Slender Man Waukesha stabbing: Morgan Geyser, who stabbed classmate, missing after cutting off electronic monitoring device: Cops – ABC7 Chicago

Report on the Disappearance of Morgan Geyser and its Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

This report details the recent disappearance of Morgan Geyser, an individual convicted in the 2014 “Slender Man” stabbing case, and analyzes the event through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly focusing on health, justice, and community safety.

Incident Overview

Morgan Geyser, age 23, has been reported missing by authorities in Madison, Wisconsin. Key details of the incident include:

• Date of Disappearance: Last seen on Saturday evening.
• Circumstances: Geyser reportedly cut off a Department of Corrections electronic monitoring device and left a group home.
• Background: In 2014, at age 12, Geyser and an accomplice, Anissa Weier, attacked a classmate, Payton Leutner, in an act they claimed was to appease the fictional online character “Slender Man.”
• Legal Status: Geyser had been granted conditional release in 2025 from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she was committed after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide.

Analysis through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The case provides a critical lens through which to examine the challenges and progress related to several key SDGs.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

This case underscores the critical importance of comprehensive mental health services as a component of public health and well-being.

• Mental Health Care Systems: Geyser’s initial placement in a psychiatric institute rather than a prison reflects an institutional approach aimed at treatment and rehabilitation, aligning with SDG Target 3.4, which promotes mental health and well-being.
• Continuity of Care: Her disappearance from a group home after being granted conditional release highlights the significant challenges in transitioning individuals from institutional care to community-based support systems. It points to a potential gap in the resources and structures needed for successful long-term management and reintegration.
• Impact on Victims: The long-term physical and psychological well-being of the victim, Payton Leutner, remains a central concern under this goal, emphasizing the need for sustained support for survivors of violence.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The legal and correctional handling of Geyser’s case directly relates to the goal of building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

1. Juvenile Justice: The judicial system’s response to a violent crime committed by a 12-year-old with severe mental illness demonstrates an attempt to balance accountability with rehabilitation, a core tenet of a just legal system.
2. Institutional Effectiveness: The failure of the electronic monitoring system and Geyser’s subsequent disappearance test the effectiveness of correctional institutions tasked with public safety. This incident raises questions about the reliability of monitoring technologies and the adequacy of supervision protocols for individuals on conditional release.
3. Access to Justice: The case involved a plea agreement and a sentence focused on mental health treatment, illustrating a pathway within the justice system that prioritizes therapeutic intervention over punitive measures for specific cases.

Associated SDG Considerations

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): The origin of the crime, influenced by an online horror character, highlights the need for education systems to incorporate digital literacy, critical thinking, and mental health awareness to help young people navigate the digital world safely.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The placement of individuals with complex needs into community-based group homes is integral to creating inclusive communities. This event, however, also brings to the forefront the challenge of ensuring community safety while supporting the reintegration of individuals from institutional settings.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The issues discussed in the article, which revolve around a violent crime committed by minors, mental health, and the justice system’s response, are primarily connected to two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article explicitly mentions the perpetrator’s mental health issues, her commitment to the “Winnebago Mental Health Institute,” and her placement in a “psychiatric institute.” This highlights the critical role of mental health services in the context of crime and rehabilitation.
   • SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The core of the article is about a violent crime (“nearly stabbing a classmate to death”), the subsequent legal process (“pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide”), and the mechanisms of the justice system, such as conditional release and electronic monitoring (“Department of Corrections monitoring bracelet”). The escape of the individual also points to challenges within these institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s content, several specific targets under SDG 3 and SDG 16 can be identified:

   • Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being. The entire case, from the motivation for the crime (to please a fictional character) to the sentencing (placement in a mental health institute rather than prison), is deeply rooted in the mental health of the perpetrators. The article details the state’s attempt to treat and manage Morgan Geyser’s condition, directly aligning with this target.
   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article is centered on a brutal act of violence—the stabbing of a classmate. The legal and correctional actions described are societal responses aimed at preventing and addressing such violence.
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The crime was committed by and against children. The victim, Payton Leutner, was 12 years old when she was subjected to extreme violence by her peers, who were also 12. This target is directly relevant to protecting children from such violent acts.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law… and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article outlines the judicial process applied to the perpetrators, including their guilty pleas, sentencing, and eventual conditional release. It showcases the functioning of the justice system in dealing with juvenile offenders with severe mental health issues, which is a key aspect of ensuring the rule of law.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article does not provide statistical data, but it implies several qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress or challenges related to the identified targets:

   • For Target 3.4 (Mental Health): The existence of specialized facilities like the “Winnebago Mental Health Institute” serves as an indicator of the availability of mental health services for offenders. The decision to grant “conditional release” from such a facility can be seen as an indicator of perceived treatment success, while her subsequent disappearance indicates a failure or challenge in the long-term management and rehabilitation process.
   • For Target 16.1 (Reduce Violence): The specific crime detailed in the article—an attempted homicide—is a direct indicator of the occurrence of severe violence. The police issuing an alert for the missing perpetrator is an indicator of the ongoing risk of violence and the institutional response to mitigate that risk.
   • For Target 16.3 (Rule of Law and Justice): The use of “electronic monitoring” via a “Department of Corrections monitoring bracelet” is a specific indicator of the tools used by justice institutions for offender management and public safety. The fact that the perpetrator was able to cut off the device and disappear is an indicator of the limitations or failures of this particular institutional control mechanism.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators (Identified or Implied in the Article)
   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being.	Existence of specialized psychiatric facilities for offenders (e.g., “Winnebago Mental Health Institute”). Use of conditional release as a measure of treatment progress.
   SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence.	Occurrence of severe violent crime (attempted homicide). Issuance of police alerts for potentially dangerous individuals.
   	Target 16.2: End all forms of violence against children.	Case study of severe peer-on-peer violence involving 12-year-olds.
   	Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice.	Functioning of a justice system that processes juvenile offenders. Use of non-custodial measures like electronic monitoring (“monitoring bracelet”). Failure of institutional controls (e.g., cutting off a monitoring device).

Source: abc7.com