A judge has ruled that the two preteen girls who stabbed a classmate to please a mythical monster named “Slender Man” will stand trial as adults.
Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, both 12 years old, stabbed their classmate 19 times, saying that they did this in order to show their devotion to Slender Man, and to prove that he was real. As a result, they planned the killing for months, eventually luring their schoolmate into the woods of Waukesha, Wisconsin, before stabbing her multiple times. Remarkably, the victim lived.
NBC reports that the girls’ attorneys argued that trying them as adults would be cruel and unusual punishment, and that in a juvenile facility, the girls would have access to better mental health services. As adults, Geyser and Weier are facing one count of felony attempted murder, a conviction that could carry a sentence of up to 65 years in prison. If they’d been tried as juveniles, they would’ve only been held for five years until they turn 18.
The Slender Man is an Internet urban legend, depicting a tall, (yes) slender man in a suit with a featureless face, who preys on people, particularly children. Geyser and Weier said that they were afraid that Slender Man would kill their families.
(via NBC New)