Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a name that has become synonymous with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, has gained significant fame over the past month since being released from prison for aiding in the murder of her mother. Munchausen by proxy is a mental disorder that cauxses the caretaker of a child to make up fake symptoms or cause real symptoms so their child appears ill when they are not. Unfortunately, Claudine Blanchard, Gypsy’s mother, suffered from this disorder, forcing Gypsy’s childhood to be filled with feeding tubes, wheelchairs, and constant unnecessary hospital visits and surgeries.
Gypsy Rose was born on July 1, 1991, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Claudine "Dee Dee" Blanchard, and Rod Blanchard. Dee Dee presented Gypsy Rose as a severely ill child, claiming that she suffered from many different health issues, including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, and epilepsy. As a result, Gypsy Rose spent much of her childhood in and out of hospitals, having to go through many medications, surgeries, and more, all of which were unnecessary. One of the most disturbing aspects of Gypsy Rose's childhood was the pervasiveness and manipulation of her mother. Dee Dee convinced everyone, from family members to healthcare professionals, that Gypsy Rose was a vulnerable child in need of constant care. This extended to public appearances, where Gypsy Rose was often seen in a wheelchair or with her head shaved to mimic the effects of chemotherapy.
After years of abuse, Gypsy decided she couldn’t take it anymore. 23-year-old Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in jail after her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, stabbed her mother Claudine while in her sleep. Godejohn faced a life sentence, while Blanchard was released early. Blanchard was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center on Thursday, December 28th, 2023. Blanchard, now 32, is ready to take on the world freely and forget about her traumatic past. “I’m ready for freedom,”, “I’m ready to expand and I think that goes for every facet of my life,” Blanchard told People Magazine just before her release. Blanchard has also made several public appearances with her new husband, Ryan Anderson, a Louisiana teacher. While serving her sentence, Blanchard received a letter from Anderson, and the two of them began writing and emailing back and forth. They eventually fell in love and entered into a relationship. In 2022, the two tied the knot in a prison wedding.
Although Blanchard’s case closed years ago, her release from prison has caused some controversy to resurface. While she was in prison, a Hulu limited series titled The Act was released, starring Joey King as Gypsy and Patricia Arquette as her mother. Although Blanchard said that she hadn’t seen it, the series brought significant attention to her case. Some believe that Blanchard was completely innocent and that killing her mother was simply an act of self-defense. Others believe her sentence should have been longer, especially considering her ex-boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Regardless, Blanchard’s release has taken the media by storm. Blanchard returned home to almost 10 million followers on TikTok and 8 million followers on Instagram. She has been interviewed by countless news sources including ABC News, People Magazine CNN. In the face of her viral outbreak, Gypsy told Roling Stone Magazine “Honestly, I’m a very shy person … I don’t think I’m doing anything that anybody else wouldn’t do”.