Last Updated on March 6, 2021
Gertrude Baniszewski aka The Torture Mother was convicted of first degree murder for the killing of 16 year old Sylvia Likens, who died on 26th October 1965.
Sylvia was a house guest of Gertrude and she participated and encouraged others to torture and abuse Sylvia.
At the time of her death, she had over 150 wounds on her body and was emaciated due to starvation and dehydration and the Sylvia Likens case shocked the nation.
Sylvia Likens Comes to Stay with Gertrude Baniszewski
Sylvia’s father Lester Likens worked at carnivals selling candy and drinks and would take his sons with him but didn’t want to take his daughters.
Sylvia’s mother Elizabeth Likens was put in county jail on 3rd July 1965 for shoplifting.
Sylvia and Jenny Likens had met Gertrude Baniszewskis children Paula and Stephanie at Arsenal Technical High School in 1965.
After hearing of their mothers arrest Paula invited the sisters to stay the night.
Lester returned to town and found out about his wife’s incarceration and Betsy agreed she would join Lester upon her release.
He agreed to send Sylvia and Jenny to live with Gertrude at 3850 East New York Street because their daughters were friends from High School.
For his daughters board Lester promised to pay them $20 a week for their care and costs.
The abuse of Sylvia Likens
The abuse of Sylvia and her sisters started to take place after Lester didn’t pay Gertrude the $20 a week he had promised her on time.
She was already living in poverty and as a single mother struggling to support her seven children.
Gertrude was furious after Lester failed to pay the $20 he had promised.
She decided to take it out on the girls with Sylvia bearing the brunt of the abuse rather than refusing to take care of the girls.
She permitted her own children and children from the neighborhood to beat Sylvia and torture her physically and mentally.
She was burnt with lit cigarettes and pushed into a bathroom sink filled with boiling water.
She was not permitted to bathe, use the toilet or to eat or drink.
The family spread lies that she was a prostitute and was pregnant.
Gertrude would tell local children that Sylvia had insulted them or their family so that the children would beat Sylvia.
Shortly before her death Gertrude had forced Sylvia to write a note that she had runaway with a gang of boys.
Death of Sylvia Likens
Sylvia Likens died after attempting to escape from the basement of Gertrude Baniszewskis home.
Earlier in the day she had heard Gertrude saying that she was arranging to leave her to die in the middle of a forest.
Gertrude stamped on her head as she collapsed as she attempted to leave.
She was carried to a bathtub so Stephanie could bathe her but she noticed she was not breathing.
Stephanie attempted CPR but they were unable to revive her and Gertrude shook her to wake her up but she was dead.
They moved her body to a mattress and rehearsed what they would tell the police as they knew they would have to report her death to authorities.
Call to Police
Hours after Sylvia’s death Gertrude ordered Richard to call the police from a local payphone.
She told them that Sylvia had recently run away and had reappeared wounded, clutching a note.
Gertrude pretended to be sad and told officers that she was giving first aid to Sylvia when she died.
The officers entered the room to find the malnourished form of Sylvia lying lifeless on the stained mattress.
Gertrude told the police that she had been attacked by a gang of boys and showed them the note she had forced her to write.
The police asked Jenny what had happened and initially she told the police what Gertrude had told her to say.
She managed to whisper to one of the policemen that if he got her out of there she would tell them everything.
Arrests of Gertrude Baniszewski and others
Gertrude Baniszewski was arrested after Jenny gave a statement admitting that she had lied at the house.
She told the authorities that Gertrude had been abusing Sylvia.
Jenny also said named Paula, Stephanie, and John Baniszewski Jr as being responsible for the abuse of Sylvia and they were arrested.
Coy Hubbard and Richard Hobbs were arrested later that day.
Charges were dropped against Anna Ruth Siscoe, Judy Darlene Duke, Michael John Monroe, Darlene McGuire, and Randy Gordon Lepper, who were also initially arrested.
There were a number of children who were too young to be arrested or charged.
Sylvia Likens Autopsy
The autopsy was performed by Dr Arthur Kebel
Her cause of death was listed as subdural hematoma due to her receiving a severe blow to her right temple.
Shock due to her wounds and swelling of the brain were also contributing factors.
Sylvia had more than 150 injuries and wounds on her body.
They included burns, bruising and damage to nerves and muscles.
Her fingernails were bent backwards and her skin was peeling.
Many of the wounds were in various stages of recovery, showing ongoing trauma for weeks prior to her death.
Trial
Gertrude Baniszewski, her children Paula and John, Richard Hobbs and Coy Hubbard were tried together in a trial that spanned 17 days.
Stephanie was due to be given a separate trial but she made a deal to become a State Witness.
This was due to the collective nature of the crime, as they all committed the abuse together.
All were found guilty due to the testimony of deputy coroner Charles Ellis, Stephanie Baniszewski and Jenny Likens.
A number of other witnesses also testified about the abuse to Sylvia but Getrude would justify the abuse.
The defense team argued that Gertrude was insane and did not know what she was doing.
Gertrude Baniszewski testified in her own defense and claimed that her children and others had been abusing Sylvia.
She claimed to have not noticed this abuse as she was in ill health and suffering from depression.
She admitted to spanking the girls once but found it too emotional and did not hit them again.
Richard Hobbs testified that he had been encouraged to inflict minor wounds on Sylvia after Gertrude had already done so.
He also told the court that Gertrude had told him that she was going to get rid of Sylvia.
Marie Baniszewski admitted she had assisted Hobbs on one occasion and that her mother showed no emotion after abusing Sylvia.
She pointed the finger at her mother and sister as being the main culprits and also implicated other neighborhood children.
Witnesses against Paula Baniszewski testified that she would brag about the abuse of Sylvia, including when she beat her so hard she broke her own wrist.
Sentencing
Gertrude Baniszewski was found guilty of first-degree murder sentenced to life in prison.
Gertrude’s daughter Paula Baniszewski was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Richard Hobbs, Coy Hubbard, and John Baniszewski Jr were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to the reformatory for two to twenty one years.
Retrial
Upon appeal the convictions of Gertrude and Paula were reversed by the Indiana Supreme court in September 1970.
They found that requests for a change of venue and separate trials for the defendants had impeded the chance of them receiving a fair trial.
Gertrude Baniszewski was again found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to 18 to life.
Paula Baniszewski struck a plea bargain prior to the new trial and agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Parole
Gertrude Baniszewski was paroled in 1985 to a national outcry.
She never took responsibility for her acts and said she had no memory of the crime.
Gertrude moved to Iowa, where she lived until her death.
Paula Baniszewski was released on parole in 1972 and changed her name to Paula Pace.
She lived under this identity until it was revealed in 2012 and she was fired from her position as a school counselor.
Richard Hobbs, Coy Hubbard, and John Baniszewski Jr were all released on parole on 27th February 1968, after serving less than 2 years in the Indiana Reformatory.
Hobbs died just four years later at the age of 21 from lung cancer.
Gertrude Baniszewski Death
Gertrude Baniszewski died on the 16th June 1990.
She died from lung cancer.
Gertrude Baniszewski House
3850 East New York St was demolished after standing empty for many years.
The home was also a target for vandals and the inside was covered in graffiti.
Media
The Gertrude Baniszewski/Sylvia Likens movie ‘An American Crime’ was released in 2007 and based on the true story. It stared Elliott Page and got mixed reviews.