Imagine believing so strongly in a fictional monster that you attempt to murder your friend. That's the chilling reality of the Slender Man stabbing case, and now, there's another twist: Morgan Geyser, one of the perpetrators, is missing after removing her electronic monitoring device.
Authorities in Madison, Wisconsin, issued an alert on Sunday, stating that 23-year-old Morgan Geyser was last seen the previous evening, Saturday, in the company of an adult acquaintance. The urgent alert explicitly requests anyone who spots Geyser to immediately contact 911, emphasizing that she had severed her Department of Corrections monitoring bracelet.
But here's where it gets controversial... Geyser's case raises complex questions about mental health, accountability, and the influence of online culture.
Geyser had been residing in a group home since earlier this year, following a conditional release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. She was initially committed to the psychiatric facility in 2018 after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. This plea deal was struck to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. Her attorney, Tony Cotton, expressed his lack of knowledge regarding the current situation and directly appealed to Geyser in an Instagram video, urging her to surrender. He stated, "It’s in her best interest for her to turn herself in immediately and not continue with this course of action. We don’t know any of the facts about what happened or who might have assisted her."
Let's rewind to understand the gravity of the original crime. In 2014, Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, both just 12 years old, lured their classmate, Payton Leutner, to a park in suburban Milwaukee after a sleepover. Geyser, driven by a disturbing belief in the Slender Man myth, brutally stabbed Leutner more than a dozen times while Weier allegedly encouraged her. Leutner miraculously survived the attack.
And this is the part most people miss... The girls later told investigators that they committed the heinous act to appease Slender Man, believing it would earn them a place as his servants and prevent him from harming their families.
Slender Man, for those unfamiliar, originated as an internet meme created by Eric Knudsen in 2009. He depicted a tall, thin, faceless figure often photo-edited into backgrounds with children. The character quickly evolved into a widespread urban legend, featured in video games, online stories, and even a 2018 movie. His influence, in this tragic case, had devastating real-world consequences.
Anissa Weier also pleaded guilty, though to a lesser charge of attempted second-degree intentional homicide. She too was sent to a psychiatric center and was released in 2021. The case of Morgan Geyser highlights the delicate balance between providing mental health care and ensuring public safety.
This situation begs the question: Should individuals with severe mental health issues who commit violent crimes ever be granted conditional release? And how much responsibility should online platforms bear for the spread of potentially dangerous content, especially when it influences vulnerable individuals? What measures can be implemented to prevent similar tragedies in the future? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.
