The case of Sylvia Likens is one of the most horrific cases of child abuse and murder in American history. In 1965, 16-year-old Sylvia Likens was left in the care of Gertrude Baniszewski, a woman in Indianapolis, while her parents traveled for work. Over the course of several months, Sylvia endured relentless physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Baniszewski, her children, and even neighborhood kids who were encouraged to join in.

She was beaten, starved, burned, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty, including being forced to eat her own waste. In October 1965, after prolonged torture, Sylvia succumbed to her injuries. Her emaciated body showed extensive wounds, burns, and bruises.

Baniszewski and several others were arrested and tried. She was convicted of first-degree murder but later had her sentence reduced before being released on parole. The case remains a chilling reminder of how abuse can escalate when bystanders fail to intervene.