Gypsy Rose Blanchard was born on July 27, 1991 in Golden Meadow, Louisiana to Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard and Rod Blanchard.1 From a young age, Dee Dee claimed Gypsy suffered from numerous health issues, including muscular dystrophy, and forced her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube despite her daughter being healthy.2 Experts believe Dee Dee had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder that caused her to fabricate Gypsy's illnesses.2

Gypsy was convicted of second-degree murder for her role in Dee Dee's death in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.3 She was released on parole in December 2023 after serving 8 years.2 Gypsy's shocking story has garnered significant media attention, inspiring the Hulu series "The Act" and numerous other TV shows and interviews.2

The murder of Dee Dee Blanchard occurred on June 10, 2015, in Springfield, Missouri. Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who had been subjected to years of medical abuse by her mother, conspired with her boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn to kill Dee Dee. Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee 17 times in her sleep while Gypsy hid in the bathroom1. After the murder, the couple fled to Wisconsin but were quickly apprehended.

The investigation revealed the shocking truth behind the Blanchards' lives. Gypsy Rose, who had been portrayed as severely ill and disabled, was actually able-bodied. Dee Dee had fabricated her daughter's medical conditions, a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy2. Gypsy Rose pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Godejohn received a life sentence without parole for first-degree murder1. Gypsy Rose was released on parole in December 2023 after serving 8 years, her case having garnered significant media attention and public sympathy due to the years of abuse she endured32.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard served nearly 9 years of her 10-year prison sentence for her role in the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, before being released on parole in 2023.1 During her time behind bars, Gypsy experienced a sense of freedom and autonomy that she had never known under her mother's abusive control.2 She was able to make her own decisions, form friendships, and even fell in love with a pen pal named Ryan Anderson.3

In 2022, while still incarcerated, Gypsy married Ryan in a small ceremony at the Missouri Chillicothe Correctional Center.3 The couple had developed a relationship through letters and visits over several years.3 Gypsy has expressed that her time in prison allowed her to mature, reflect on her past, and envision a better future for herself.2

Since her release, Gypsy has been working on a book about her life experiences and the challenges of adjusting to the outside world after nearly a decade in prison.4 She hopes that by sharing her story, she can raise awareness about Munchausen by proxy, advocate for abuse survivors, and find purpose in her journey of healing and redemption.4