Slender Man stabbing

Slender Man stabbing
Waukesha, Wisconsin[1]
Location Waukesha, Wisconsin
Coordinates 42°58′53″N 88°13′26″W / 42.9814°N 88.2239°W / 42.9814; -88.2239Coordinates: 42°58′53″N 88°13′26″W / 42.9814°N 88.2239°W / 42.9814; -88.2239
Date May 31, 2014 (2014-05-31)
Attack type
 Stabbing
Weapons Knife
Deaths 0
Non-fatal injuries
 1
Victims One 12-year-old female
Assailants Two 12-year-old females
Motive To impress the fictional character "Slender Man" and prevent him from killing their families

The Slender Man stabbing occurred on Saturday, May 31, 2014 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, when two 12-year-old girls lured another girl of the same age into the woods and stabbed her 19 times, allegedly in order to impress the fictional character Slender Man.[2][3] After being stabbed, the victim crawled to a road and lay on a sidewalk, where a cyclist found her and called 911. She was rushed to a hospital, at which point she was "one millimeter away from certain death," according to a criminal complaint.[2] The victim was hospitalized for six days and has since recovered and returned to school.[4][5]

Background

Main article: Slender Man

The Slender Man is a fictional entity created for a 2009 Photoshop contest on Something Awful, an online forum, the goal of which was to create paranormal images. The Slender Man mythos was later expanded by a number of other people who created fan fiction and additional forged images depicting the entity.[2]

The Slender Man is depicted wearing a black suit and with tentacles growing out of its back that it can extend to great lengths. According to the Slender Man mythos, the entity can cause amnesia, bouts of coughing and paranoid behavior in individuals. It is often depicted hiding in forests or stalking children.[2]

Lead-up to stabbing

Both perpetrators were twelve years old at the time of the stabbing, as was the victim. All three were classmates, enrolled in the same middle school and had been at a sleepover at one suspect's home the night before.[6] The perpetrators had discovered Slender Man on the Creepypasta Wiki, a website that hosts creepypasta, or internet horror stories. The two perpetrators believed that Slender Man was real, and that they wanted to become his "proxies", or followers, to prove their loyalty to it, prove his existence and to prevent it from harming their families.[2] The two perpetrators believed that the only way they could become Slender Man's proxies was to murder someone.[2] After they carried out the killing, the perpetrators believed they would become servants of the Slender Man and be allowed to live in his mansion, which they believed was in Nicolet National Forest.[7]

The two girls selected a mutual friend to target. The two perpetrators initially planned to carry out the attack on May 31, 2014 at 2:00 AM, when the victim would be sleeping over to celebrate one of the perpetrator's birthday. They planned to duct tape the victim's mouth, stab her in the neck with a knife and flee. They did not carry out the attack at that time however, since one of the perpetrators desired to give the victim one more day to live.[2]

Attack

The two perpetrators planned to carry out the attack Saturday morning in a bathroom at a local park. However, they actually carried out the attack in a nearby forest while playing a game of hide and seek. During the game, one of the perpetrators pinned the victim down, but there was a dispute about who would carry out the stabbing. Eventually, the perpetrator who had pinned the victim down ordered the other perpetrator to carry out the attack.[2] She complied and stabbed the victim nineteen times in the arms, legs, and abdomen with a large kitchen knife; two of the stab wounds were to major arteries. One of the two nearly penetrated her heart, but missed by less than a millimeter, and the other went through her diaphragm, cutting into her liver and stomach.[3] After carrying out the attack, the two perpetrators told their still conscious victim to be quiet and that they would get help for her. In actuality, the perpetrators fled.[2]

Immediate aftermath

Victim

The twelve-year-old victim was found by a bicyclist shortly before 10 AM.[8] She had managed to drag her way out of the forest, and was discovered in a ditch by the side of the road. Police were called and she was immediately taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital and rushed into surgery.[2][3] The doctor noted her heart rate was elevated and her blood pressure was low, a sign that some of her organs were failing. She was in surgery for six hours. The doctor operating on the victim was forced to open her chest in order to repair the damage.[3] The victim was discharged from the hospital about a week after the attack.[2] The victim continued to run fevers and have difficulty breathing for several weeks after her release from the hospital. As she recovered, she received thousands of letters of support from well-wishers around the world. These letters often took the form of a purple heart, the victim's favorite color. The victim ultimately healed from her injuries, and was able to resume school after it re-opened in September of that year.[3]

Perpetrators

The two perpetrators were apprehended by police officers about four hours after the attack while they were walking near Interstate 94. The officers discovered the knife used to carry out the stabbing in a bag being carried by one of the perpetrators. After being arrested, the perpetrators expressed ambivalent views about the attacked. They were described as feeling guilty for stabbing their friend, but felt that the attack was needed to appease Slender Man.[2]

Investigation and court procedures

In August 2014, one girl had been ruled incompetent to stand trial.[9] In December 2014, both girls were ruled competent to stand trial.[10] She had been diagnosed by state psychiatrists with Childhood Onset Schizophrenia, and was remanded to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.[11][12]

The girls have been charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. They have been set to be tried as adults because in Wisconsin, "all murder and attempted-murder charges for children older than 10 start in adult court."[2] A conviction on first-degree charges in adult court could result in a sentence of up to 65 years in state prison, whereas a conviction in juvenile court could send them "to a secure facility until age 25."[13] Bail was set at $500,000 each.[14]

In February 2015, both girls accused of perpetrating the stabbing were interrogated by local police. Each girl blamed the other for coming up with the plan to murder their friend. They also reiterated the belief that Slender Man would harm them and their families if they did not carry out the attack.[7] Later that month, Anthony Cotton, an attorney for one of the two girls, filed a brief contending that his client should not have been charged with attempted first-degree homicide. According to the brief, the correct charge would be attempted murder second-degree because the girl believed Slender Man would have hurt her and her family if she hadn't killed on his behalf.[15] In March 2015, the judge disagreed with this argument and ruled to keep the two in adult court. Their cases may still be moved to juvenile court for other reasons during hearings in May and June 2015.[16] On August 10, a judge ruled that both teenagers will be tried in adult court.[17] On August 21, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren entered a "not guilty" plea on behalf of both girls after their attorneys declined to enter pleas.[18] On September 30, 2015, Judge Bohren stayed the case against the two girls so that a state appeal court could determine whether they should be tried in adult or juvenile court. The decision was initially scheduled to be made in January 2016,[19] but was pushed back until April of that year due to an extension requested by the state of Wisconsin and the attorney of one of the accused.[20]

In December 2015, the perpetrator initially found incompetent to stand trial was remanded to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute again by the Wisconsin State Court of Appeals for treatment. She remained there until March 2016, when doctors determined that her condition had stabilized.[11][12]

On April 15, a judge refused to reduce the bond of the two girls, which had been set at $500,000, due to the seriousness of the crime they were accused of having committed, and the belief that they posed a flight risk. The defendants are scheduled to reappear in court in July 2016.[21]

Reactions

Waukesha Community

In the aftermath of the stabbing, the Creepypasta Wiki was blocked throughout the Waukesha School District.[22]

At Horning Middle School, where the victim and two perpetrators attended, the stabbing was not initially discussed by staff when classes resumed from the weekend on Monday, June 2, because the Waukesa Police Department had not confirmed that the perpetrators were students there. This decision was criticized by a number of students and parents. On Wednesday, June 4,three links were posted to the school website to address the stabbing. One of the links led to a letter written by Principal Chris Wegner which outlined the school district’s response to the attack. The other two links provided came from the Mayo Clinic and the Department of Health and Human Services. Both of these links provided information on discussing traumatic events with children.[23]

Principal Wegner, in an interview with ABC News, stated that the perpetrators and the victim appeared to be friends and that the perpetrators had not had any disciplinary issues before the stabbing. Wegner also stated that he and the staff of Horning Middle School cared for the perpetrators, and hoped that they would receive the help they needed.[22]

On June 3, counselors and pastors were made available at a local Waukesha church to discuss the attacks.[24] A memorial was also erected at the crime scene at some point in time after the attack to honor the victim.[25]

Creepypasta community

On the morning of the Tuesday following the stabbing, a statement from the creator of Slender Man was posted to the Creepypasta Wiki expressing condolences for all those involved.[6][26] Sloshedtrain, the administrator of the Creepypasta Wiki,[27] further argued that the stabbing was an isolated incident that did not accurately represent the creepypasta community. Sloshedtrained also argued that the Creepypasta Wiki was a literary website and that they did not condone murder or satanic rituals.[28]

Members of the creepypasta community held a twenty-four-hour live stream on YouTube from June 13 to June 14, 2014, to raise money for the stabbing victim. Joe Jozwowski, an administrator on a creepypasta website, stated that members of the community wanted to help the victim and to demonstrate that they were not horrible people just because they liked scary stories.[29]

Other responses

On August 12, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker issued a proclamation declaring Wednesday, August 13, 2015 “Purple Hearts for Healing Day” and encouraged the people of Wisconsin to wear purple on that day to honor the victim of the stabbing. Additionally, he praised the strength and determination exhibited by the victim during her recovery.[30]

The city of Madison, Wisconsin held a one day bratwurst festival to honor the victim on August 29, several days before the victim returned to school. At the festival, hotdogs and bratwurst were sold to raise money to pay for the victim’s medical costs. The event was run by over 250 volunteers, and raised over $70,000 for the victim.[31]

A documentary on the incident called Beware the Slenderman was released by HBO Films in March 2016.[32]

Debate over the impact of the internet on children

The stabbing resulted in extensive debate about the role of the internet in society and its impact on children. Russell Jack, Waukesha Police Chief, said that the stabbing "should be a wake-up call for all parents", adding that the Internet "is full of information and wonderful sites that teach and entertain," but that it "can also be full of dark and wicked things."[2] John Egelhof, a retired agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, argued that the Internet had become a "blackhole" with the ability to expose children to a more sinister world.[33] He further stated that the best way to avoid future incidents was for parents to keep track of their children's web habits and to educate them on the differences between right and wrong.[33] Shira Chess, an assistant professor of mass media arts at the University of Georgia, noted that creepypasta was no more dangerous than stories about vampires or zombies. She argued that creepypasta websites were actually beneficial, and that they gave people the opportunity to become better writers.[27]

Max Rodgers, Utah's Director of Netsmartz, an internet safety and advocacy program, argued that students often have difficulty differentiating between the real and online world, and that events such as the Waukesha stabbing occur when these two worlds intersect.[28] Jacqueline Woolley, director of the Children's Research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, indicated that children were actually capable of distinguishing fiction from reality and that they were fully developed in this capacity by the age of nine.[27]

References

  1. ↑ Gabler, Ellen (June 2, 2014). "Charges detail Waukesha pre-teens' attempt to kill classmate". Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Jones, Abigail (22 August 2014). "The Girls Who Tried to Kill for Slender Man". Newsweek. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Effron, Lauren (26 September 2014). "Slender Man stabbing survivor's parents: 'She's Meant to Do Something Special'". ABC News. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Girls detail Slender Man stabbing plot in interrogation video". CBS News. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Judge to review competency of Wisconsin girl in Slenderman case". The New York Times. Reuters. November 12, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Hanna, Jason (3 June 2014). "12 year-old Wisconsin girl stabbed 19 times; friends arrested". CNN. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 Fieldstadt, Elisha (22 February 2015). "'Slender Man' Stabbing Suspects Blamed Each Other in Interrogations". NBC News. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Davey, Monica; Steven, YACCINO. "Milwaukee Suburb Tries to Cope With Girl’s Stabbing". New York Times. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Armadillos, Elaine (1 August 2014). "Judge Rules Morgan Geyser Incompetent To Stand Trial". People. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Winter, Michael (18 December 2014). "Judge: Girls can stand trial in 'Slender Man' stabbing". USA Today. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  11. 1 2 Vielmetti, Bruce (24 March 2016). "Lawyers again seek release of girl charged in Slender Man Stabbing case". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  12. 1 2 Wagner, Meg. "Slender Man stabbing suspect says she would hurt more people if fictional character told her to". New York Daily News. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "Lawyer Argues for Dismissal of Charge in Slender Man Case". ABC News. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  14. ↑ Coscarelli, Joe (4 June 2014). "The Terrifying Story of Two 12-Year-Old Girls Trying to Kill for a Meme Called Slender Man". New York Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Defense attorney in Slender Man stabbing argues girl shouldn't face trial in adult court". Fox News. Associated Press. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  16. ↑ Vielmetti, Bruce (13 March 2015). "Judge keeps 2 girls in Slender Man stabbing in adult court". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "'Slender Man' Stabbing: Teens to Be Tried in Adult Court". ABC News. August 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ O'Brien, Brendan. "Wisconsin judge sets 'Slenderman' stabbing trial for October". www.reuters.com. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  19. ↑ "Appeals Court To Decide Status Of Girls Accused In ‘Slender Man’ Stabbing". CBS Minnesota. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Documentary of Slender Man stabbing case will premiere at film festival". Waukesha Now. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "Judge refuses to reduce $500,000 bond for girls in Slender Man stabbing". Fox News. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  22. 1 2 Palladino, Christinia. "Principal says stabbing suspects were good students, no history of bad behavior". ABC Wisonsin. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  23. ↑ Maslin, Sarah. "Waukesha stabbing victim upgraded to fair condition". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Delong, Katie. "Trying to heal: Pastors, counselors available at church after 12-year-old girl stabbed". Fox 6 Now. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  25. ↑ Sears, Ashley. "Improving: 12-year-old Waukesha girl stabbed 19 times is walking & talking". Fox 6 Now. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "Slenderman Creator 'Saddened' by Stabbing". The New York Times. The Associated Press. June 4, 2014.
  27. 1 2 3 Manjoo, Farhad (July 10, 2014). "Urban Legends Told Online". Section B; Column 0; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 1: New York TImes.
  28. 1 2 Collette, Miranda (June 5, 2014). "'Slender Man,' online viewing can haunt kids". Deseret Morning News.
  29. ↑ Sanchick, Myra. "CreepyPasta narrators organize to raise money for stabbing victim". Fox6 Now. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  30. ↑ "Governor Scott Walker Issues Proclamation Declaring "Purple Hearts for Healing Day" in Honor of Waukesha Girl". Office of the Governor. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ↑ Robinson, Kelley. "'Slender Man' Stabbing Survivor Returns to School". ABC News. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  32. ↑ DePaoliStaff, Tommy. "Slenderman Is Coming to HBO In A True-Crime Documentary". Movie Pilot. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  33. 1 2 Tillotson, Kristin (June 8, 2014). "How kids fall into Web's 'black hole'". News; Pg. 2OP: Star Tribune.
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