It has been over a decade since Payton Leutner, 12 at the time, survived a violent attack by two of her close friends in Waukesha, Wisconsin. On May 31, 2014, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier lured Leutner into the woods under the pretense of playing hide-and-seek, then stabbed her 19 times, leaving her for dead.
Miraculous Survival
Leutner crawled to a nearby path, where a local cyclist found her and called for help. She was rushed to ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital and underwent six hours of emergency surgery.
The knife strikes hit her arms, legs, torso, diaphragm, liver, stomach, and narrowly missed her heart and artery. Despite the severity, Leutner survived after spending 10 days in the hospital and months recovering through follow-up care and counseling.
Attack Motivated by Slender Man Obsession
Geyser and Weier later admitted they attacked Leutner to appease the fictional horror character, Slender Man, whom they believed was real. Both girls were charged as adults: Geyser with first-degree attempted homicide and Weier with second-degree attempted homicide.
Psychiatric Commitments and Conditional Releases
Geyser and Weier were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and committed to psychiatric facilities.
- Weier was sentenced to a maximum of 25 years and released from Winnebago Mental Health Institute in September 2021 after applying for conditional release.
- Geyser was sentenced to 40 years and released in July 2025 under monitoring conditions, including a bracelet and living in a supervised group home.
Leutner’s Recovery and Reflection
Leutner spent months recovering physically and emotionally, requiring counseling and support from her family. She shared in a 2019 20/20 interview that the attack left her cautious, but she has focused on the positive aspects of her life.
“I would probably, initially thank her,” Leutner said about Geyser. “Just because of what she did, I have the life I have now. I really, really like it and I have a plan. Without the whole situation, I wouldn’t be who I am.”
While she remains guarded, Leutner continues to move forward, saying she does “not think much” of her former friends and expects they will eventually fade from public attention.
