A judge from Wisconsin ruled Monday that the two 12-year-old girls accused of stabbing a classmate to please the fictional character, "Slender Man," will remain in the adult court.
According to a report from the Associated Press, Waukesha County Circuit Judge, Michael Bohren, was worried that if the two kids stay in the juvenile court, they might not receive enough mental health treatment when they get out by the age of 18.
The judge said that keeping them in the adult court will do better, protecting people longer.
"The real issue is what happens in a few years," Bohren said. "They've committed an offense that was ... frankly vicious."
The two girls, both from Waukesha, each faces a charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the May 2014 attack on their classmate. The victim, Payton Leutner, was stabbed 19 times, but, fortunately, survived. ABC News reports that according to authorities, the plotting for the crime was done months ahead, even as early as December 2013.
The two girls attempted to kill Payton in a desire to please the "Slender Man," a fictional online character who attacks kids. Apparently, the kids were obsessed with him and they wanted to be his servants.
According to an audio recording of the interrogation made public, one of the girls described the "Slender Man" as "a tall, faceless man who preys on children."
They believe it was necessary to kill Payton to become "proxies" of "Slender Man."
Payton was found by a passing cyclist on the day of the stabbing. Later, on the same day, police captured the two girls as they were walking to the Nicolet National Forest, which is 300 miles away. This is where they believed Slender Man lived, Associated Press reported.
Wisconsin Law states that anyone 10 years or older charged with first-degree attempted homicide is automatically considered an adult. Under the adult system, they could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted.
The girls' attorneys were disappointed at the ruling and argued that the kids belong in the juvenile court.
Although acknowledging what he called the girls' delusions and mental illness, Judge Bohren said keeping the girls in the adult system would protect the community, emphasizing again that their alleged crime was no accident. The adult court could provide them with extended supervision and continued treatment.
Bohren commented, "This was an effort to kill someone." He also added that it was "premeditated murder."
The judge set the girls' arraignment, the point in the criminal justice system when defendants enter pleas, on August 21, per Associated Press.
