Sylvia’s Child Advocacy Center in Boone County may have one of those most recognized namesakes in the world. The CAC Started in 2010 in honor of Sylvia Likens, who, in October 1965, died from what one Indiana Sheriff called “Indiana’s most terrible crime.” Then 16, Likens died after prolonged, sustained abuse, neglect, and torture at the hands of her grandmother. Her experience has been covered extensively on this site and on the CAC’s website.
Indiana Chapter Director Jan Lutz remembers, “As the Indiana Chapter Executive Director, having developed several CACs in the state, the founders of Sylvia’s CAC could not have been more determined to ensure services to promote hope and healing for those in their community. It was never about ‘can we do this’ but always about ‘we are doing this’.” The namesake for the Center had a long history of raising awareness and rallying hope for child victims of crime.
In 1965, Sylvia’s death spurred Indiana lawmakers to rally around several common-sense legal reforms. The most expansive was requiring everyone in Indiana to be Mandated Reporters. At the time, many states — including Indiana — had mandated reporter laws for select professions, like doctors or teachers. But the patchwork of requirements often exempted some professions, like religious leaders, or didn’t include anyone at all. Some of that patchwork persists today in several states, but Indiana forged ahead as a leader requiring everyone to report suspected abuse. It was believed Sylvia Likens could have been rescued since neighbors reported hearing screams of pain and for help hours before her death. But as was customary at the time, neighbors believed what happened in someone else’s home was none of their business.
“Sylvia was born and raised in Boone County,” says Kassie Frazier, Executive Director of Sylvia’s CAC. “Her parents left their children with their grandmother so they could travel for work, Sylvia and her sister asked to stay in Marion County, where their mother had lived. Sylvia’s parents arranged with Gertrude Baniszewski to board both girls for $20 a week, and that is where she unfortunately died.” A small memorial marker stands in the neighborhood where she died.
Sylvia’s “celebrity” has a significant benefit for the children served at our CAC. People Magazine interviewed Frazier and wrote a full-spread story about Likens and her murder late in 2024. “I told them what I tell everyone who asks to talk about Sylvia: we’re happy to talk about how Sylvia’s case led to laws to protect our children and share her experience so long as it benefits the mission of Sylvia’s Child Advocacy Center,” says Frazier.
Several movies and documentaries about Likens have been made, primarily in Europe, and they often correspond to donations. “Sometimes we see a spike in small-dollar donations and we assume it’s because a movie aired on television or was featured somewhere in the world. People have become monthly recurring donors from across the country. Sylvia’s legacy is compelling and drives people to help,” says Frazier.
Sylvia’s name and image — a single yearbook photo of a young woman — are central to Sylvia’s CAC mission. In the past 15 years, the Center has grown to include a forensic interviewer, a victim advocate, and Frazier. The staff regularly conducts community-wide prevention education seminars in Boone and neighboring Montgomery County. “Amber [Harrington] has been conducting prevention education seminars for a few years now, funded in part by everyone’s generous donations. We’re convinced some of the decline in our caseload is attributable to prevention education,” says Frazier.
The Center is preparing to host its annual Sylvia’s Breakfast this Apr 22, 2025. “We’ve outgrown our former space and are moving to a much larger venue this year,” explains Frazier. “We expect 250 people to attend. We always start with a brief history of Sylvia before talking about future endeavors. She’s central to our mission. We’ll never forget her. And if her name and people’s recognition of her help protect and serve kids like her today, all the better.”
“This year we are excited to have Alicia Kozakiewicz a human trafficking survivor, speak at our breakfast. You can read more about her at https://www.aliciakozak.com/about.”