EPISODE · Jul 13, 2026 · 35 MIN
The House on New York Street: The Sylvia Likens Case, Part Two
from Once Upon A Crime
Part 2 of the Sylvia Likens case examines the heartbreaking final hours of Sylvia Likens, one of the most horrific child abuse and murder cases in American history. On October 26, 1965, after months of unimaginable torture inside a home in Indianapolis, Indiana, 16-year-old Sylvia was carried upstairs for a bath before she was discovered unresponsive. As Gertrude Baniszewski scrambled to cover up the abuse with a fabricated confession letter, investigators immediately recognized the devastating evidence of prolonged torture. Including severe burns, starvation, countless injuries, a fatal subdural hematoma, and the chilling message carved into Sylvia's abdomen.The investigation took a dramatic turn when Sylvia's younger sister, Jenny, courageously told police, "Get me out of here, and I'll tell you everything." Her testimony unraveled Gertrude Baniszewski's lies and led to the arrests of Gertrude, several of her children, and neighborhood teenagers who participated in or witnessed the abuse.Sources:https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/longform/likens-looking-back-indianas-infamous-crime-50-years-laterhttps://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2013/10/24/sylvia-likens/3178393/House of Evil: The Indiana Torture Slaying - John DeanTorture Mom: A Chilling True Story of Confinement, Mutilation, and Murder - Ryan Green, 2018.The House from Hell: The True Story of Gertrude Baniszewski, Genoveva Ortiz, Sea Vision Publishing, 2024. https://www.history101.com/sylvia-likens-the-family-she-left-behind/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sylvia_Likens#Gertrude_Baniszewskihttps://murderpedia.org/female.B/b/baniszewski.htmhttps://www.history101.com/sylvia-likens-the-family-she-left-behind/https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/35446-lawyers-book-retraces-indys-infamous-sylvia-likens-murder-caseSponsors: See a list of our sponsors and discount codes on our website:https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The House on New York Street: The Sylvia Likens Case, Part Two
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