A Waukesha judge ruled today that a 12-year-old girl is not mentally competent to stand trial for stabbing a classmate, in an attempt to please the fictional “Slender Man” horror character.
Circuit Judge Michael Bohren ordered up to a year of mental health treatment for the girl. The case against her will resume once it’s determined that she has gained the mental ability to help with her defense.
A defense expert testified Friday that the girl is more worried about angering Slender Man than she is about going to prison, claiming that she can communicate with him telepathically and feared he would hurt her family. The girl also claimed to be able to see and communicate with other fictional characters, including unicorns and a character from the Harry Potter novel series.
The girl is one of two 12-year-olds charged as adults with attempted homicide for allegedly stabbing a 12-year-old classmate 19 times during a sleepover in May. The victim survived the attack and continues to recover at home. WRN is not naming the girls because their attorneys have indicated they plan to ask for the cases to be heard in juvenile court.