In 2016, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the murder of her abusive mother, Claudine Blanchard.
Gypsy Rose, a victim of child abuse by her mother “Dee Dee” Blanchard, has been granted parole. According to the Missouri Department of Corrections and reported by Ozarks First, Blanchard is scheduled for early release in December 2023.
Blanchard’s mother was found deceased by stabbing in June 2015. Shortly after, Gypsy Rose and her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn were arrested in connection with the murder. Blanchard initially met Godejohn on a Christian dating website in 2012. After three years of talking, Godejohn traveled to Springfield Missouri carry out the premeditated murder of Blanchard’s mother. After the event, Blanchard and Godejohn fled to his Wisconsin home where they were found days later.
Godejohn’s role in the murder landed him life in prison, while Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Blanchard is thought to be a victim of Munchausen by proxy on behalf of her mother, a psychological disorder in which a caretaker creates fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to occur to receive attention or make it seem like the victim is ill.
Blanchard’s mother’s abuse included forcing her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube, not allowing her to speak at doctor’s appointments, and isolating her from the outside world. According to People, Dee Dee convinced her friends, family, and community that Blanchard had the “mind of a 7-year-old,” and suffered from several life-threatening conditions including leukemia and muscular dystrophy. However, the truth was that Blanchard could walk, could eat without a feeding tube, and didn’t have cancer or muscular dystrophy.
The case inspired several TV specials, including HBO’s 2017 Mommy Dead and Dearest, Investigation Discovery’s 2018 Gypsy’s Revenge, and Hulu’s 2019 series The Act.
After Hulu’s release of The Act, Blanchard told Bustle, “I am unable to watch The Act. However, I feel it is very unfair and unprofessional that producers and co-producer Michelle Dean has used my actual name and story without my consent, and the life rights to do so. Therefore, there will be legal action taken against the show’s creators.”
Gypsy continued, “I want to share my story and bring awareness about Munchausen by proxy, in the hopes that I can encourage those who might be experiencing abuse to speak up, because someone WILL listen. No child should ever be abused especially from their parent.”
After serving approximately 85% of her 10-year sentence, Blanchard’s exact release date is expected to be December 28, 2023.
