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Payton Leutner’s journey to recovery has been remarkable.
In 2014, when she was just 12 years old, Leutner endured a horrific attack, being stabbed over a dozen times by two of her classmates, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier.
The chilling incident in Wisconsin grabbed national headlines when it was revealed that the two girls claimed they committed the attack to gain favor with Slender Man, a fictional horror figure created by Eric Knudson in 2009, as reported by The Associated Press.
Recalling the events in a 2019 interview with ABC News, Leutner shared, “They just wanted to go on a walk. And I didn’t think much of it. It’s just a walk. It’s in Waukesha. What bad stuff happens in Waukesha, Wisconsin?”
What happened to Payton Leutner?
On May 31, 2014, Geyser and Weier, both 12 years old at the time, lured Leutner into the woods under the guise of playing hide-and-seek, where they carried out the vicious attack.
Severely wounded, Leutner gathered the strength to pull herself up and make it out of the wooded area. A bicyclist later came upon her lying in a patch of grass and called 911.
“I couldn’t focus much, because my body was working so hard to keep itself alive,” she described to ABC News of the aftermath. “It was probably, ‘Vision isn’t really a priority right now.’”
Geyser pleaded guilty to being a party to first-degree intentional homicide in 2017, according to The AP. Weier, who stood by during Geyser’s attack on Leutner, per CBS News, pleaded guilty to being a party to second-degree intentional homicide.
Initially, Geyser and Weier were charged as adults, with prosecutors handing down first-degree attempted homicide counts. Ultimately, according to CNN, both were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
As part of their plea agreements, per the outlet, they were each committed to mental institutions in lieu of prison sentences.
Geyser and Weier had alleged to investigators, according to The AP, that they believed Slender Man would harm their families if they didn’t follow through with the attack.
Where is Payton Lautner today?
Leutner had a lot of healing to do following her attack, both physically and emotionally.
In her sit-down with ABC News in 2019, Leutner revealed plans to pursue a career in the medical field, a goal she admitted was directly inspired by her horrific experience.
“I’ve come to accept all of the scars that I have,” Leutner revealed. “It’s just a part of me. I don’t think much of them. They will probably go away and fade eventually.”
While Leutner has been keeping her life private, her loved ones recently shared a positive update—albeit amid widespread concern.
In November 2025, Geyser went missing after fleeing her court-mandated group home and removing an electronic monitoring device. She was recaptured days later.
“Payton Leutner and her family [are] aware of the most recent situation regarding Morgan Geyser,” Leutner’s family told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before Geyser was back in custody. “Payton and her family are safe and are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure their continued safety.”
“The family would like to thank all of the law enforcement entities involved in the efforts to apprehend Morgan,” the statement continued. “The Leutner family also wish to thank the outpouring of support from family, friends and well-wishers who have contacted them during this difficult time.”