Morgan Geyser: 'Slender Man' attacker who stabbed classmate 19 times at the age of 12 denied early release
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
WISCONSIN: Morgan Geyser, the Wisconsin woman who infamously stabbed her sixth-grade classmate in 2014 as a sacrifice to the fictional character Slender Man, has been denied conditional release from a mental institution.
Following a petition for freedom, Geyser's request was rejected by a judge at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute citing concerns that the 21-year-old still posed a risk of harming herself, others, or damaging property, despite her claims of faking psychotic symptoms over the past decade, which two psychologists testified “doesn’t line up” with years of perception.
Experts advise against premature release of Morgan Geyser
Geyser was initially sentenced to a maximum of 40 years in the facility in 2018 after being found not guilty by reason of mental disease for the brutal stabbing of her friend, Payton Leutner. Alongside Geyser, Anissa Weier, her accomplice in the attack, was also committed to Winnebago Mental Health Institute in 2017. However, Weier was granted conditional release in September 2021.
“If the person is not able to have insight into their mental health condition, the potential warning signs, the triggers that could cause decline, have insight into the kinds of treatment that may be beneficial — it raises a lot of concerns,” testified Brooke Lundbohm, who has seen Geyser since 2014, about being discharged. While acknowledging her progress in mental capacities, experts cautioned against premature release, per New York Post.
Insights into 'Slender Man' stabbing
The shocking incident occurred when Geyser and Weier, both just 12 years old at the time, lured Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover in May 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier cheered her on. Miraculously, the victim managed to survive the assault by pulling herself out of the woods and signaling a passing bicyclist for help.
In police interviews, Geyser and Weier attributed the attack to their belief in 'Slender Man', a fictional online character described as a tall, slim, faceless figure lurking in forests and traumatizing children. Geyser was diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder and pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide, leading to her placement in the psychiatric institute.
Weier admitted guilt to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and was likewise transferred to the psychiatric facility. In 2021, she was permitted release to reside with her father and was mandated to wear a GPS monitor. However, experts cautioned that although Geyser has made “bona fide progress” in her mental abilities, she should continue to be detained.
