A Wisconsin judge has ruled that Morgan Geyser, one of the two girls involved in the 2014 “Slender Man” stabbing, will be released from a psychiatric facility, despite concerns raised by state officials about potential “red flags” in her behavior.
Geyser, now 22, was committed to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute after she and her friend, Anissa Weier, lured their classmate, Payton Leutner, into the woods and stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to appease the fictional character “Slender Man.” Leutner survived the attack.
In January, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren approved Geyser’s conditional release, citing expert testimony that she had made significant progress during her time at the facility. However, state officials later filed a petition to keep her committed, pointing to her interest in violent literature and communication with a murder memorabilia collector as concerning behaviors.
Despite these concerns, Judge Bohren maintained his decision, stating, “I don’t see the risk to the public.” Geyser’s attorney argued that the facility was aware of her activities and that she had not violated any rules.
Geyser’s co-defendant, Anissa Weier, was released from the same facility in 2021 under similar conditions.
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Geyser’s release plan includes supervised living arrangements and ongoing mental health treatment. A hearing to finalize the details of her release is scheduled for later this month