Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a well-known figure associated with Munchausen by proxy, is set to be released from prison on December 28. She has spent the last eight years reflecting on the events of June 2015.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard has been released from prison.pic.twitter.com/3fW1eWXrDO
— Examiners Club. (@examinersclub) December 28, 2023
The Plot to End Dee Dee’s Life
Now at the age of 32, she is preparing for her release. She vividly remembers the plot she and her then-boyfriend, Nicholas “Nick” Godejohn, hatched to end the life of her mother, Dee Dee.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard tells PEOPLE that she regrets the murder of her mother:
“I was desperate to get out of that situation… Nobody will ever hear me say I'm glad she's dead or I'm proud of what I did. I regret it every single day… She didn't deserve that. She was a sick woman… pic.twitter.com/FrrgNA5G5A
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 27, 2023
Dee Dee had subjected Gypsy to unnecessary and painful medical procedures for years. It was argued in court, and is widely accepted, that Gypsy was a victim of Munchausen by proxy, a rare form of abuse where a guardian induces or exaggerates a child’s illness for attention and sympathy.
During the time of Dee Dee’s murder, Gypsy alleges she was being mentally and physically abused and was being coerced into another unnecessary surgery. She confides, “I was desperate to escape that situation.”
This desperation, according to Gypsy, led her to implore Godejohn to end her mother’s life, which he did while she waited in the bathroom of their Springfield, Mo., home.
The Crime that Captured Global Attention
This crime drew global attention, with popular Hollywood adaptations like HBO’s 2017 film Mommy Dead and Dearest and Hulu’s 2019 series The Act.
Now, as she readies herself to share her own narrative in Lifetime’s new docuseries The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, premiering on January 5, she speaks exclusively to PEOPLE about the profound remorse and sense of forgiveness she now experiences.
After being released from prison, Gypsy Rose Blanchard's upcoming plans include attending the Chiefs game this Sunday, with hopes of meeting Taylor Swift there.
She previously revealed “Eyes Open” by Taylor Swift helped her overcome trauma from her mother's abuse. pic.twitter.com/rq0Co3YO3b
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 28, 2023
She muses, “If I could redo everything, I’m not sure if I would go back to my childhood and tell my relatives that I’m not ill and that mommy is making me sick,” or if she would go back to the conversation with Nick and tell him, ‘I’m going to reveal everything to the police.’ That’s something I grapple with.”
However, she asserts, “No one will ever hear me say I’m glad she’s gone or I’m proud of what I did. I regret it every single day.”
Gypsy’s Struggle with Confusion and Manipulation
By the time Gypsy was 7, Dee Dee had falsely claimed her daughter was suffering from numerous illnesses. One of those was muscular dystrophy, which Dee Dee insisted required Gypsy to use a wheelchair, despite Gypsy being able to walk without any problems.
This was followed by unnecessary feeding tubes and a claim that Gypsy had Leukemia, leading Dee Dee to shave Gypsy’s head. Dee Dee deceived friends, family, and doctors into believing these ailments were real.
this abc reporter who woke up & decided to serve egregiously for her gypsy rose blanchard interview. one of the most pathological küntenservens i’ve ever seen. where is the humanity pic.twitter.com/pye5choQOA
— roro, PhD (@fuglibetty) December 28, 2023
Gypsy admits she spent years in confusion. “Obviously I knew that I could walk and didn’t need a feeding tube, but everything else was a big mystery to me,” she says, referring to her epilepsy diagnosis: “Whenever I’d question it, my mother would say I’d had a seizure the night before and didn’t remember. There was always a justification.”
Gypsy learned not to question Dee Dee’s outrageous claims. “I would express concerns, saying, ‘I really don’t think I need this,’ and she would become extremely upset with me and start manipulating me,” Gypsy recalls.
In the early years, to get Gypsy to comply, “she’d promise ‘If you behave well at the hospital, we’re going to Toys ‘R’ Us to buy a new Barbie.’”
Adding to the difficulties, “I was very sheltered,” Gypsy explains. She was never enrolled in school and was largely prevented from having a relationship with her father Rod, stepmother Christie, and her half siblings.
“I was restricted in what I could watch and the exposure I had to other children. My understanding of the outside world was limited to Disney movies, and those don’t discuss the warning signs of bad parenting.”
Gypsy’s Rebellion and Turbulent Relationship with Dee Dee
As a teenager and young adult, Gypsy Rose Blanchard began to resist her mother’s control, leading to a turbulent relationship. She recalls, “I strived to be respectful, but it was challenging at times. She would hurl insults at me.”
In addition to verbal abuse, Gypsy alleges that Dee Dee resorted to physical violence to maintain control. “It was akin to a domestic violence relationship,” she explains. “As long as you’re compliant, everything’s fine. Stand your ground, and it turns ugly.”
The decision to end Dee Dee’s life was made after Gypsy attempted to escape before another unnecessary medical procedure, this time on her larynx. “I couldn’t take it anymore,” Gypsy shares, claiming she ran away from home, only to be found within hours.
“She located me, brought me back, and established paperwork declaring me incompetent and granting her power of attorney over me.”
Feeling cornered, Gypsy sought an alternative. “I was desperately trying to find another way,” she admits. “That’s when a conversation happened between me and my co-defendant Nick,” whom she had met on an online dating site. “He said ‘I would do anything to protect you.’ I asked, ‘Anything?’ He confirmed ‘Yes.’”
Gypsy Rose Blanchard, convicted in mom’s murder, released from prison https://t.co/1yIujQBUBb pic.twitter.com/8U7MfO1GUG
— New York Post (@nypost) December 28, 2023
Godejohn was sentenced to life imprisonment for executing the fatal attack. Recent reports suggest he would repeat his actions if it meant rescuing Gypsy. However, Gypsy, after years of introspection, personal growth, and therapy, states, “She didn’t deserve that,” adding, “She was a sick woman and unfortunately, I wasn’t knowledgeable enough to recognize that. She deserved to be where I am, serving time in prison for criminal behavior.”
In September, it was announced that Gypsy was granted parole, two years ahead of her 10-year sentence for second-degree murder.
As she prepares for the intense public scrutiny that awaits, she is excited to reunite with her father and stepmother, who have remained supportive.
Unveiling the Truth: The Premiere of ‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’
She is also looking forward to being with her husband, Ryan Anderson, a 37-year-old teacher from Louisiana, whom she married while incarcerated last year. “We’re in love,” she declares.
He, along with her family, former doctors, and many others will share their perspectives on her complex story in the forthcoming Lifetime docuseries.
She hopes her story serves as a warning. “I want to ensure that people in abusive relationships do not resort to murder,” she asserts. “It may seem like all options are exhausted, but there is always another way. Do anything, but don’t choose this path.”
As her release date nears, she shares, “I’m on the brink of joy” — even though she’s still grappling with her past.
“It’s a journey. I’m still earnestly trying to reach a place of forgiveness for her, for myself, and the situation,” she reflects. “I still love my mom. And I’m beginning to understand that it was perhaps something beyond her control, like an addict with an impulse. That aids me in coping and accepting what transpired.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a six-hour special providing unparalleled access to the most well-known victim of Munchausen by Proxy, premieres on January 5 on Lifetime at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
