[Piper]

On October 26, 1965, Indianapolis police answered a call saying that a girl had died. The call came from a pay telephone in front of a Shell station in a poor section of the city. The caller was a teenaged boy whose voice had not finished changing into that of an adult man. He sounded very nervous and directed the police to the address, 3850 East New York Street, at which they would find the dead female.

When the cops got to the dingy, rundown, clapboard home to which the anonymous caller had directed them, they found the emaciated dead body of 16-year-old Sylvia Marie Likens. She was covered with bruises and small wounds, later revealed to be cigarette and match burns that numbered over 100. There were also large areas where the outer layer of skin had peeled off. Likens also had a large letter "3" branded on her chest. However, the most remarkable injuries, by far, were the words in block letters that had been burned directly onto her stomach: "I'M A PROSTITUTE AND PROUD OF IT!"

Below you can see the room where Sylvia's body was found. Thus ending one of the most horrible crimes ever committed against a single victim in Indiana history.


More background:

The case of Sylvia Likens, a 16-year-old girl who died in October 1965 in Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of the most harrowing and disturbing instances of child abuse in American history. The cruelty inflicted upon Likens by her caregiver, Gertrude Baniszewski, along with Baniszewski's children and other neighborhood youths, has been extensively documented and studied as a stark example of group psychology and the capacity for human cruelty.

Likens and her younger sister, Jenny, were left in the care of the Baniszewski family by their parents, who were carnival workers. Over a period of three months, Sylvia was subjected to escalating levels of abuse and torture. This abuse was not only at the hands of Gertrude Baniszewski but also involved her children and other neighborhood children, who were encouraged and sometimes forced to participate.

The extent of the abuse was gruesome and included beatings, burnings, and various forms of humiliation and torture. The case was so severe that it shocked the nation upon its discovery. Sylvia Likens eventually succumbed to her injuries and malnourishment on October 26, 1965.

Gertrude Baniszewski was arrested and charged along with her daughter Paula, son John, and two neighborhood youths, Richard Hobbs and Coy Hubbard. The trial was a significant legal proceeding, drawing considerable media attention and public outrage. Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, though she was later paroled.

[Piper]

The dirty, bloody sink in the basement where Sylvia was kept along with the tool used to burn her sitting there in the sink. The kitchen is pretty disgusting, and note the bottles of pop, she had to use one on herself for punishment, more than once i believe.

[big raymie]

I remember they made a movie based on that....

so sad... poor kid.

[Piper]

Originally Posted by big raymie ↗

I remember they made a movie based on that....

so sad... poor kid.

and the movie(s) an american crime and the girl next door (which was based on but not exact) albeit horrific had to leave out so much

sorry i could not get the close up photos - but it is described in the story or the transcripts

[jbloom]

I was so hoping to see the burned in phrase " "I'M A PROSTITUTE AND PROUD OF IT!"

I read the whole pre-fix and got excited to see all that was described. Thanks for the pics. It was kind of like getting a blowjob but, without the happy ending.

[butterfly]

great post and info

[SAMMY82]

wow i read this case a while back and was fascinated, never saw the pics though, thanks!

[advancedcorpsetumor]

Nice info + pics!
are the close ups of the writing floating around so it's possible to find them?
would be nice!

[tim52160]

I remember when that happened. I live a couple of blocks away here in indy from that house. It was tore down this last year. I met her uncle who used to shear sheep. I think her sister lives in texas or did.The woman she lived with was let out of prison and i believe died of lung cancer.There is a park on washington street here that has a stone memorial to sylvia in it in the sw corner.

[JadeStar]

I remember hearing and reading about this case years ago but had never seen the photos - what a truly horrific thing to happen to such a young girl. There is true evil in this world.