In today's world, crime is something we just cannot escape from. It happens every single day all around the world, whether it is simply a car theft or a string of unrelated murders. There are some crimes that have been left unsolved, some that have not been reported, and many victims who have received the justice they deserved, fortunately enough. Although there are plenty of cases where the victim is no longer alive to share their story.

Sylvia Likens, for example, was murdered on October 26, 1965 by the woman who was supposed to be looking after her. This occurred in Indianapolis, Indiana, which immediately caught my attention since it happened so close to home. Likens' body was found in a residence on East New York Street, her body covered with over 150 wounds. The purpose of this article is to share her story and bring awareness to the torture she endured in the home of Gertrude Baniszewski, her murderer. This case is still labeled as "the single worst crime perpetuated against an individual in Indiana's history."

Sylvia Likens was 16 years of age when she was murdered by Gertrude Baniszewski.

Likens was your average well-behaved young teenager. She enjoyed attending church, she liked roller skating, she loved to dance, and she maintained good grades in school. Her favorite genre of music was rock, and her favorite rock band was The Beatles. She did little jobs on the side to make extra money, such as ironing and babysitting children in the neighborhood.

Sylvia's mother and father, Elizabeth F. "Betty" Grimes and Lester C. Likens, were both carnival workers. They experienced a lot of financial issues, as well as marital issues, which affected the children in many ways. Their family traveled a lot. They changed addresses over fourteen times, which is never easy for children to adapt to. You make new friends, and then you have to up and leave, just to move elsewhere and repeat the cycle. That would be tough on anyone, and her parents understood the damage this was doing to their children.

Sylvia was born in between two sets of fraternal twins, Diana and Danny and Jenny and Benny. She was very close to Jenny, who was considered "disabled" due to her diagnosis with polio, which caused her to walk with leg braces.

One day, Betty Grimes was arrested for shoplifting, and Lester Likens took it upon himself to arrange for Sylvia and her sister Jenny to stay with Gertrude Baniszewski. Sylvia and Jenny were friends with one of Baniszewski's children, Paula, which made this arrangement possible. Lester agreed to pay Gertrude twenty dollars a week to watch his two daughters. He did not ask questions nor did he investigate the condition of the home he was subjecting his children to, but Gertrude came across as if she was a fairly decent woman. She was taking care of seven children already, so two more would not hurt, right? Unfortunately, Lester Likens placed his children into the home of a soon-to-be murderer unknowingly.

The first week of Sylvia and Jenny's stay at the Baniszewski residence went well. Gertrude welcomed the girls, and her children took them under their wings and helped them adjust to their new high school, Arsenal Technical. Sylvia and Jenny attended quite a few of the social functions that the Baniszewski children went to as well. Gertrude Baniszewski also invited the girls to church on Sunday, too.

The one thing that Sylvia and Jenny were unaware of was the fact that Gertrude Baniszewski was suffering from depression from the stress of several failed marriages. After Lester Likens' first payment did not arrive on time, this triggered the torture to begin.

Gertrude Baniszewski had both Sylvia and Jenny bend over the bed and paddled them. After that initial punishment, Gertrude began to focus most of her anger onto Sylvia. On one occasion, Baniszewski's children told her they were disgusted at how much food Sylvia had eaten at a church function, and in response to hearing this, Gertrude forced Sylvia to eat a hot dog piled high with condiments. Sylvia threw up, and Gertrude forced her to scoop up her vomit and consume it.

Gertrude Baniszewski's children began to take part in the constant abuse towards Sylvia Likens.

Sylvia Likens was beaten by both Gertrude, her children, and the neighborhood children as well. Gertrude would put out lit cigarettes on Sylvia's skin, starve her, encourage her children to attack Sylvia, push her down the stairs, burn her with scolding hot water, force her to eat her own feces and drink her own urine, and on more than one occasion, Gertrude would have her strip naked in front of everyone and force her to insert a empty Coca-Cola bottle into her vagina. Gertrude did not allow Sylvia to attend school anymore, and she was deprived of water. It was reported that she could no longer produce tears due to severe dehydration.

Gertrude Baniszewski, her 10-year-old daughter, Shirley, and a neighborhood boy, Richard Hobbs, carved "I'm a prostitute and proud of it" into Sylvia's abdomen with a heated sewing needle. The abuse was never-ending, and Sylvia could not understand why it was happening to her.

It is reported that there were many near-rescues, and Sylvia even attempted to run away shortly before her death, but Gertrude was able to keep her crime a secret, until October 26, 1956, that is.

That was the day police were called to the home of Gertrude Baniszewski, because Likens was dead.

Gertrude had a plan. She forced Likens to write a letter prior to her death, stating that she agreed to have sexual relations with a group of boys from her high school in exchange for money. Baniszewski also forced her to write that those particular boys were the ones who beat, burned, and branded her.

She attempted to give this letter to the police, in order to clear her name. However, before the police left the Baniszewski residence, Gertrude's daughter, Stephanie, said to them, "Get me out of here and I'll tell you everything."

At that moment, police knew that Gertrude Baniszewski had a role in the death of Sylvia Likens.

After the autopsy was performed, it was evident that Likens' cause of death was as follows: brain hemorrhage, shock, and malnutrition. It was very clear that Baniszewski was guilty, but she pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Gertrude Baniszewski, Paula Baniszewski, John Baniszewski, Coy Hubbard (Stephanie's boyfriend), and Richard Hobbs all served time for the murder of Sylvia Likens. Stephanie, Marie, and Shirley Baniszewski were not charged since they were so young while this crime was continuously being committed.

Gertrude was found guilty of first-degree murder and served 20 years behind bars. She was paroled in 1985, moved to Iowa, changed her name, and died in 1990 due to lung cancer.

Paula served seven years and was released in 1974. She changed her name, but she resurfaced in 2012 when she was fired from her job as a teacher due to lying on her employment application. She has not been seen or heard from ever since.

John admitted to his role in the crime, served two years in prison, was released and became a minister and real estate agent. He then died in 2005 due to cancer, just like his mother.

Coy and Richard both served two years as well, and then were released. Coy died in 2007 and Richard died in 1972 at the age of 21 due to cancer.

Unfortunately, Sylvia Likens is no longer here to tell her story of what really happened. She lost her life at such a young age. Her voice was taken from her, but her memory still lives on. Sylvia is worth being remembered, just like every other victim and her story needs to be told.

Did the victim in this case get the justice she deserved?