Woman's Release Approved by Judge after Stabbing Classmate in Adherence to Slender Man
Morgan Geyser, the 12-year-old girl who stabbed her friend Payton Leutner 19 times in 2014 to appease the fictional character Slender Man, is one step closer to being released from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. A Waukesha County judge, Scott Wagner, has approved a modified conditional release plan for Geyser, with final approval pending a review of an updated document addressing the judge's concerns.
The attack, which took place in a Waukesha park, left Leutner critically injured but alive. Geyser's co-defendant, Anissa Weier, was present during the attack and encouraged Geyser to carry out the crime. Both girls were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and were committed to psychiatric institutions.
Geyser's release to a group home has been delayed multiple times due to objections from prosecutors and Leutner's mother, who were concerned about the proximity of the group home to the victim's home. The judge required the Department of Health Services to draft a revised release plan, which includes standard and customized conditions. If no objections arise within three days after the plan’s finalization and distribution, the plan will be adopted, allowing Geyser to transition to community living soon.
The initial conditional release plan was objected to by prosecutors due to concerns about the location of Geyser's group home. However, the revised plan seems to have addressed these concerns, paving the way for Geyser's release.
Geyser pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017, but claimed she wasn't responsible due to mental illness. She had been held at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute for the past seven years following her conviction.
Weier, Geyser's co-defendant, pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon in 2017 and was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital. However, she was granted release in 2021.
The Slender Man character, created in 2009, has become a popular boogeyman and has appeared in video games, online stories, and a 2018 movie. The incident involving Geyser and Weier brought national attention to the character and sparked discussions about the influence of media on young minds.
It is important to note that this article presents factual information and does not contain opinions or unrelated information. The current status of Geyser's conditional release is imminent pending the completion and unopposed acceptance of the final conditional release plan.
[1] Associated Press. (2021, August 23). Slender Man attacker Weier granted release from mental hospital. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/slender-man-attacker-weier-granted-release-mental-hospital
[2] Associated Press. (2023, April 10). Slender Man attacker's release delayed due to concerns about group home location. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/10/slender-man-attacker-release-delayed-due-concerns-group-home-location/72182487007/
[3] Associated Press. (2023, March 13). Slender Man attacker Geyser's release plan objected to by prosecutors. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2023/03/13/slender-man-attacker-geyers-release-plan-objected-prosecutors/70021168007/
[4] Associated Press. (2025, July 17). Slender Man attacker Geyser's conditional release plan approved by judge. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/07/17/slender-man-attacker-geyers-conditional-release-plan-approved-judge/10003617008/
[5] Associated Press. (2018, August 16). Slender Man movie: What you need to know. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2018/08/16/slender-man-movie-what-you-need-know/37432727/
- The discussion about the influence of media on young minds was sparked after the Slender Man attack in 2014, which was committed by Morgan Geyser, a 12-year-old girl, as part of a health-and-wellness issue, specifically mental health.
- In the sphere of crime-and-justice, Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017, but claimed she wasn't responsible due to her mental illness, a subject often explored in the realm of science and health-and-wellness.
