Morgan Geyser, the 12-Year-Old Behind ‘Slender Man’ Stabbings, Freed From Psychiatric Hospital

A meme from the Something Awful forum somehow evolved into an obsession for two pre-teen kids in the early 2010s. Taken to its extreme, an innocent child nearly died, two more have served time in mental health facilities, and no one benefitted.

This is a story that caught the attention of the entire country, and went on to inspire a documentary as well as two movies. If you've heard of the Slenderman, then you might know this story? Morgan Geyser was the mastermind of a crime that still haunts people to this day. Where is she now? Here's what we know.

Geyser was at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute for nearly seven years when a judge decided she was ready to be released. The decision was made on Jan. 9, 2025, when Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren found she had "maximized her treatment options at the facility and is no longer a safety risk."

The next step is getting Geyser into a supervised group home until a hearing is set up within 60 days. Judge Bohren added, "She’s done what she’s supposed to do. She appears to have a good attitude."

Geyser was sent to a Wisconsin mental health facility in 2018 after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. The victim was a fellow child and former friend, 12-year-old Payton Leutner. Geyser and another girl, 12-year-old Anissa Weier, lured Payton into a wooded area of a park and stabbed the girl 19 times.

Weier was sentenced to 25 years to life in a mental health institution. She was released after seven years. Geyser was sentenced to 40 years to life.

According to the Associated Press, Geyer had "petitioned Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren, who committed her, for release four times since June 2022. At a hearing in April 2024, four mental health doctors testified in relation to Geyser, her mental health, and potential release.

Dr. Brooke Lundbohm, clinical psychologist, said, "It is my opinion that she continues to pose a significant risk of bodily harm to self, others, or property," per CBS 58.

Two doctors felt that Geyser was ready to emerge into public. Dr. Kenneth Robbins said, "There is no suggestion that she is dangerous at this time, and the kinds of things that Morgan needs in my view ... help with socialization, help with education, help with being independent, are things that Winnebago can no longer provide in an effective way."

Dr. Kayla Pope said, "At this point, she is safe to return to the community. I don't know that much more could be done to make her safer."

Leutner spoke about the attacks for the first time in an October 2019 interview with ABC. Speaking about what happened before the attack, she said. "They just wanted to go on a walk and I didn't think much of it. It's just a walk. It's in Waukesha. What bad stuff happens in Waukesha, Wisconsin?"

After being left for dead by her fellow 12-year-olds, Leutner crawled to a nearby bike path for help. She was discovered and rushed to the hospital. Leutner nearly died from her wounds. She was saved after six hours of surgery at the ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital. "I remember the first thing that I thought after I woke up was like, 'Did they get them?'" she told ABC. "'Are they there? Are they in custody? Are they still out?'"

Speaking about the motive, the Slender Man of it all, Leutner wasn’t shocked. “After I heard why she did it, I was like, 'Well, this doesn't surprise me at all because she believed so hard in this thing that she would do anything for it.'"

The most recent update on Payton came in September 2021. Her family was not pleased Weier was being released early from her mental health facility sentence. A family spokesman said they were '"disappointed' and "wish that she would have served a longer sentence." The spokesmen also said Leutner was then a sophomore in college, "doing very well" and "enjoying school."