The Disturbing Death of Sylvia Likens

How mob mentality led to the torture-murder of an Indiana teen

Trigger Warning

This article discusses child abuse, torture, sexual abuse, and murder in sometimes graphic detail.

Sylvia Marie Likens, born on January 3, 1949, was the third child of Lester and Elizabeth Likens. She had four siblings, an older set of twins, Dianna and Daniel, and a younger set of twins, Jenny and Benny.

Sylvia was sweet sixteen in 1965. She loved rollerskating and the Beatles. Sylvia had long, wavy…