Solved, Unsolved or Spooky - A True Crime Podcast

Sylvia Likens, or "Cookie" as she was known to her friends.

Season 1 Episode 49
  • Hi,  to our lovely True Crimer's, thanks for listening and please help us spread the word by telling your friends and family about us.
  • This week Kim is telling the awful tale of Sylvia Likens.
  • trigger warning this is horrible beyond all belief, and is fairly graphic.
  • Sylvia Likens was a 16 year old young lady who suffered brutal beatings and much more at the hands of  Gertrude Baniszewski, many of Baniszewski's children, and several of their neighborhood friends
  • Sylvia was increasingly neglected, belittled, sexually humiliated, beaten, starved, lacerated, and dehydrated by her tormentors.
  •  Her autopsy showed 150 wounds across her body, including several burns, scald marks and eroded skin.
  •  Through intimidation, her younger sister, Jenny, was occasionally forced to participate in her mistreatment. 
  • The official cause of her death was determined to be a homicide caused by a combination of subdural hematoma and shock, complicated by severe malnutrition.
  • Her tragic story is particularly hard to listen to, it is truly shocking.
  • have a listen kick back and get ready to have your mind blown by the depravity of mankind or in this case woman and child unkind.
  • the worst part of this tale is the many people who knew what was happening and they did not report it to police or the Community Service workers who simply did not do their job.
  • Please take care and stay safe, Love Steph and Kim xx

 References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sylvia_Likens https://murderpedia.org/female.B/b/baniszewski.htm https://www.truecrimeedition.com/post/sylvia-likens
Photographs and additional reading.

Resources:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/Pages/contact-service.aspx#24-hour
https://www.beyondblue.org.au
https://www.betterhelp.com

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