It’s the case that shook the globe and raised awareness of the illness known as “Munchausen syndrome by proxy.”
In 2015, Gypsy Rose Blanchard—who was 23 at the time—planned her mother Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard’s mur*der.
But the public discovered Gypsy’s sinister past when the Blanchard case went to trial. Her mother had ab*used her physically and psychologically for years.
Gypsy was confined to a wheelchair, had her head shaved, and had no idea how old she truly was. Her mother informed her that her illness was terminal and that she suffered from seizures, muscular dystrophy, leukemia, and developmental problems that left her with the mental capacity of a seven-year-old.
None of those things applied to Gypsy.
Munchausen syndrome by proxy, or a “factitious disorder imposed on another,” is the condition that Dee Dee experienced. As the name implies, the sickness causes a guardian to fabricate or mistreat a child in order to get pity or attention. Police think that money had a role as well.
In addition to trips to Disney World funded by charitable foundations, Dee Dee was given a house constructed by Habitat for Humanity. She even went so far as to trick medical professionals into giving needless prescriptions and making erroneous diagnoses.
Gypsy also said that she assaulted her with coat hangers and shackled her to the bed. Dee Dee assured her the police wouldnt believe her if she escaped.
Gypsy didn’t begin to wonder about her age, her medical concerns, or why she couldn’t have lovers or friends until she was a teenager.
But Gypsy’s entire world was turned upside down by a boy she met online. She would then persuade him to mur*der her mother on her behalf.
Using gloves Gypsy had stolen from a nearby Walwart and a stolen knife, Nicholas Godejohn fatally stabbed Dee Dee while she slept. While Nicholas committed the crime, she stayed hidden in the restroom.
Nicholas is spending his life behind bars without the possibility of release.
Gypsy Rose and Blanchard, Dee Dee. Picture: Provided.
Gypsy’s case was described by the prosecutor as “extraordinary and unusual.” Despite Missouri law permitting the death penalty for such offenses, he chose not to pursue it. In 2016, Gypsy consented to a 10-year sentence and a plea to second-degree m*urder.
In December 2023, Gypsy will be eligible for release based on her good behavior.
The 32-year-old is preparing for a life beyond prison.
Gypsy, however, is believed to have been thriving for the last seven years and claims that this is the first time she has ever experienced freedom.
Her stepmother told the Springfield News-Leader, “If she had to choose between being in jail and being back with her mom, she would rather be in jail.”
Even Dee Dee’s own relatives acknowledged they weren’t sorry about her passing, claiming Gypsy had received enough punishment.
2018 saw her stepmother Kirsty Blanchard declare, “She is thriving,” after a few years of her sentence.
“She has not experienced any long-term adverse effects from any of the medications her mother prescribed. Thank God, her health is fine, and the only thing I can truly think of is that it has stunted her growth. Don’t get me wrong, but if she doesn’t always wear her spectacles, she does have sluggish eyes. That dates back to when she was a tiny infant. All other information was false.”
Gypsy stated in an interview with ABC News that she has been positive. She studied photography and obtained her GED, or American high school credential, while inside.
Recently, Gypsy Rose Blanchard made an appearance in a Dr. Phil show. Pictured: Dr. Phil.
“I was unable to walk in the prison I shared with my mother when I lived there before. I was unable to eat. I was unable to make friends. Compared to living with my mother, I feel more at liberty in prison. Now that I’m permitted to live a regular life, I suppose,” she said.
In part because of Dee Dee, Gypsy claims she never got to meet her birth father as a youngster, but she has also been able to forge a closer bond with him.
He and her stepmother will be there to greet her when she gets out of jail.
This will always be her home. We’ll set her up for success,” her father told People.
In addition, there will be another person waiting for Gypsy outside the prison. Ryan Scott Anderson, her spouse, will be doing it.
Per the marriage license, Gypsy and Ryan were legally allowed to wed on June 27, 2022. How the pair met and Ryan’s occupation are still mysteries. However, the couple is undoubtedly married. It’s thought the two were pen friends.
In celebration of Gypsy’s release from prison, a documentary series on her life will also air next year.
Lifetime’s Gypsy’s Prison Confessions Rose Blanchard says it’s an opportunity to “finally get to use my voice, to share my story and speak my truth” about the show, which will premiere in January.
“As a survivor of relentless child abu*se, this docuseries chronicles my quest for liberation and journey through self-discovery,” she said in a statement to People this week.
“I am unapologetically myself and unafraid to expose the hidden parts of my life that have never been revealed until now.”
