She completed her parole and moved to Iowa. It was children doing what they were told.. He also reportedly lost his job in 2007 when the movie An American Crime, about the Sylvia Likens case, debuted. Ketchum has given the tale a haunting spin by having it narrated by David, a teenaged boy who watches Megs tortures with a combined sense of titillation and disgust. When Sylvia died after being brutally beaten five days later, her sister, Jennie Likens, whispered to police, Get me out of here and Ill tell you everything.. She was considered to be (probably) the most attractive and intelligent of the children in that family back then. Gertrude just kept beating me. Defense attorneys would pursue this point at length. Paula Baniszewski appealed her conviction and ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter. She was released after a few years. He died in June of that year in Shelbyville. Another time Stephanie caught Sylvia wearing her brassiere; she then slapped Sylvia and called her a name. The details of her demise, revealed at the 1966 trial, defy belief. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang. In 1965 then Paula Baniszewski helped aid in the torture of teenage girl named Sylvia Likens, which ultimately lead to the young girl's death. He decided to come forward to say that there is hope for young murderers and that they can turn their lives around. May 4, 1966 -- Where Branded Girl Died -- State and defense attorneys today viewed this mattress laying on the floor of the Gertrude Baniszewski home where police said they found the beaten and branded body of Sylvia Marie Likens. Gertrude Baniszewski, then 37, and 12-year-old John would force her to eat her own feces. All of these lawyers worked for their indigent clients free of charge. Patte Wheat brought the story into the 1970s in By Sanction of the Victim. But when one of their checks arrived late, Baniszewski took out her frustration by beating the girls. 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. Pace was mostly quiet and kept to herself at work, according to WHO-TV. I hope they suffered, God forgive me.. How in the world could all these neighborhood kids do this and not ever tell? The prosecution team was led by Leroy New, a tall, handsome 40-something fellow known for his skill in cross examination. She died in 1990. She appeared in court in a blue pastel dress with eyelet sleeves. He told them, The issue here islaw and order. Coy Hubbard was, at first represented by Joseph Quill. Exclusive Events + Special Offers. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14b38ec90c0bd6 Her expression was understandably somber. In a masterpiece of understatement, he once told a reporter that My mom was a very selfish, self-centered woman.. A more severe punishment would have been just, he comments. She moved to Iowa, changed her name to Nadine Van Fossan, and died of lung cancer on June 16, 1990. Paula was stern, he said, but did not discipline her children physically. Specifically, Stephanie was one of the members in the staggering homicide of teenager Sylvia Likens in 1965. No further action was taken. However, even as Gertrude testified for herself, she often seemed to be testifying against the dead Sylvia. In 1971, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned the convictions of Gertrude and Paula, saying that jurors had been prejudiced by publicity and that the trials. A never-published play called Hey, Rube was also inspired by this slaying and that leads us to a most bizarre coincidence. Bedwell was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 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. I condemn her for being a murderess, thats what I do, Erbecker said, but I say shes not responsible because shes not all here! He pointed to his head. The teenaged Dianne is described as bony like Mrs. Wright. [But] I take full responsibility for whatever happened to Sylvia. She left prison December 4, 1985. Likens was killed in October 1965 after repeated abuse at the hands of her caretaker, Gertrude Baniszewski, some of Baniszewski's children and other neighborhood children. Many years later, John Baniszewski was to tell a reporter that he actively enjoyed being on trial. This Paula (2012) looks absolutely reptilian. Mrs. Baniszewski. His contributions included using her as a practice dummy for judo flips and punches and shoving her down the basement stairs. The Baniszewskis were tried together and in 1966, Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder. Jenny Likens enrolled in a Job Corps program in 1966 and later got a job in a bank. She never took responsibility for her crimes, claiming she couldnt remember her actions. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), Steven Lubet Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts, Nusrat Ghani Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts. 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. Sylvia Likens died at the hands of Getrude Baniszewski, a woman who was supposed to take care of her. Stephanie Baniszewski/ Serikstadi is on Facebook. A long-time heavy smoker, she died in 1990 of lung cancer. ! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. There is a special place in hell waiting for you! A neighborhood kid and Stephanie Baniszewskis boyfriend, Hubbard was a full participant in Sylvias torture. The boys were sentenced to two-to-21-year terms at the Indiana State Reformatory in Pendleton. She wasnt conditioned to believe that anyone would help her. Sylvia finally succumbed to her injuries after months of torture. She also married and had kids as did Paula who moved to Iowa and is said to live on a small farm there. It is so messed up that Sylvia got beat because she was prettier than Paula and Stephanie. How Old Is Stephanie Baniszewski? Well, now I'm going to introduce you all to: Stephanie would be approximately 65/66 years old today, if she is still living. We cant say their name. The daughter of Gertrude Baniszewski, who tortured and murdered Sylvia Likens in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1965, known as the worst crime ever commited in the state of Indiana, lives here. Copyright 2023 Indianapolis Monthly, All Rights Reserved. BANISZEWSKI: She would not do anything I told her, no. Visibly devastated, Sylvias mother gave only short responses on the witness stand at the trial. Lester apparently believed her, because during several subsequent trips to the housethe last on October 5, just weeks before his daughters deathhe noticed nothing out of order. IE 11 is not supported. None reported what they saw. Stephanie waived her immunity from any potential impending prosecution while agreeing to testify against her family and any other individuals charged with . In his summation to the jury, Erbecker relied on the only possible mitigating factor in Mrs. B.s defense mental incompetence even though her official plea was a simple Not Guilty. I never really knew her. In 1965, 16-year-old Sylvia Likens was sent to the home of a family friend, Gertrude Baniszewski, while her parents were traveling. She seemed like she was having a good life.. But, so many of you must be wondering who was Stephanie? Sylvias body was malnourished and covered with sores, burns, and bruises, many of them old. Everyone that participated in the beating of Sylvia Likens, and the people who knew about it should all die of abuse. they found the beaten and branded body of Sylvia Marie Likens. Sylvia. When the verdicts, came back, only Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder. That was punishment, allegedly, for having spread rumors that the elder two Baniszewski girls, including Paula, were prostitutes. I never thought she was insane, Bumppo says. Add a bio, trivia, and more. None of the moral accusations that were leveled against Sylvia that she was a glutton, a thief, a slanderer, and a prostitute figure in this novel. Sylvia Marie Likens (January 3, 1949 October 26, 1965) was an American teenager who was tortured and murdered by her caregiver, Gertrude Baniszewski, many of Baniszewski's children, and several of their neighborhood friends. Rest in peace. Sorry, wrong accomplice to the murder. What I really wanted was love but I took the attention instead.. Stephanie Baniszewski became a schoolteacher. Scout Taylor-Compton: Stephanie Baniszewski. Sylvias carnival-worker parents boarded her and her sister Jenny with Baniszewski for $20 a week. On the surface, the Likens murder is not much different from any number of heinous crimes. If that was the extent of it, this case would likely have been lost to history long ago like so many other long-forgotten murders. Who was Stephanie Baniszewski? 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. Stephanie Baniszewski. | Stephanie Baniszewski at the time of Sylvia's murder trial in 1966. Age Explored Stephanie Baniszewski has arrived at the age of 71 this year as she was only 15 years at the hour of the occurrence in 1965. He changed his name to John Blake and drifted aimlessly before experiencing a religious epiphany that, he said, helped him see the error of his ways. Dianna contacted social services, but when a worker showed up at the Baniszewski residence, Jenny told her (on threat of punishment from Gertrude) that Sylvia had run away. Mr. Kelley makes another good point when he says, Dean just skips over a lot of really significant things. Johnson sets his story in affluent suburbia. On the other hand, the book contains much powerful, poetic prose and astute observations that ring real. Her mom was 37 years of age around then, and she got twenty years of sentence after she was seen as at real fault for first-degree murder. Convicted of manslaughter, he served a short sentence and died of cancer in 1972 at age 21. She testified during the trial, becoming the sole member of the Baniszewski family to cry on the stand during questioning. 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