The story of Morgan Geyser remains one of the most disturbing and fascinating cases in recent American criminal and mental health history. At the age of 12, Morgan was involved in a violent stabbing that shocked the nation, blending real-life tragedy with the internet-born horror myth of the “Slender Man.” To understand Morgan Geyser’s role fully, one must explore both the events of the stabbing and the long aftermath, including how mental health and legal systems intersected in her case.
Table of Contents
- The Slender Man Stabbing Incident: What Happened?
- Morgan Geyser’s Role in the Attack
- Legal and Psychiatric Outcomes
- Recent Developments and Public Response
The Slender Man Stabbing Incident: What Happened?
On May 31, 2014, Morgan Geyser and her friend Anissa Weier, both then 12 years old, lured their classmate Payton Leutner into the woods in Wisconsin. The two attacked Payton, stabbing her 19 times. This violent act was reportedly done to please “Slender Man,” a fictional internet character known for its faceless, tall, slender figure associated with horror stories and urban legends.
Payton survived despite life-threatening injuries, with medical professionals later noting that a slight variation in the attack could have been fatal. The incident shocked communities nationwide, highlighting the dark influence of internet culture on young, impressionable minds.
Morgan Geyser’s Role in the Attack
Morgan Geyser was central to the attack. Unlike some narratives that focus exclusively on external influences, Morgan’s personal mental health struggles played a significant role in her participation. In court records and subsequent evaluations, psychological factors such as psychosis were central to understanding her actions.
Morgan and Anissa admitted to the attack but later were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. This ruling reflected how deeply mental illness affected their perception, particularly in relation to the Slender Man mythology, which they believed was real.
Throughout the years following the attack, Morgan has been under psychiatric care, most notably in the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. She has faced partial freedoms, including supervised release to group homes, while still receiving treatment.
Legal and Psychiatric Outcomes
- Morgan pled guilty to first-degree attempted intentional homicide initially but was later found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, a rare and complex verdict.
- She was committed to a psychiatric hospital rather than a juvenile detention facility.
- Her accomplice, Anissa Weier, was also committed to a mental health institute and released under strict supervision years later.
- Legal rulings focused heavily on Morgan’s mental state, recognizing that the Slender Man belief was intertwined with her psychosis.
This case stands as a prominent example of how the justice system grapples with juvenile offenders who commit extreme violence under severe mental illness. The treatment approach has involved long-term psychiatric care combined with cautious, gradual reintegration efforts.
Recent Developments and Public Response
Recently, Morgan Geyser made headlines again after escaping a Wisconsin group home by cutting off her ankle monitoring device. She was recaptured in Illinois after a brief period on the run, raising questions about her ongoing mental health and community safety.
At age 23, Morgan remains under legal and psychiatric supervision, highlighting the challenges of managing care for individuals involved in high-profile cases with complex mental health histories.
The case continues to prompt debates about internet culture’s influence on youth, the adequacy of mental health treatment in the justice system, and society’s responsibility in addressing these risks.
“If the knife had gone the width of a human hair further, she wouldn’t have lived.” — Dr. John Kelemen, surgeon on Payton Leutner
Morgan’s case is often discussed alongside the cultural phenomenon of “Slender Man,” which was purely fictional but had devastating real-world consequences. It has sparked documentaries, books, and ongoing scholarly discussion about the intersection of fantasy, mental illness, and violence.