The cause of death was determined to be brain swelling, internal hemorrhaging of the brain, and shock induced by Sylvias extensive skin damage. Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook. We cant say their name. Everyone that participated in the beating of Sylvia Likens, and the people who knew about it should all die of abuse. Gertrude Baniszewski, then 37, and 12-year-old John would force her to eat her own feces. This article appeared in theOctober2015 Issue. A memorial to her was erected with a poem by Ivan Rogers engraved on a plaque, reading: I see a light; hope. Her eyes were sunken in, and her face was very slender. Weeks of escalating horror followed. In 1940, she witnessed her father's sudden death from a heart attack. Makes me ill to know that people are so consumed by evil and glad to know that there will be Divine judgement. Here is Gertrude's Baniszweski daughter Stephanie. According to Mrs. Baniszewskis testimony, a girl came to her door looking for Darlene MacGuire, who often visited the Baniszewski kids. Some began kicking and beating her. The second-oldest of the Baniszewski children, Stephanie, was 15 at the time of the crime. Asked why by the prosecutor, she replied, believably enough, Im nervous!. Click to reveal A group of kids ranging in age from seventeen to ten tie up Barbara, their 20-year-old babysitter. Jenny Likens enrolled in a Job Corps program in 1966 and later got a job in a bank. We have no more information about his spouse. this mattress laying on the floor of the Gertrude Baniszewski home where police said. Love, Annie was inspired by it. Dianna made headlines recently when she and her husband, Cecil Paul Knutson, both diabetics, got lost in the California backcountry and were stranded in their car for two weeks with nothing to sustain them but rainwater, a pie, and some oranges. Although women lawyers were still a rarity in those days, the thinking was that it was good to have a female on hand in cases involving women and child defendants and witnesses. I feel a breeze; strength. Stephanie was one of her youngsters who took part in killing Sylvia. Baniszewski told them the girl had been attacked by a gang of boys, and she even produced a note written in Sylvias own hand that seemed to confirm that story. In 1965, 16-year-old Sylvia Likens was sent to the home of a family friend, Gertrude Baniszewski, while her parents were traveling. Years of poverty and abuse had worn Baniszewski down and although she was thirty-six years old, she weighed only 100 | Near the end, Sylvia was no longer permitted to leave the house. Sylvia asked her father if she could stay with us, Mrs. B. claimed. Stephanie is the member of the Baniszewski clan that has made the most statements about the crime. Rest in peace. On May 19, 1966, a jury found Baniszewski guilty of first-degree murder while Paula Baniszewski was found guilty of second-degree murder. The mothers name is Not Available. That was punishment, allegedly, for having spread rumors that the elder two Baniszewski girls, including Paula, were prostitutes. When Gertrude, a sickly asthmatic, didnt feel up to disciplining Sylvia, she relied on her oldest child, Paula, to help out. Much of the testimony was sensational and pathetic, often at the same time. We have no information about his girlfriend/boyfriend. Paula Baniszewski appealed her conviction and ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter. She is still alive in Florida under the name Stephanie Serikstad . paula her mom and the guys were. Mr. Kelly believes that the Likens torture was about fun (twisted and perverted as it was). BANISZEWSKI: I think I answered your question. She also married. Paula Baniszewski was charged with second degree murder for the death of a 16-year-old girl who lived in her home. What I really wanted was love but I took the attention instead.. Her phone number is public and lives in Florida. Gertrude Baniszewski was a single mother with seven children Paula, 17, Stephanie, 15, John, 12, Marie, 11, Shirley, 10 and James and Dennis, 18 months. Born Today Most Popular Celebs Most Popular Celebs Celebrity News. The little brother still talks about the torture. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. BANISZEWSKI: She would not do anything I told her, no. Stephanie Baniszewski changed her name after the episode and left for Florida, where she filled in as an educator for a very long time. [Sylvia] said, Well, we can take care of ourselves, we are used to that. Just determined to live with the Baniszewskis at least as Gertrude told it Sylvia turned around to her father and said, Daddy, you could pay her for letting us stay here.. She was the mother of Paula and Stephanie Baniszewski. Stephanie, you guessed it was the task master of the scalding baths in order to "cleanse" Sylvia of her filthiness. He was tried for another murder in 1982 but acquitted. She appealed and was granted a new trial in which she was again convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. On October 26, 1965, Indianapolis police were called to 3850 E. New York St., where Sylvias body lay on a mattress. All rights reserved. Despite the outcry, when the parole board again voted, it was three to two in favor of the parole, exactly as it had been on the first vote. However, the Baniszewski family went to a fundamentalist church both before and during the time the unfortunate Likens girls boarded with them. On a family Facebook page, Bedwell's stepdaughter posted Sunday night, "It is them. Rest in Peace Dad." Since then, she has once more slipped off the grid. She completed her parole and moved to Iowa. Standing trial for first degree murder in Indianas most sensational case ever were five people: one adult, Gertrude Baniszewski and four minors, Paula Baniszewski, John Baniszewski, Richard Hobbs, and Coy Hubbard. He also reportedly lost his job in 2007 when the movie An American Crime, about the Sylvia Likens case, debuted. According to our records, Stephanie Baniszewski is possibly single. When the police arrived to collect her sisters body, Jenny reportedly told them, You get me out of here, and Ill tell you everything. A Beech Grove resident, she died in 2004 at the age of 54. On the other hand, the book contains much powerful, poetic prose and astute observations that ring real. Who was Stephanie Baniszewski? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. To the surprise and consternation of many observers, the jury did not sentence her to death. Sylvia tried to escape, but Gertrude and one of the boys stopped her, beating her again and throwing her back into the basement. Baniszewskis conduct as a prisoner had been quite good. Both were sentenced to life in prison in Indianapolis. Sometimes Gertrude felt too weak from her asthma to discipline the girls properly, so her 17-year-old daughter, Paula, helped. I speculate that there was never any experience in Sylvias life, up to the time she went into Gerties house, when she learned that people would come to her aid, says Bowman, Hubbards attorney. The Likens case inspired a horror novel called The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. It started with Gertrude using a fraternity style paddle on Sylvia and Jenny for various offenses, such as exchanging soft drink bottles for change at a nearby grocery. Which she did, enthusiastically. She changed her name and she is living her life after killing an innocent girl. A never-published play called Hey, Rube was also inspired by this slaying and that leads us to a most bizarre coincidence. anonymously (anonymous users cannot post links). However, she did participate in the cruelty and torture of her friend Sylvia. The third-oldest of the Baniszewski children and an active participant in Sylvias torture, John was 12 when she died. Further, certain individuals guarantee that she has been functioning as an educator in Florida. paula her mom and the guys were. Heres what happened to this tragedys principal players. According to the afterward in The Indiana Torture Slaying, Lester Likens found out his son was dead when a letter the father had written to Benny was returned marked Deceased., The people of Indianapolis have not forgotten Sylvia. Sylvia. Look it up, 'Hernando County Courthouse' by William A. Edwards, Dade Battlefield Historic State Park - Park Entrance, 'Sumter County Courthouse (Georgia)' by William A. Edwards. Convicted of manslaughter, he served a short sentence and died of cancer in 1972 at age 21. When the verdicts, came back, only Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder. Although tried together, the attorneys for the defendants often worked at cross-purposes. I betcha it is still alive and living a good life. I dunno; its hard for me to feel her kids were entirely responsible for their actions considering the parent they had. Sorry, wrong accomplice to the murder. A long-time heavy smoker, she died in 1990 of lung cancer. John had only recently turned 13. It is not known whether or not she had contact with her paroled mother. She really did get away with torture/murderremember reading a newspaper article from the trial which said that because she turned state's witness, her life would just go on as normal and she would resume taking classes at Arsenal Tech high school! Google has the address and phone. She firmly denied all the terrible acts attributed to her. Em maio de 1966, Gertrude Baniszewski foi condenada por assassinato em primeiro grau e priso perptua. Finally, he took her to the day Sylvia was branded on the stomach. Further, People have been pondering her current area. [But] I take full responsibility for whatever happened to Sylvia. She left prison December 4, 1985. As Gertrude and a gang of teenagers watched, Sylvia was forced to undress in the living room and insert an empty Coke bottle into her vagina. However, even as Gertrude testified for herself, she often seemed to be testifying against the dead Sylvia. Gertrude Baniszewski moved in with her daughter in the mid-1980s, he said. Other reports say the family forced Sylvia to strip in front of neighborhood boys and masturbate with a coke bottle. The attorneys for the youngsters tried to shift as much blame as possible onto Mrs. Baniszewski or the other kids. Members of SLAM and Protect the Innocent pounded the pavements of Indianapolis seeking signatures of citizens opposed to the parole. Stephanie Baniszewski in Warsaw Times-Union - June 7 1966 Stephanie Baniszewski in Warsaw Times-Union - May 18 1966 Stephanie Baniszewski in FamilySearch Family Tree Arsenal Technical High School 716 - 1965 in U.S. Yearbooks, 1890-1979 view all Immediate Family Gertrude Nadine Baniszewski mother John Stephan Baniszewski father There is a special place in hell waiting for you! He told them, The issue here islaw and order. Stephanie in real life walked into the house right as Sylvia was inserting the coke bottle, but instead of stopping the incident like as shown in An American Crime, she actually made the situation worse by going up to Sylvia and slapping her across the face, ordering her to go up into her room. NEW: How many times was she disobedient to you? A male occupant in the car, whose identity has not been confirmed, had died, the news release said. All. Only 11-years-old, Marie was a lovely girl with dark blonde hair cut short and curly bangs over her forehead. On the surface, the Likens murder is not much different from any number of heinous crimes. She would regularly rally to Likens' defense. Well, now I'm going to introduce you all to: Stephanie would be approximately 65/66 years old today, if she is still living. The second-oldest of the Baniszewski children, Stephanie was 15 at the time of the crime. Marie replied, Im here to testify to see if my mom killed Sylvia Likens.. This comment has been removed by the author. Perpetrated in California, that crime, like this one, would be called the worst crime ever committed against one victim in the states history.. Paula Baniszewski was charged with second degree murder for the death of a 16-year-old girl who lived in her home. Five years later, at the age of 16, she dropped out of school to marry 18-year-old John Baniszewski, with whom she had six children. She appeared in court in a blue pastel dress with eyelet sleeves. I dunno; it's hard for me to feel her kids were entirely responsible for their actions considering the parent they had. You can't hide Stephanie! But her suspicions were raised when Gertrude wouldnt let her in the house for a visit. BANISZEWSKI: I told you she would not mind me at all. I hope they suffered, God forgive me.. How in the world could all these neighborhood kids do this and not ever tell? Gertrude tried to paddle Sylvia, but was too weak and had to call Paula to finish the job. Stephanie waived her immunity from any potential impending prosecution while agreeing to testify against her family and any other individuals charged with abusing and murdering Likens. He's suppose to be a minister, but many they have heard him speak and that he really just wants to talk about as a sadistIt sounds like he has no remorse and still has his sick, evil family roots. Pretty Meg and her sister Susan have been orphaned and sent to live with their Aunt Ruth Chandler, a mother of three boys whose home is a magnet for neighborhood kids. Was Stephanie Guilty? They do not, however, make words out of the marks. She was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon. Her eyes were blurred with tears as she got into the witness box. Sylvias carnival-worker parents boarded her and her sister Jenny with Baniszewski for $20 a week. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Marie had seen other kids do all those things but Mom wasnt present; she was in bed sick. She changed her name to Paula Pace and wasnt heard from again until 2012, when she was discovered living in the small Iowa hamlet of Marshalltown and working for the school system in the neighboring town of Conrad. Ketchum believably depicts Davids confusion of conscience and his reluctance to take a stand against the others and stop the show until it is too late. Stephanie Baniszewski at the time of Sylvia's murder trial in 1966. Sylvias father was a carnival worker who decided to leave his kids with a third party while he and his wife, Betty, were on the road. For Industry Professionals. Will we allow such acts? She was recently found out. Sylvia Likens died at the hands of Getrude Baniszewski, a woman who was supposed to take care of her. He said he received a Facebook message a month ago, detailing Paula's previous life. Paula Baniszewski is a criminal. Visibly devastated, Sylvias mother gave only short responses on the witness stand at the trial. Paula was found guilty of second-degree murder. She served time and was released from prison in 1972. The children took turns practicing their judo on Sylvia, hurling her against a wall. The Indiana Department of Corrections records indicate she was sentenced in August 1971 to a sentence of two to 21 years. Mrs. Baniszewski testified in her own defense. I said sure. Stephanie Baniszewski/ Serikstadi is on Facebook. She escaped in 1971 but was recaptured. Blake acknowledges that his punishment was inadequate to the terrible crime. Stephanie Baniszewski: 15 years old at the time of Sylvia's death. Paulas time in court would be interrupted by a trip to the hospital to deliver the baby with which both she and her mother had so adamantly insisted she was not pregnant. 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