Torture Mom cover art

Torture Mom

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

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Torture Mom

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 Child Abuse Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Dysfunctional Families Parenting & Families Relationships True Crime Scary Exciting

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This book is a catalogue of things that killed an innocent child it's sad that so much damage can be being done under the noses of so many and no-one picked up on anything was going. The fact that so many people were involved in abusing this child and yet it wasn't found until after she had died is scandalous.

painfully true

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really enjoyed this book, very disturbing. would highly recommend if you a true chilling experience

chilling!

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Listener received this title free

As others have said, this is a really graphic tale. One that is difficult to understand and comprehend at times. It boggles the mind how someone can treat another person like this, how they can treat their own child like this.
Perhaps it is an idea to be honest with how strong your stomach is, this isn't for the faint of heart.

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Graphic but Captivating

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Listener received this title free

I had not heard of this true story before reading / listening to this book. It is a great length to be listened to in one sitting and I was eager to start. From the offset it became apparent just how much research the author had carried out to provide readers with the smallest of details. Yes its hard to listen to at times due to the nature of the crime committed - but it is truly harrowing and will stay in your mind for a long time after the last page has been read. She was just evil in the finest form - pure evil . I was given this book by the author/narrator in return for an honest and unbiased review

truly unnerving and harrowing

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I remember seeing a documentary about this case. If you see the audiobook length and think it's only 3 hours and some trust me that's more than enough.
The 5 star goes to the investigation of the entire case and details out together. I am a lover of real crime however there are certain stories that are too horrific to even see as interesting on a forensic level. The true horror of this story is the fact that it's not a horror story but real life and this girl lived every minute of it.
The sentences at the end of it are a further degradation of the trauma already inflicted on the victim.
Be warned, not for the faint of heart.

Horrific and true

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Listener received this title free

If you want to know the aspects of human nature look no further than this book. It has all 7 deadly sins portrayed in this well written account of a matriarch and her young victims.
But this sad tale is not just about the matriarch, it includes, her children, their friends, a reverend, a school, a neighbourhood, social workers and Sylvia, her sister and their parents.
With the transcripts of witness statements etc. Ryan Green has exposed all the bad aspects of human nature, including our choice to ignore, and look the other way, preferring to believe what hear so we can continue not to get involved.

If you like to listen or read about sadistic acts perpetrated on another human being, you will not be disappointed. The narrator takes you through all the grisly details of what Sylvia endured.

True portrayal of human nature

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Im not sure how to describe this book, I would recommend it to fans of true crime, but I was thankful for the warning given to me by the author before I listened to it

It is a truely shocking book, and really hard to listen to in places, at times I felt physically sick. It is very graphic

How a mum, or another human can cause this sort of suffering to a child is beyond me, and to have the sort of control over others, to be able to get them to keep quite and even participate.

Sylvia was let down by so many people, it really is heart breaking

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review

Shocking

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Listener received this title free

Growing in The United States I always wondered why %90 of all Serial Murderers are Americans, it’s true that Jack the Ripper which was British and never been caught was the first documented one that I’ve heard of but the nesting place for pretty much all is still the U.S. and I always felt that Ryan Green the author could supply the answer to my question.

As usual Green expertise in research, filling in the gaps and turning it all into a readable story is unmatched.
It took me two days after listening to this audiobook to relax enough to be able to review this gruesome story.
What I take from this story is at least two realizations:
The first is simple, beside all the people that knew and done nothing, the system itself failed, the social workers where created especially for cases like this!
The second is awful as Green perfectly showed in this story that even if the evil was caught he or she can leave inheritances behind to continue their work which can continue for generations.

About this audiobook which is so different from all of Ryan Green books because it got nothing to do with serial killers and I still can’t decide which is worse?
I do believe that it could have became eventually a Serial Murder case if the authorities would have kept not paying attention which was so close.

My recommendation:
If you got the stomach for real crimes, this one is a must!

Oded Ostfeld.

Why the U.S.A. ?

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Listener received this title free

I was giving this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book is both disturbing and gripping. Perfect for anyone who is interested in true crime. The story is a familiar one however the amount of information the book covers is vast and although the tail can be sometimes difficult to listen to purely due to the nature of the crime, both the author and narrator do a fantastic job with this book and it does keep you hooked till the very end.

I can’t say enough good things about the narrator of this, he is well chosen and does the book justice.

Excellent true crime book.

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Not for the faint hearted. This is as worse as it gets. As a parent this hurts deep

Unbelievably sad

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