I am a very active true crime consumer. I am just so fascinated by the minds of criminals, especially murderers. This case was different though. This case had so many twist and turns and was a case unlike anything anyone had seen before. This is Gypsy Rose Blanchard, aka the Munchausen syndrome by proxy case that took the media by storm in 2015-2016.
What happened?
Okay for those of you that know nothing about this case, or just need a little refresher, here is a (very) brief background. Gypsy Rose was born in 1991 (although her mother would change it numerous times) to Dee Dee (Clauddine) and Rod Blanchard. The couple split when Gypsy Rose was still a baby and Dee Dee raised her on her own (though I don’t think Rod had much of a say). As a baby Dee Dee claimed Gypsy suffered from sleep apnea, then at 8, claimed she was suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy which required her to use a wheelchair a feeding tube. Over time Dee Dee would also claim other illnesses or issues that her daughter suffered from including seizures asthma and hearing and visual impairments. Gypsy was on numerous medication, had many surgeries and even her teeth rotted out.
The Catch? Nothing was wrong with Gypsy Rose Blanchard (besides the lazy eye she was born with). Gypsy could walk, she never had cancer, and she certainly never needed a feeding tube. On June 9, 2015, Gypsy and her then boyfriend plotted and killed Dee Dee Blanchard — I’ll spare you the rest of the details though. There is much more involved in this case but that’s not what we are here for. I want to talk about Gypsy Rose in the aftermath and where she is today.
The Aftermath
It wasn’t until June 14, 2015 that Dee Dee was found the next day. Gypsy’s boyfriend surrendered to Police and Gypsy was found unharmed and walking. Gypsy denied any involvement but Police caught on and both were charged. Gypsy’s attorneys oddly enough did not go for an insanity plea. As a law and court nerd I’ve seen how often this plea gets through around, but I strongly believe that in this case it was needed. I don’t want to speculate too much, however the effects of what Gypsy went through was something unlike anything anyone had experienced. To assume she didn’t suffer mentally in some kind of way would be doing her an injustice.
However she is the reason her boyfriend committed the murder and that is a fact nobody can ignore. The Prosecutors on the case eventually made a deal if she pled guilty to second-degree murder. In the state of Missouri this is a minimum sentence of 8 years. While in prison, Gypsy was interviewed by 20/20 and said “Over here, I feel like I’m freer in prison, than with living with my mom. Because now, I’m allowed to… just live like a normal woman.” This is kind of an odd statement for someone in prison but the interviews I’ve seen of her, the way she describes her life before sounds more like a prison. In July 2022, Gypsy tied the knot with Ryan Anderson, while still in prison. As odd as it sounds you’d be surprised how many people are in relationships with prisoners or get married to one; I mean heck, Ted Bundy had a daughter while he was in prison so I guess anything is possible.
It’s also common for inmates to receive early release and Gypsy was no different. In September 2023 the Missouri Department of Corrections confirm she would be released on December 28th, 2023. After serving 85% of her sentence, Gypsy walked out of prison a free women that day at 3:30 a.m.
Where is she now?
The days leading up to and following her release was a media frenzy. Any social media I got on was something about her. Now I have to admit I do have some sympathy for Gypsy. Since she could remember, her mother controlled her life in every way possible. I don’t think any of us can ever understand what that kind of control can do to a person; how much she suffered physically and mentally. While obviously we know killing someone is wrong, saying that Gypsy knew this as well is up debate. I think this girl had a hell of a life and did what she thought was her only option. However, she still played a part and in a court of law that matters. Since being released, Gypsy has made many public appearances. Her first was appearance was on Good Morning America. When asked about her mother she said, “She had a lot of demons herself that she was struggling with, I didn’t want her dead. I just wanted out of my situation. And I thought that was the only way out.” (GMA; ABC News) She has been interviewed for for other outlets and independent media shows. As of this article, Gypsy Rose currently has over 8.1 million followers on instagram alone.
We are in a day and age where it seems like anyone can achieve influencer status. But this raises some concerns. Yes, she did her time, and yes, she seems remorseful, but concerns arise on some of Gypsy’s actions. News coverage has died down around her, and she’s not as active on social media as she was in January. Yet the question still remains: does someone with her background, specifically as a convicted murderer, deserve all this attention, and almost celebrity status? Yes, it’s a fascinating story that we can learn from. I think Gypsy (at least she appears to be from the outside) is in a better place and credited therapy for a lot of her progress. She’s barely been out of prison 2 months so it’s hard to say what the future holds for her. I truly hope she has and will continue to get the help she needs. However, we as a society need to be cautious, and this goes for all influences, celebrities and other high status people, who we give attention too. Not everyone deserves the spotlight, and while her story is one I think we should all hear, it does not mean she needs a high following. She’s done her time, but she’s still a murderer. Does a murderer deserve this big of a platform and spotlight after what happened? That’s up to you to decide.
Sources:
https://www.biography.com/crime/gypsy-rose-blanchard-mother-dee-dee-murder