A Notorious Case Reopened

WASHINGTON D.C. – A high-profile American woman, Morgan Geyser, now 23, who was institutionalized for the infamous 2014 ‘Slender Man’ stabbing, has been declared missing, United States authorities confirmed on Sunday, November 23, 2025. According to the Madison Police Department in Wisconsin, Geyser absconded from a group home on Saturday evening, November 22, 2025, after removing her court-mandated electronic monitoring device. She was reportedly last seen at approximately 8:00 PM local time (Sunday, 5:00 AM EAT) with an adult acquaintance.

The disappearance has triggered a significant law enforcement response and thrust a case that once captivated and horrified the world back into the spotlight. The incident raises profound questions about the rehabilitation of offenders with severe mental illness and the long-term consequences of crimes influenced by internet folklore. For a global audience, including Kenyans, it serves as a stark case study on the intersection of adolescent psychology, the digital world, and the criminal justice system.

The Crime That Shocked a Nation

The original crime occurred on May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, both 12 years old at the time, lured their classmate, Payton Leutner, also 12, into a wooded park following a sleepover. In a premeditated act, Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier encouraged her. Leutner sustained life-threatening injuries but miraculously survived after crawling to a nearby road where a cyclist found her and called for help.

During interrogations, both Geyser and Weier claimed the attack was a necessary sacrifice to appease ‘Slender Man,’ a fictional supernatural character that originated as an internet meme. They believed the entity was real and that by killing their friend, they would become his servants, or ‘proxies,’ and protect their own families from his wrath. This motive, born from a shared delusion rooted in online horror stories, sparked widespread debate about the internet's influence on vulnerable children.

A Complex Legal and Medical Journey

Despite their youth, Geyser and Weier were charged as adults with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Geyser was diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia, a condition her father had also reportedly suffered from as an adolescent. In 2017, both were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Weier pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to 25 years in a mental health institution. She was granted a conditional release in 2021 and has been living with her father under strict supervision. Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide and in 2018 was committed to a psychiatric hospital for a maximum of 40 years, the most severe sentence possible.

After years of treatment at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, Geyser petitioned for conditional release. Following testimony from multiple psychological experts who attested to her significant progress in managing her mental illness, a judge granted her release in January 2025. The plan, finalized in July 2025, involved her living in a supervised group home with GPS monitoring and continued therapy. Her release from the institute and placement into the group home occurred earlier this year.

Global Implications and Unanswered Questions

Geyser's disappearance now prompts an urgent re-evaluation of her case and the broader issues it represents. Her attorney, Tony Cotton, issued a public plea on Sunday, urging her to surrender to authorities. "It’s in her best interest for her to turn herself in immediately and not continue with this course of action," Cotton stated in a social media video, adding that the circumstances of her departure are unknown.

The case remains a significant cultural touchstone, illustrating the potential for online narratives to blur the lines between fiction and reality for young, impressionable minds. While the events are geographically distant from Kenya, the underlying themes are universally relevant in an increasingly digitized world. The story highlights the critical need for mental health awareness and digital literacy among youth, parents, and educators everywhere. As the search for Morgan Geyser continues, the world watches, reminded of a chilling crime and the complex, ongoing challenge of balancing justice, rehabilitation, and public safety.