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Bad taste, or just an oversight? Stores selling “Slenderman” Halloween costume

Posted 9:28 pm, September 16, 2014, by , Updated at 10:22PM, September 16, 2014
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WAUKESHA COUNTY (WITI) -- Is it bad taste, or just an oversight? A "Slenderman" Halloween costume is being sold in Waukesha County, and some parents aren't happy.

12-year-old Morgan Geyser, and 12-year-old Anissa Weier are charged as adults -- each facing a felony charge of first degree intentional homicide. They're accused of stabbing their friend 19 times in the woods in Waukesha -- leaving her to die. Authorities say they did it to please the fictional character, Slenderman.

Now, a Slenderman Halloween costume is being sold in the very county where this horrific crime occurred -- and you can buy one for about $40.

The stabbing incident from back in May is still fresh on the minds of many parents in Waukesha County. That's why some are surprised to learn a Slenderman Halloween costume is being sold in Waukesha County.

"It`s horrible. I can't imagine how many people would wear that," Paulette Thompson said.

"I don't think they should be sold in the stores," Jodi Didenko said.

Slenderman is a fictional online horror character. Police say Geyser and Weier wanted to please Slenderman -- and that's why they lured their friend into the woods -- stabbing her 19 times.

FOX6 News has now found Slenderman costumes in Brookfield at a Party City store, and Spirit Halloween.

"I think the stores could do a better job choosing their costumes for kids to not promote violence," Chris Sobczak said.

"I think they should pull it, especially in lieu of what`s happened," Tim Tubbs said.

Just this week in court, a Waukesha County judge ordered Weier be examined by a doctor to determine whether she's fit to stand trial. Geyser has already been found not competent to stand trial, and committed for treatment.

The victim is recovering, and has returned to school.

Some parents worry this Halloween costume could be a step backwards.

"Hopefully parents will take control of their kids and prevent them from doing this," Sobczak said.

"Just the reaction with the neighborhood and the girl's finally back in school and feeling good and I just think this would set her back," Didenko said.

FOX6 News hasn't heard back from the corporate offices for either store selling the costume.

Halloween Express says it has chosen not to sell the costume. The store has several locations throughout the Milwaukee area -- and even before the doors opened for this Halloween season, the costumes were taken off the shelves.

"We don't want customers to come in and have any sinister feel. We want to be bright and sunshiney. We want music to be playing and a happy feel," Jon Majdoch with Halloween Express said.

The court-ordered report on Weier's competency will be completed within the next month.

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24 comments

    • wellexpressd

      First of all, it’s not a shirt.

      Secondly, I’m pretty sure Slenderman hasn’t been around as long as the 12- year-old girl victim.

      People will cope with the oh-so tragic loss of a fictional character, especially one that a) had a disturbing concept, b) had a ridiculous concept (creepy pasta is inherently ridiculous), and c) was so disturbing and ridiculous that it remained so unnoticed until this year.

      There are plenty of other Halloween costumes, I’m sure everything will be ok.

  • zan

    Sensationalist news. It’s a costume like any other. It’s been sold for the last 4-5 years or so. I doubt that the people who would ‘boycott’ the stores selling it would shop at those stores anyway, so they don’t care. A costume made to look like the kids who did the stabbing would be offensive. Slenderman is pretend. Relax, everyone.

    • wellexpressd

      Huh. I didn’t know victims and their families and friends didn’t participate in celebrations to continue with some kind of normalcy.
      Also… Retail chains and local shops are so desperate and really need the money for those costumes? How much is a conscience and decency worth?

  • Ubiquitous King

    So now civil children suffer because two families from a finger pointing community had their parental failures exposed. Halloween is the day where children always pretended to be fictional characters of death. This is a prime case of when you point your finger at others 3 are pointed back at you. Any ethnic is responsible for raising children with self respect and the respect of others, don’t hinder civil families from having fun, not the worlds fault there is a minority populace of dysfunctional families.

    • wellexpressd

      Ethnic? You mean ethic, correct?

      Anyway, corporations that provide services have a duty of care, I thought.

      Also, there have been Halloweens in the past without Slenderman, and they’ll be fine and fun without him. Again, I don’t see why people are finding it so difficult to be decent and have some semblance of humanity.

      • weegeerunner

        Again, this has nothing to do with decency, this is a matter of censorship, and the pussification of modern society.

  • KMB

    As someone who has heard of John Wayne Gacy, I am offended that these thoughtless Halloween stores continue to carry offensive clown costumes. I demand all clown costumes be removed from the shelves, or I will boycott stores I wouldn’t have shopped at any way!!!!!!!!!!!1111

  • Priscilla

    Two girls did the stabbing not the fictional character. Now, if there were costumes to look like the girls that would be wrong.

  • Arya

    Eh, pull the costume for at least just this year, in the Waukesha areas. Anywhere else, it’s whatever. I kinda doubt we’ll have too many people dressing up as Slenderman this year anyway.

    • Love

      Trajinous: you use the word “probably” because of course you are just guessing trying to defend your fictional character slenderman… There’s no report about stores selling Jesus’ costumes and also no report of anyone killing to please him. If you just read the Bible you’ll find out that Jesus is was a loving person and only did good. I wish some people would follow Jesus and blame Him for their good deeds because that’s all you’ll find out about Jesus, that He is Love, Peace and Salvation from all evil happening in this world. Have a great day and be in peace!

  • Love

    Even though my family do not celebrate halloween ever, we give kudos to express halloween for removing the slenderman costumes from their stores, it means a lot to many families.

    • wellexpressd

      Thank you. Thank you for having decency and humanity! Yours is the only comment I have read responding to this story that has made sense.

    • weegeerunner

      How? how does this mean a lot to families? Censoring everything because some people did something bad is not a good idea.

      How about we ban pokemon costumes? Ever heard of “electric soldier porygon”

      How about we ban hammers from being in costumes? People have been killed with hammers,

  • wellexpressd

    Suffer? You mean people (mainly those who actually care about the so-called genre of creepy pasta) are suffering now from being able to dress as a fictional character? They’re not deprived. Furthermore, I’m almost 100% certain they are not suffering from the pain of almost being murdered. How about fans of the character “let it go”?

  • Lucas Thompson

    This is nothing new…slender man costumes have been around since 2012 and there are a lot of video games based on him. He is scary and Eric “Victor surge” is showing sympathy for to families.

Comments are closed.

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