The Unsettling Disappearance of Slender Man Stabber Morgan Geyser

It was a story that chilled the nation, a brutal act committed by children, allegedly under the influence of an internet urban legend. So, when news broke that Morgan Geyser, one of the two girls convicted in the harrowing 2014 Slender Man stabbing, had reportedly cut off her ankle monitor and vanished from her treatment facility in 2018, it sent a fresh wave of unsettling anxiety across communities. You can only imagine the concern that ripple through Wisconsin, and indeed, beyond.

Geyser, who was just 12 years old at the time of the horrific attack, had been under the court's supervision, undergoing treatment for her severe mental health issues. Her sudden disappearance wasn't just a breach of protocol; it raised immediate, pressing questions about public safety and the ongoing challenges of managing individuals with complex psychological conditions who have also committed violent acts. It was a stark reminder of the gravity of the original crime.

For those who might not recall the specifics, the Slender Man case involved Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, luring their classmate, Payton Leutner, into a wooded park in Waukesha, Wisconsin. There, they stabbed her 19 times, a shocking act they later claimed was an attempt to appease the fictional online character, Slender Man. Miraculously, Payton survived, crawling out of the woods to seek help. Her survival remains a testament to incredible resilience.

Geyser, in particular, was diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia, a severe mental illness that profoundly influenced the legal proceedings surrounding her case. The courts ultimately deemed her not criminally responsible for her actions due to her mental state, sentencing her to a maximum of 40 years in a state mental health facility. Weier, on the other hand, received a sentence of 25 years in a similar institution, also due to mental illness. These sentences reflected a societal struggle to balance accountability with the complexities of mental health in young offenders.

So, when the news surfaced about Geyser's monitor being tampered with and her subsequent disappearance, it naturally triggered a widespread search and renewed fears. Local law enforcement, of course, launched an immediate investigation, working tirelessly to locate her. The public, understandably, was on edge, grappling with the memory of the original crime and the implications of her being unaccounted for. Thankfully, she was located shortly after, bringing a collective sigh of relief, but the incident undeniably highlighted the continuous challenges involved in these cases.

Ultimately, this episode in 2018 served as a chilling epilogue to an already deeply disturbing story. It reminded us all of the profound impact of mental illness, the real-world consequences of internet mythologies, and the delicate balance our justice system tries to strike when dealing with incredibly young individuals who commit unfathomable acts.