). World Encyclopedia of 20th Century Murder. New York City: M. Evans & Company. ISBN 978-1-590-77532-5. a b "Parole Board Approves Baniszewski Release Again". United Press International. December 3, 1985 . Retrieved June 19, 2019. In her teenage years, Sylvia Likens occasionally earned spending money by babysitting, running errands, or performing ironing chores for friends and neighbors, often giving her mother part of her earnings. [15] She has been described as a friendly, confident and lively girl, with long, wavy, light brown hair extending below her shoulders, and was known as "Cookie" to her friends. [16] Murders in the United States: Crimes, Killers and Victims of the Twentieth Century ISBN 0-7864-2075-8 p. 207 a b c d e f "The Sexual Aesthetic of Murder". The Village Voice. February 13, 1978 . Retrieved March 30, 2019. [ permanent dead link]Richard Hobbs, testifying as to Gertrude Baniszewski's decision to carve an insult into Likens's abdomen on October 23, 1965. [24] After eight hours of deliberation, the jury found Gertrude Baniszewski guilty of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life imprisonment but was released on parole in 1985. Paula was found guilty of second-degree murder and was released in 1972; Hobbs, Hubbard, and John were found guilty of manslaughter and served less than two years in the Indiana Reformatory before being granted parole on February 27, 1968. Sylvia Marie Likens (January 3, 1949 – October 26, 1965) was the third of five children born to carnival workers Lester Cecil Likens (1926–2013) and his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Frances ( née Grimes; 1927–1998). She was born between two sets of fraternal twins — Daniel and Dianna (two years older than her) and Benny and Jenny (one year younger). Jenny Likens suffered from polio, causing one of her legs to be weaker than the other. She was afflicted with a notable limp and had to wear a steel brace on one leg. [10] a b c Broeske, Pat H. (January 13, 2007). "A Midwest Nightmare, Too Depraved to Ignore". The New York Times . Retrieved September 7, 2011. Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Film - Catherine Keener (nominated)

By June 1965, Sylvia and Jenny Likens resided with their parents in Indianapolis. On July 3, their mother was arrested and subsequently jailed for shoplifting. Shortly thereafter, Lester Likens arranged for his daughters to board with Gertrude Baniszewski, the mother of two girls with whom the sisters had recently become acquainted while studying at Arsenal Technical High School, Paula and Stephanie Baniszewski. At the time of this boarding agreement, Gertrude assured Lester she would care for his daughters until his return as if they were her own children. [20] [n 3] On another occasion, Paula beat Likens about the face with such force that she broke her own wrist, having primarily focused her blows upon Likens's teeth and eyes. [36] Later, Paula used the cast on her wrist to further beat Likens. [37] [38] Gertrude repeatedly falsely accused Likens of promiscuity and of engaging in prostitution, ranting about the filthiness of prostitution and women in general. [39] Gertrude would later occasionally force Jenny to strike her own sister, beating Jenny if she did not comply. [40] He is a former newspaperman, having worked for the Terre Haute Star, the Associated Press, the Indianapolis Star, the Chicago Sun-Times, the San Francisco Examiner, the Detroit Free Press, and the Detroit News. He has worked also for Western Union in San Francisco, the Golden Horse Shoe tavern in Oakland, Calif., and Musical Isle Record Corp. in Chicago. He wrote this book while a reporter for the Indianapolis Star, where he worked from 1963 to 1967. Initially, Gertrude denied any involvement in Likens's death, although by October 27 she had confessed to having known "the kids," particularly her daughter Paula and Coy Hubbard, had physically and emotionally abused Likens, stating: "Paula did most of the damage," and "Coy Hubbard did a lot of the beating." [98] Gertrude further admitted to having forced the girl to sleep in the basement on approximately three occasions when she had wet the bed. She became evasive when one officer stated the likely reasons Likens had become incontinent were her mental distress and injury to her kidneys. [99] Poem inscribed upon the granite memorial formally dedicated to Sylvia Likens's life and legacy in Willard Park, Indianapolis.

Iowa Teacher's Aide Fired After Discovery Of Connection To 1965 Torture, Killing Of Girl". Huffington Post. October 23, 2012. Dean, John (1999). The Indiana Torture Slaying: Sylvia Likens' Ordeal and Death. Borf Books. p.89. ISBN 978-0-9604894-7-3. George Rice began his closing argument by decrying the fact Paula and the other defendants had been tried jointly. Sidestepping the multiple instances of testimony delivered at trial describing Paula and her mother as by far the most enthusiastic participants in Likens's physical abuse, Rice claimed the evidence presented against his client did not equate to her actual guilt of murder. He then ended his closing argument with a plea for the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on a girl who had "gone through the indignity of being tried in an open court". [36] Ammeson, Jane Simon (2017). Murders that Made Headlines: Crimes of Indiana. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-02983-6. Bowman, Forrest Jr. (2014). Sylvia: The Likens Trial. California: CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1-502-58263-8.

In response to questioning relating to whether she had physically abused the Likens sisters, Gertrude claimed that although she had "started to spank" Likens on one occasion, she was emotionally unable to finish doing so, and had not hit the child on any further occasions. [127] She denied any knowledge of Likens having ever endured any beating, scalding, branding, or burning within her home. [128] a b Dean, John (July 29, 2008). House of Evil: The Indiana Torture Slaying. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-429-94402-1. The murder charges initially filed against Gertrude Baniszewski's second-eldest daughter, 15-year-old Stephanie, were ultimately dropped after she agreed to turn state's evidence against the other defendants. [152] Although prosecutors did re-submit their case against Stephanie before a grand jury on May 26, 1966, the decision to later prosecute her in a separate trial never materialized. [170] Stephanie Baniszewski assumed a new name and became a school teacher. She later married and had several children. Stephanie Serikstad was last known to have resided in Florida. [171] Marc Hoover: Interview with Dianna Bedwell". The Clermont Sun. February 25, 2021 . Retrieved March 4, 2021.The formal statement provided by Jenny Likens prompted officers to arrest Gertrude, Paula, Stephanie, and John Baniszewski Jr. on suspicion of Likens's murder within hours of the discovery of her body. [96] The same day, Coy Hubbard and Richard Hobbs were also arrested and charged with the same offenses. [97] The three eldest Baniszewski children, plus Coy Hubbard, were placed in the custody of a nearby juvenile detention center; the younger Baniszewski children and Richard Hobbs were detained at the Indianapolis Children's Guardians Home. All were held without bail pending trial. [12] The Murder of Sylvia Likens, as Told Over 50 Years Ago". The Indianapolis Star. October 23, 2015 . Retrieved January 24, 2021.

Noe, Denise. "The Torturing Death of Sylvia Marie Likens — In Memoriam — Crime Library on". Trutv.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012 . Retrieved June 14, 2019. Noe, Denise. "The Torturing Death of Sylvia Marie Likens: Foster Care". TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on August 25, 2008.In reference to the premeditated nature of Likens's death, Wessner pointed the jury's attention to the notes Gertrude had forced Likens to write on October 24, stating: "[Gertrude] knew on [October 24] she was going to hold these notes until she and the rest of the defendants had completed the murder of Sylvia." Holding aloft a portrait of Likens taken before July 1965, Wessner added: "I wish she were here today, with eyes as in this picture—full of hope and anticipation." [139] Defense [ edit ] Although Stephanie had initially believed the rumors initiated by Paula that Likens had spread distasteful rumors relating to herself and her older sister, as the abuse of Likens escalated, she would regularly rally to Likens's defense—occasionally removing objects from her mother or Paula's hands with which they had been striking the girl. [50] Sylvia Likens's death is credited with the adoption of Indiana's mandated reporter law, and with an increased understanding of the investigation and recognition of abuse. The law states that should a member of the public suspect a child is suffering abuse or neglect, the citizen suspecting this abuse has a legal obligation to report the abuse to authorities. [191] According to Jenny Likens's later trial testimony, Sylvia did not spread any rumors of this nature. Jenny insisted the rumors were false accusations spread against Sylvia. [24]