An American Crime

At the heart of "An American Crime" is an indictment of righteous middle America which routinely morally condemns the rest of the country. The acts depicted in this docudrama are more disturbing than in any fictional films and displays humanity at its most repulsive. "An American Crime" is based on the 1965 murder and abuse of teenage Sylvia Likens by Gertrude Baniszewski in Indiana.

But Gertrude is not the only guilty party. Children and an entire neighborhood participated in horrific acts of abuse. In fact, guilt begins with parents Lester and Betty Likens who worked the carny circuit. Lester does not want to be bothered with having Sylvia and younger polio crippled sister Jenny in tow and dumps them on virtual stranger Gertrude with the promise of paying $20 a week. The Liken girls had hooked up with Gertrude's oldest daughter Paula at church.

Chain smoking Gertrude barely scrapes along supporting six children by taking in ironing and herself an abuse victim. Her ex-husband and current younger lover smack her around. The kids are white trash and monsters in the making. Paula is pregnant by a married man and little Johnny already a sadist teasing the dog. The first time $20 fails to arrive, Gertrude takes the sisters to the basement and wallops Sylvia with a belt. "I needed that release," murmers Gertrude.

Abuse escalates as Sylvia is accused of lying, stealing and being a slut. Gertrude orders Johnny to hold Sylvia while Paula slaps her. The older women then inflicts cigarette burns. The mystery of the case is not Gertrude's actions or next door neighbors turning a blind eye but the non-chalant participation of the children. During the trial, the standard response to their actions was "I don't know." The horror peaks when Gertrude orders Sylvia to insert a Coke bottle into her vagina in front of the children, Jenny, creepy neighbor kid Ricky and daughter Stephanie's boyfriend Cory who would become a career criminal.