Imagine a chilling tale where a fictional internet character drives a young girl to commit a heinous act, only for her to vanish years later, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. This is the story of Morgan Geyser, the ‘Slender Man’ attacker, who has gone missing in Wisconsin.
More than a decade ago, Geyser, then just 12 years old, and her friend Anissa Weier, lured their classmate, Peyton Leutner, into a park in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Their motive? To appease Slender Man, a haunting figure from online lore. The girls stabbed Leutner 19 times, but miraculously, she survived, crawling to safety where a cyclist found her. But here’s where it gets even more unsettling: Geyser, now 23, has disappeared after cutting off her monitoring bracelet and leaving a group home in Madison. Her whereabouts remain unknown as of Sunday morning, according to Madison Police.
And this is the part most people miss: The trio were close friends, and Leutner had even attended a slumber party at Geyser’s home the night of the attack. Geyser’s obsession with Slender Man, a character that terrified Leutner, was a constant topic of conversation. At 15, Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder, striking a deal to be placed in a mental institution instead of prison. After nearly seven years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, a judge ordered her release in January. But her newfound freedom has taken a disturbing turn.
Here’s the controversial twist: While some argue Geyser deserves a second chance after receiving treatment, others fear she remains a danger to society. Her attorney, Tony Cotton, has pleaded with her to turn herself in, stating, ‘We worked too hard to secure her freedom for her to continue on this path.’ Yet, the circumstances of her escape—how she broke out and whether she had help—remain unclear. In August, a facility in Sun Prairie refused to take her due to negative publicity, leaving her at the Madison group home where she was last seen.
This case raises unsettling questions: Can someone who committed such a horrific act as a child truly be rehabilitated? And what does her disappearance mean for her future—and public safety? What do you think? Is Geyser a victim of her own delusions, or does her escape signal a deeper risk? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
