She would regularly rally to Likens' defense. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. If you know some information, please comment below. (An autopsy revealed burns across her body -- "Everyone but the baby" burned Sylvia, 12-year-old John told police, according to the Indianapolis Star). The attacks, focused almost exclusively on Sylvia, grew ever more violent and sadistic. She completed her parole and moved to Iowa. 1966, the year when this book was published, was not a good time for books about true murder cases. The abuse escalated sharply, and Sylvia bore the brunt of it, most of it in the basement of a home described by the Indianapolis Star as "a rundown, gray frame rental house.". Some began kicking and beating her. All of these lawyers worked for their indigent clients free of charge. Stephanie Baniszewski. this mattress laying on the floor of the Gertrude Baniszewski home where police said. It is possible, although not certain, that the Likens case served as an inspiration for Mendal Johnsons only novel, Lets Go Play at the Adams.The parallels are not nearly as strong as in The Girl Next Door and By Sanction of the Victim. In any case, she has not revealed her family subtleties on the web. The youngest of the Baniszewski children, Dennis was a newborn when Sylvia met her fate. Patte Wheat brought the story into the 1970s in By Sanction of the Victim. I am happy about that., Benny Likens died only four months after his mother. Authorities said a preliminary investigation indicates that the couple got lost trying to find a shortcut. Sylvia also suffered from extreme malnutrition. Stephanie is the member of the Baniszewski clan that has made the most statements about the crime. And may your tormentors burn in the depths of hell forever. sometimes tried to break them up, she testified, but was usually too weak and sick even to make the effort. This was the worst single murder the state had ever known and the largest number of defendants it had ever tried at once. they found the beaten and branded body of Sylvia Marie Likens. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Someone should track her down because it says she's a Florida teacher. That was the last contact I had with him. Oddly, Hubbard never changed his name and reportedly remained in the Indianapolis area most of his adult life. In 1985, after serving two decades in Indiana Womens Prison, the parole board voted to grant Gertrude Baniszewski a parole. She made dinner every night," he said. We have no information about his girlfriend/boyfriend. 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. Visibly devastated, Sylvias mother gave only short responses on the witness stand at the trial. Members of SLAM and Protect the Innocent pounded the pavements of Indianapolis seeking signatures of citizens opposed to the parole. John Baniszewski, Coy Hubbard, and Richard Hobbs were convicted of manslaughter. 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. The Baniszewskis were tried together and in 1966, Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder. She was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, where she shares a headstone with her brother. She is still alive in Florida under the name Stephanie Serikstad . But in 1965, prosecutors painted her as one of the ringleaders in the torture of Sylvia Maria Likens, a 16-year-old who moved in with the Baniszewskis while her mother was on the road as a traveling entertainer, according to the Indianapolis Star. Ex-CIA agent pleads guilty to leaking identity of covert operative, Arizonans to vote on taking Grand Canyon from federal control, Beard issue again delays military trial in Fort Hood shootings, Body found in N.J. is that of missing 12-year-old girl, uncle says, Pa. grandmother found dead, baby missing, police say, Denied dream wedding site, lesbian couple files discrimination complaint. The two girls had become friends with Sylvia and Jenny. Everyone that participated in the beating of Sylvia Likens, and the people who knew about it should all die of abuse. It was called the most terrible crime ever committed in Indiana, and over half a century later, that title still holds. Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder again at a second trial. IMDbPro Starmeter. Much of the testimony was sensational and pathetic, often at the same time. Though she admitted to participating to some degree in Sylvias abuse, she was granted a special trial, and then all charges against her were dropped, likely because she agreed to turn states evidence against her family. 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. New continued questioning Marie until finally the sobbing child shouted, Oh, God, help me! Then, Perry Mason-like, the witness for the defense turned into one for the prosecution. However, the title, suggesting that the tormented child sanctioned her own abuse (a suggestion that is not made in the body of the work) is obscene. Because he was only 8 at the time, James was not arrested nor called to testify, although some reports suggested he played a role in the crime. When Baniszewski realized Sylvia might be dying, she forced her to write a note saying a gang of boys beat her. The author of that play, Janet McReynolds, is the wife of the man who played Santa Claus at the Ramsey familys Christmas party just a couple of nights before six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered. But when one of their checks arrived late, Baniszewski took out her frustration by beating the girls. Gertrude tried to paddle Sylvia, but was too weak and had to call Paula to finish the job. In this case, they had an adult supervising what they were doing. She had heard her mother order Sylvia down to the basement. She has even posted on some forums claiming her innocence. Bedwell and her husband, Cecil Knutson, 79, Anaheim, Calif., disappeared May 10 after visiting Valley View Casino in Southern California. I thought she was a downtrodden, mean woman.. Add a bio, trivia, and more. Near the end, Sylvia was no longer permitted to leave the house. Sylvia tried to escape, but Gertrude and one of the boys stopped her, beating her again and throwing her back into the basement. Several of Baniszewskis children and a gaggle of neighborhood kids, some as young as 10, watched or joined in. We have no more Information about his Father; we will try to collect information and update soon. There is no adult ringleader. Her mom's remorselessness was past the creative mind, where her mom utilized her teen youngsters to manhandle another high schooler young lady. She died in 1990. Allegedly the only member of the Baniszewski clan to show public remorse for his deeds, he made no attempt to hide his past and even spoke about it publicly on occasion. The Indiana Department of Corrections records indicate she was sentenced in August 1971 to a sentence of two to 21 years. 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. Many individuals have been looking for Gertrude Baniszewskis girl on the web. Sometimes Gertrude felt too weak from her asthma to discipline the girls properly, so her 17-year-old daughter, Paula, helped. 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. She was fired from the school system, and with a past so notorious, her future looks bleak. Mrs. Baniszewski. There is a special place in hell waiting for you! Coy Hubbard was, at first represented by Joseph Quill. Finally, he took her to the day Sylvia was branded on the stomach. Some say Florida where it's married with kids/grandkids? Her phone number is public and lives in Florida. On May 19, 1966, a jury found Baniszewski guilty of first-degree murder while Paula Baniszewski was found guilty of second-degree murder. Makes me ill to know that people are so consumed by evil and glad to know that there will be Divine judgement. The Gertrude Baniszewski home where Sylvia Marie Likens was tortured. Prosecutor New made an impassioned plea for the death penalty for all of the accused. By 1965, Baniszewski lived alone with her seven children: Paula (17), Stephanie (15), John (12), Marie (11), Shirley (10), James (8), and Dennis Jr. (1). You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. She was considered to be (probably) the most attractive and intelligent of the children in that family back then. Help Center Contributor Zone Polls. Paula was found guilty of second-degree murder. 2023 www.indystar.com. Sylvias body was malnourished and covered with sores, burns, and bruises, many of them old. Stephanie Baniszewski is the second-most seasoned girl of horrible killer Gertrude Baniszewski. All. He became a semi-recluse, tormented by voices only he could hear. The Likens family continued to endure considerable hardship. The judge at the trial was Saul Rabb, a grizzled, balding, and bespectacled jurist known for his tart tongue. Fourth-oldest of the Baniszewski children, Marie was 11 when the torture took place. Recently reissued by Borf Books, it is good journalism, written in a restrained and compassionate manner. Evans was deeply involved with the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and her book is directed primarily at African American youngsters. Such scum. the parole board voted to grant Gertrude Baniszewski a parole, I Found Out My Girlfriend Of 4 Months Is HIVPositive, 25 Horrifyingly Brutal And Drawn-Out Deaths That ActuallyHappened, A 29-Year-Olds Diary Entries From Mid-October,1980, Heres The Creepiest Wikipedia Article From EveryState, A 29-Year-Olds Diary Entries From Late July,1980. 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. 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. I know that's not the news you would like to hear. The cause of death was determined to be brain swelling, internal hemorrhaging of the brain, and shock induced by Sylvias extensive skin damage. However, a court ruled that the boards hearing had not been properly open to the public and a new vote had to be taken. The death penalty in Indiana at the time was carried out by the electric chair. quit hating on stephanie she wasnt the evil. Paula Pace, the caller said, was actually Paula Baniszewski, who was 17 at the time of the killings and the eldest of seven children. Lester . quit hating on stephanie she wasnt the evil. Only 11-years-old, Marie was a lovely girl with dark blonde hair cut short and curly bangs over her forehead. They are in relation from previous few years of a strong relationship. Stephanie Baniszewski changed her name after the episode and left for Florida, where she filled in as an educator for a very long time. Paula, now 64, was released from prison in 1972. Other reports say the family forced Sylvia to strip in front of neighborhood boys and masturbate with a coke bottle. The second-oldest of the Baniszewski children, Stephanie, was 15 at the time of the crime. His only crime was that he didnt vet the Baniszewski home more thoroughly before leaving two of his daughters in Gertrudes custody. None reported what they saw. She was considered to be (probably) the most attractive and intelligent of the children in that . Stephanie Baniszewski when she was in 1st grade Stephanie would be approximately 65/66 years old today, if she is still living. When Wessner gently asked her why she hadnt sought help, young Likens replied, I was scared. Stephanie, you guessed it was the task master of the scalding baths in order to "cleanse" Sylvia of her filthiness. Five days before she died, according to a 1965 story by the Indianapolis Star, Gertrude Baniszewski ordered one of the neighbor boys to etch, with a three-inch, red hot needle, I am a prostitute and I'm proud of it into Sylvias stomach. Stephanie's boyfriend, Coy Hubbard, and other . Star reporter Madeline Buckley contributed to this story. 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.. His Girlfriend/boyfriends name is Not Available. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The torture-murderer moved to Iowa where she lived out her life under the name Nadine Van Fossan. On a family Facebook page, Bedwell's stepdaughter posted Sunday night, "It is them. Rest in Peace Dad." All rights reserved. She changed her name and she is living her life after killing an innocent girl. And may your tormentors burn in the depths of hell forever. She testified during the trial, becoming the sole member of the Baniszewski family to cry on the stand during questioning. What I really wanted was love but I took the attention instead.. 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. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The neighborhood kids were having a great time. She was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon. John had only recently turned 13. 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. John Baniszewski and two other boys ages 16 and 15 were convicted of manslaughter. They dropped her into a tub of scalding water, then rubbed salt into her raw skin. She reportedly changed her name, married, had children, worked as a teacher, and now lives in Florida. Be that as it may, she consented to affirm the states proof against her family in the homicide of Sylvia. He also reportedly lost his job in 2007 when the movie An American Crime, about the Sylvia Likens case, debuted. The courtroom was jam packed with spectators every day. Sylvia was seriously tormented to the demise by Gertrude Baniszewski, where Gertrude likewise elaborate a portion of her kids and two area kids in tormenting Sylvia. A student of the case whom this writer will call Craig Kelley complains that the author almost canonizes Stephanie, a girl who, on at least one occasion, helped tie Sylvia up and who might have done more to check the outrages of her boyfriend, Coy Hubbard. Johnson sets his story in affluent suburbia. Shitty house for a shitty person, hope that she as a shitty life too. To the surprise and consternation of many observers, the jury did not sentence her to death. I hope everyone who was involved lived or lives a horrible miserable life until they die. 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! Showing all 2 items Jump to: Photos (1) Quotes (1) She also married and had kids as did Paula who moved to Iowa and is said to live on a small farm there. How come she still alive??? Indeed, one of the enduring mysteries of the case is why neither she nor Sylvia sought help before things escalated. Though she admitted to participating to some degree in Sylvias abuse, she was granted a special trial and then all charges against her were dropped, likely because she agreed to turn states evidence against her family. How did Her Role In the Sylvia Likens Murder Affect her Mother and Siblings? Dianna Bedwell, 67, was found in serious condition in a vehicle stranded along a dirt road, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Paula, however, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter to avoid another trial. After working at a school under an assumed name for 14 years, Paula's identity has been revealed. She got 2-to-21 years but, in spite of attempting a prison break, was paroled in March 1972 and released completely in March 1974. Believing that the girls were simply grumbling, Dianna initially ignored the plea. 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. When she suspected Sylvia of stealing, she used matches to burn the girls fingers. Stephanie Serikstad (72 anos) est atualmente listada em 11405 S Florida Ave, Floral City, 34436 Florida e afiliada ao Partido Republicano da Flrida. Stephanie's boyfriend, Coy Hubbard killed Sylvia when he administered the very last fatal blow to her head with a wooden broomstick handle, which resulted in the immediate cause of death, a subdural hematoma to the brain. 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