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Torture Mom

A Chilling True Story of Confinement, Mutilation and Murder (True Crime)

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Torture Mom

Written by: Ryan Green
Narrated by: Steve White
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About this listen

In July 1965, teenagers Sylvia and Jenny Likens were left in the temporary care of Gertrude Baniszewski, a middle-aged single mother, and her seven children.

The Baniszewski household was overrun with children. There were few rules and ample freedom. Sadly, the environment created a dangerous hierarchy of social Darwinism where the strong preyed on the weak.

What transpired in the following three months was both riveting and chilling.

In October 1965, the body of Sylvia Likens was found in the basement of the Baniszewski home, where she had been imprisoned. She was starved, beaten, burned, and had the words "I am a prostitute and proud of it" carved into her stomach.

Gertrude Baniszewski oversaw and facilitated the torture and eventual murder of Sylvia Likens. While she played an active role in Sylvia's death, the majority of the abuse was carried out by her children and other neighborhood youths.

The case shocked the entire nation and would later be described as "The single worst crime perpetuated against an individual in Indiana's history".

Caution: This audiobook contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to listen any further.

©2018 Ryan Green (P)2018 Ryan Green Abuse Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Dysfunctional Relationships Parenting & Families Relationships True Crime Crime Exciting
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The reader of the story sounds like the wrong person to be reading this kind of story. When reading the abusive comments from the characters it made me sick to hear the pitch of his voice. It almost made me stop listening. The first half of the book seemed all over the place with no direction and the last half started making sense. It would be improved 100% if I never had to hear that guys sick voice telling the story. I feel like I need to shake it out of my skin to stop feeling like I chose be a part of his personality. Barf!

Steve whites voice

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this was a good version of this story, but the voices the narrator used completely took me out of it, and quite frankly were kind of disrespectful and unnecessary, especially considering what a horrible subject it covers

terrible narration, but a good but heartbreaking story

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As an avid true crime fan I was already familiar with the case of Sylvia likens, and her torture. But this was unbelievably hard to listen to. It’s taken me 3 days to listen to this 3.5 hour long audio book. Emotionally gutting and descriptive in the most horrifying way, I felt sick to my stomach at parts. The narrator did well and, though his voice for gert did bring me out of the story slightly, it was welcome as you almost feel as though you are Sylvia in moments. The subject matter makes it hard for me to praise this audio book and say anything positive, but it’s very detailed, graphic, and upsetting, which was what one expects.

Heartbreaking

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