State of Indiana Vs. Gertrude Baniszewski

State of Indiana Vs. Gertrude Baniszewski

Life Before Sylvia Likens

Basement Confinement

Baniszewski was born September 22, 1929 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the third of six children. When she was 16 she dropped out of school to marry 18 year-old John Stephan Baniszewski, with whom she had six children. After 16 years of an abusive marrige, the two divorced. Baniszewski, then 34, moved in with 18 year-old Dennis Lee Wright where they had one child and shortly after Wright abandoned Gertude.

When Likens became incontinent, Baniszewski locked her in the basement and began bathing her in regime to "cleanse" Sylvia, involving dousing her in scalding water and rubbing salt into her burns.

She was often kept naked and rarely fed. At times Baniszewski and her son John Jr. would force Sylvia to eat her own feces.

Gertrude Baniszewski

Murder

Initial Torture

Gertrude Nadine Baniszewski, also known as Gertrude Wright and Nadine Van Fossan, was an American murderer who, with the help of her own children as well as neighborhood children, oversaw and facilitated the prolonged torture, mutilation, and eventual murder of Sylvia Likens, a teenage girl she had taken into her home

Tuesday October 26, 1965, Baniszewski told the children she would give Sylvia a bath. Stephanie and Richard Hobbs, brought Sylvia upstairs and placed her in the bathtub, fully clothed; as they took her out shortly after, they placed her on the bare mattress and realized she was not breathing. Stephanie frantically attempted to resuscitate her but Likens was already dead. Stephanie then ordered Hobbs to call the police, and when they arrived, amidst all the commotion, Jenny pulled one of the officers aside and said that she would tell them everything.

In August 1965, Baniszewski began to verbally and phsically abuse Sylvia Likens, allow her older children to beat her and push her down the stairs. Baniszewski also accused Likens of prostitution and delivered "sermons" about the filthiness of prostitutes and women in general. After the Likens sisters reportedly accused Baniszewski's daughters, Paula and Stephanie, of being prostitutes, Stephanie's boyfriend Coy Hubbard and several other classmates were brought in to assist Baniszewski in beating Sylvia

Sylvia Likens

Trial

Aftermath

In July 1965, Lester and Betty Likens, traveling carnival workers, suggested that Baniszewski take their two daughters- Sylvia Marie Likens, 16, and Jenny Faye Likens, 15- as boarders in exchange for $20 a week in compensation while they worked across the state.

However when the Likens first $20 payment was late, Baniszewski beat the girls. Thus began a regular pattern of child abuse.

Officers arrested Gertrude, Paula, Stephanie, and John Baniszewski, Richard Hobbs, and Coy Hubbard for murder. They were all held without bail pending their trials. Baniszewski was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, Paula was found guilty of second degree murder and also sentenced to life in prison. The boys were sentenced to 2 to 21 years in a reformatory; they were paroled in 1968.

After the trial, in attempts to prevent this incident from happening again, many changes were made in the social service system in the safety of children:

• When mothers or fathers are seen as mentally or physically unstable, precautions will be taken for the safety of children.
• Full home inspections before the child is placed in custody of the gaurdian
• Monthly home inspections

Baniszewski Family

Works Cited

indianapolismonthly.com/looking-back

abcnews.com/US/1965-killing

Dennis Lee Wright Jr. - Son

John Baniszewski Jr. - Son

Shirley Baniszewski - Daughter

Stephanie Baniszewski - Daughter

Paula Baniszewski - Daughter

Marie Baniszewski - Daughter

James Baniszewski - Son

mydailynews,com/teengirl-fatally-bullied