What's happened
Morgan Geyser, involved in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing at age 12, has her conditional release revoked after she cut off her GPS monitor and fled her Madison group home. She is now to be returned to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, following a request from state officials and a court ruling.
What's behind the headline?
The revocation of Morgan Geyser's release underscores the persistent challenges in managing juvenile offenders with severe mental health issues. Despite her conditional release, authorities and mental health officials expressed doubts about her trustworthiness, which proved justified when she fled her group home. This incident reveals systemic vulnerabilities in monitoring and risk assessment protocols, especially for individuals with a history of violent behavior and online influence. The case also raises questions about the effectiveness of long-term institutionalization versus community-based supervision for such offenders. Moving forward, this story will likely intensify debates on balancing rehabilitation with public safety, and whether current mental health and legal frameworks are sufficient to prevent future incidents. It also exemplifies the ongoing influence of internet myths like Slender Man on vulnerable youth, emphasizing the need for better digital literacy and mental health support.
What the papers say
The articles from NY Post, AP News, and The Independent all detail the court's decision to revoke Geyser's release privileges after she cut off her GPS monitor and fled her Madison group home. They agree that Geyser and Weier, both 12 at the time of the attack, targeted classmate Payton Leutner in 2014 to impress the fictional character Slender Man, with Geyser stabbing Leutner 19 times. All sources highlight Geyser's commitment to the mental health institute—40 years—and Weier's 25 years, with Weier having been released conditionally in 2021. The articles differ slightly in tone and detail: AP emphasizes Geyser's decision not to contest her revocation, while The Independent notes the warnings from health officials about her trustworthiness. The NY Post provides additional context about her recent escape and arrest, framing the story as a failure of supervision and risk management. These contrasting perspectives deepen understanding of the ongoing challenges in juvenile mental health and criminal justice.
How we got here
In 2014, Geyser and her friend Weier lured classmate Payton Leutner to a park, where Geyser stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to impress the internet myth Slender Man. Both girls were committed to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, with Geyser sentenced to 40 years. Geyser was granted conditional release in September 2025, despite warnings from authorities, but she fled the group home in November after cutting off her GPS monitor. She was arrested in Illinois the following day. The case highlights ongoing concerns about mental health treatment and risk management for juvenile offenders involved in violent crimes linked to online influences.
Go deeper
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The Slender Man (also called Slenderman, Slender, or Slendy) is a fictional supernatural character that originated as a creepypasta Internet meme created by Something Awful forum user Eric Knudsen (also known as "Victor Surge") in 2009. He is depicted...