On May 31, 2014, the quiet town of Waukesha, Wisconsin, became the setting for one of the most disturbing crimes in modern history.
A 12-year-old girl, Payton Leutner, was lured into the woods by her two closest friends, stabbed 19 times, and left for dead.
The motive behind the attack was as chilling as the act itself—her attackers believed they were proving their loyalty to Slender Man, a fictional internet horror character.
Slender Man
Miraculously, Payton survived. But while her physical wounds eventually healed, the psychological scars ran far deeper.
In the years since, she has had to navigate the long and painful journey of rebuilding her life—overcoming betrayal, trauma, and the overwhelming media attention that followed her ordeal.
Slender Man was born out of an online horror competition in 2009, when a user named Eric Knudsen posted altered black-and-white photos featuring a faceless, unnaturally tall figure lurking in the background.
The character quickly took on a life of its own, inspiring countless fan-created horror stories known as creepypastas. Some of these stories painted Slender Man as a shadowy entity that kidnapped and manipulated children, whispering to them from the dark corners of their minds.
For most people, Slender Man was nothing more than an eerie piece of internet folklore. But for two impressionable 12-year-old girls, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, he became something terrifyingly real.
They convinced themselves that Slender Man would harm them and their families unless they proved their devotion to him. The only way to do that, they believed, was to kill their friend.
On the night before the attack, Payton, Morgan, and Anissa had what seemed like an ordinary sleepover. They ate junk food, played games, and talked late into the night. Payton had no idea that Morgan and Anissa had already decided that this would be her last night alive.
The next morning, under the pretense of playing hide-and-seek, the three girls wandered into the woods behind a local park. It was there that Morgan, urged on by Anissa, pulled out a kitchen knife and began stabbing Payton.
The attack was frenzied and brutal. One of the stab wounds came within millimeters of piercing Payton’s heart.
As she lay bleeding on the forest floor, her attackers whispered reassurances. “Stay here,” they told her. “We’ll go get help.” But they had no intention of coming back.
Morgan Geyser and her classmate Anissa Weier lured Payton Leutner into woods and stabbed her 19 times.
They left her to die and set off on foot toward the woods, believing they were on their way to meet Slender Man in his supposed mansion.
But Payton refused to die. Clawing her way out of the woods, she managed to reach a bike path, where a passing cyclist found her.
When paramedics arrived, they were stunned that she was still conscious despite her massive injuries. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to save her life.
During the police investigation, Morgan Geyser, without counsel or a guardian present, was described as showing no empathy for the stabbing of Payton Leutner. In contrast, her co-assailant, Anissa Weier, expressed guilt but both stated the attack was to appease the fictional character, Slender Man.
Geyser disclosed experiencing lifelong visual and auditory hallucinations, including figures she believed to be ghosts and imaginary friends. She frequently saw a man named "It," described as smoky and ink-like.
After her arrest, Geyser's behavior became more erratic, talking to herself, pretending to be a cat, and believing in conversations with characters like Severus Snape and Slender Man.
In 2014, Geyser was diagnosed with early-onset childhood schizophrenia. After an inadequate treatment period, a consistent regimen of antipsychotics began in 2015, allowing her to recognize the severity of her crime and express remorse.
Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier were charged in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing incident, which left Payton Leutner critically injured. Geyser was charged with attempted first-degree homicide, while Weier faced attempted second-degree homicide.
Both were waived out of juvenile court and tried as adults due to the brutal nature of the crime.
In 2017, Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree homicide and was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
She was sentenced to 25 years to life, with at least three years of confinement in a psychiatric institution and subsequent communal supervision until the age of 37.
Geyser accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty but was found not guilty by reason of mental illness after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. She received the maximum sentence of 40 years to life, with at least three years in confinement and treatment in a psychiatric institution until her symptoms resolve or she reaches age 53.
In 2020, Geyser's attorney petitioned for her to be retried as a juvenile, arguing she was charged too harshly for the crime. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declined to hear her appeal, and Geyser's adult conviction stood.
While Payton’s body healed, the emotional aftermath of the attack was far more difficult to overcome. She had not just been brutally assaulted—she had been betrayed by the person she considered her best friend.
The realization that someone she trusted so deeply had been capable of such cruelty shattered her sense of safety in the world.
In the years following the attack, Payton struggled with trust. She admitted in interviews that for a long time, she slept with a pair of broken scissors under her pillow, a subconscious effort to feel some sense of protection. Fear became a constant companion.
Though Morgan and Anissa were locked away, the trauma of what had happened lingered.
School became both a refuge and a challenge. While Payton was determined to regain a sense of normalcy, she had to navigate whispers and stares from classmates who knew her story.
She kept a small, tight-knit group of friends and focused on academics, trying to push past the ever-present shadow of what had happened.
Slender Man' stabbing victim Payton Leutner
Unlike most victims of violent crimes, Payton had no anonymity. The media attention surrounding the case was relentless. Documentaries, news specials, and online discussions dissected every detail of the attack.
For years, strangers speculated about her life, her trauma, and even her attackers’ mental states.
Yet, despite the overwhelming public interest, Payton remained largely silent. It wasn’t until 2019—five years after the stabbing—that she agreed to a single interview, sitting down with ABC’s 20/20 to share her side of the story.
Speaking with remarkable composure, she described her healing process and her decision to move forward rather than be defined by what had happened to her.
Her choice to finally speak out wasn’t for attention, but for control. For years, others had told her story for her. Now, she was ready to reclaim it.
Payton’s road to recovery has not been easy, but she has forged ahead with strength and resilience. She graduated high school with honors and set her sights on a future in the medical field, inspired by the doctors who saved her life. She hopes to one day help others in the way they helped her.
When asked about her attackers, she has chosen not to dwell on them. Though both girls were found not guilty by reason of insanity—Morgan diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia and sentenced to 40 years in a psychiatric institution, while Anissa received 25 years—Payton has little interest in following their cases.
She prefers to focus on her own life rather than the fate of the people who tried to take it from her.
She has also come to terms with her scars, both physical and emotional. In her 20/20 interview, she acknowledged that while the wounds will always be part of her, they do not define her. Instead, she sees them as proof of her survival.
Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier were both sentenced to mental health institutions rather than prison. Morgan, diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia, received the harsher sentence—up to 40 years in a psychiatric facility—due to her role as the one who physically carried out the stabbing.
Winnebago Mental Health Institute
Anissa, who played a more passive role in encouraging the attack, was sentenced to 25 years but was granted conditional release in 2021 after serving nearly seven years. She remains under court supervision and must adhere to strict conditions, including GPS monitoring and psychiatric treatment.
Morgan Geyser in 2014 asks for conditional release
Morgan has also petitioned for early release but this was initially denied. While both girls have expressed remorse for their actions, their fate remains a topic of public debate, particularly in discussions about juvenile crime, mental illness, and the criminal justice system.
In January 2025, the Associated Press reported that a judge had ordered Geyser's release following expert testimony that she had made significant progress during her time at Winnebago Mental Health Institute and was no longer deemed a safety risk.
Upon her release, the judge mandated that Geyser, now 22, would spend 60 days under supervision while residing in a group home. However, it was reported in March 2025 that, a recent motion has been filed to prevent the release of Morgan Geyser.
The motion comes after new allegations emerged from the mental health facility where Geyser is being treated, including claims that she sent violent artwork to a man. Geyser’s lawyer denies any inappropriate behavior.
However, due to the recent allegations, a new hearing has been scheduled to determine whether Geyser’s release should be reconsidered.
Despite the new allegations, three psychologists testified last month that Geyser has made significant mental progress and is now mentally ready for supervised release. This testimony had initially led to the plan for her release within the next 60 days. However, the recent developments have prompted a review of the decision.
A new hearing to discuss whether Geyser’s release should be revoked is set for next week. As the case continues to capture national attention, all eyes are on the legal proceedings that will determine whether Geyser will be allowed to move forward with her release plan.
Slender Man Stabbing: Anissa Weier
In October 2019, Leutner spoke publicly for the first time about the Slender Man stabbing during a 20/20 interview with Muir. She shared that, even five years after the attack, she still slept with broken scissors under her pillow. She also expressed a surprising sense of gratitude for what had happened to her.
"Just because of what she did, I have the life I have now," Leutner said. "I really, really like it and I have a plan. I didn't have a plan when I was 12, and now, I do because of everything that I went through. I wouldn't think that someone who went through what I did would ever say that, but that’s truly how I feel. Without the whole situation, I wouldn't be who I am."
The Slender Man stabbing case serves as a sobering reminder of the power of digital folklore and the vulnerability of young minds. It highlights the urgent need for better mental health support for children, especially those who struggle with distinguishing fiction from reality.
More than anything, though, Payton’s story is one of resilience. She was left for dead, betrayed in the worst possible way, yet she refused to let that moment define her life. She is not just the girl who survived Slender Man—she is the girl who fought back, who healed, and who chose to keep moving forward.
Her story is not one of tragedy, but of strength.
