- In the beginning of the movie both Lester and Betty Likens were separated. Why didn’t Betty
want to get back on the road with the carnival/fair? What did Lester suggest would help their
relationship? - How did the Likens girls meet the Baniszewski children? How long did Lester Likens know
Gertrude Baniszewski before he agreed to let the girls stay with her and her family? How much
money per week did the Likens have to pay in order for the girls to stay? What Medical
condition did Jenny Likens have? - What type of punishment did Sylvia and Jenna get because of the money order from their
parents being late? - Gertrude’s daughter Paula ended up getting pregnant by a married man. How did Sylvia catch
the brunt of it? What other lies did Paula tell in order to get Sylvia in trouble? How did Gertrude
allow Paula to get even on the lies she allegedly told? - Why do you believe that Gertrude threw away the letter that the Likens had written to their
daughters? Sylvia and Jenny called their parents from a pay phone after they found the letter
and expressed concerns. Based on the short conversation in the phone booth, should it have
been a red flag? If so, why? What was the punishment that Sylvia had to suffer because the girls
called their parents? - How did the neighbors react to the abuse that they heard? Why do you think they reacted this
way? - After locking Sylvia in the basement, what was the story that Gertrude has the children to tell
everyone? How did the other kids treat Sylvia when they came over to see her in the basement? - Who helps Sylvia up the stairs to escape? Why did this person have a change of heart?
- Gertrude stuck to her lies till the very end and received life in prison. She was paroled after 20
years, do you agree with her parole? Why or why not? The other children who took part in the
assaults only received a few years, should they have gotten more time? Why or why not? - It’s not clear according to the movie if Lester and Betty Liken were held accountable for leaving
the girls with the Baniszewski’s. Should they have been charged with neglect? Why or why not?
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