Following the release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard on Thursday (December 28), we're taking an in-depth look at one of the most fascinating true crime stories that devastated and divided the nation.
The harrowing tale of Gypsy Rose Blanchard is a gripping story of a life shrouded in deception, abuse, and - ultimately - murder.
Born in 1991, Gypsy Rose's early years were marked by a web of lies spun by her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who feigned various illnesses on her daughter's behalf. Experts have since identified Dee Dee's actions as a manifestation of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare and disturbing disorder where caregivers induce or exaggerate illnesses in those they are responsible for, often to seek attention and sympathy.
Dee Dee's Deception Begins
Dee Dee's deception started when Gypsy Rose was just a baby. She claimed that her daughter suffered from sleep apnea, setting the stage for a series of increasingly dire diagnoses.
By the time Gypsy Rose was eight years old, Dee Dee had portrayed her as a terminally ill child, afflicted with leukemia, muscular dystrophy, and a host of other medical conditions. Gypsy was confined to a wheelchair and reliant on a feeding tube, subjected to a litany of medications, surgeries, and invasive treatments, including the removal of her salivary glands and the extraction of her rotting teeth.
Yet, shockingly, none of Gypsy's ailments were real. Her mother's elaborate fabrications left her in a state of perpetual suffering.
Gypsy could walk, didn't require a feeding tube, and was free from the devastating grip of cancer. Her bald head was not a result of illness but rather the consequence of Dee Dee's habit of shaving her daughter's hair.
Experts suggest that Dee Dee's actions were consistent with Munchausen syndrome by proxy, as she yearned for the attention and sympathy that came from taking care of a sick child.
The Charming Facade: How Dee Dee Maintained Her Lies
Dee Dee was remarkably adept at maintaining the illusion of her daughter's illness. She had some nursing training, which enabled her to accurately describe symptoms and even administer medications to simulate certain conditions. Her charm and seemingly unwavering dedication to her daughter further masked her deceit. When Gypsy Rose was old enough to communicate, Dee Dee instructed her not to volunteer information during medical appointments, maintaining control over the narrative of her daughter's fabricated medical history.
Even Gypsy's father, Rod Blanchard, was deceived. Dee Dee informed him that their daughter suffered from a chromosomal disorder that explained her myriad health problems. Rod praised Dee Dee for her devoted care, unwittingly reinforcing her manipulation.
He has since expressed regret at not spotting signs of abuse soon, saying: "I had my doubts [...] But I mean, you’re staying at Ronald McDonald house, staying at this hospital for a week. […] How do you question that?"
When some of Dee Dee's family began to question Gypsy's apparent lack of need for a wheelchair, she and Gypsy abruptly relocated, escaping the scrutiny of skeptical relatives.
In a startling turn of events, Dee Dee claimed to be a victim of Hurricane Katrina, using the disaster as a pretext to relocate from Louisiana to Missouri in 2005. There, she continued to take Gypsy to medical appointments, using Hurricane Katrina to justify the absence of medical records, per PEOPLE.
The pair also received a wish trip to Disney World courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Their seemingly heartwarming story inspired many, and Gypsy's smile in countless photos touched the hearts of those who followed their journey.
Investigators have since suggested that one motive behind Dee Dee's deception was money.
Dee Dee's Lies Escalate: The Altered Birth Certificate
As Gypsy Rose entered her teenage years, Dee Dee's lies grew even more audacious.
She began to falsify Gypsy's age, going so far as to alter her birth certificate. But as her daughter grew older, Gypsy's spirit was becoming increasingly difficult for her mother to subdue.
In 2008, Gypsy visited a neurologist in Missouri who suspected that she was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, per Biography. However, this doctor failed to report the case to authorities, believing that there wasn't enough evidence to take action.
In 2009, an anonymous tip prompted caseworkers to investigate Dee Dee's baseless medical claims. However, Dee Dee's convincing explanations led them to believe that no further action was necessary.
Desperate Escape: Gypsy's Bid for Freedom
By 2011, Gypsy Rose had reached a breaking point and sought to escape her mother's oppressive grip. She ran away with a man she had met at a science fiction convention, hoping to leave her life of lies behind, per the Daily Mail. But Dee Dee relentlessly pursued them through mutual acquaintances and ultimately convinced the man that Gypsy was a minor, even though she was 19 at the time.
Upon their return home, Dee Dee smashed Gypsy's computer and physically restrained her to her bed. Gypsy later revealed that her mother would sometimes resort to physical violence and deprive her of food, per The Independent.
In a desperate bid to break free from her mother's tyranny, Gypsy sought companionship online and found Nicholas Godejohn. She confided in him about her mother's deception and, tragically, asked him to murder Dee Dee so they could be together.
In June 2015, Godejohn carried out the gruesome murder, stabbing Dee Dee to death while Gypsy waited in the bathroom with her ears covered.
The two fled to Godejohn's home in Wisconsin, where they were eventually apprehended by the police. Gypsy had posted incriminating messages on the Facebook account she shared with her mother, confessing to the murder.
A Life of Control and Manipulation
In the wake of Dee Dee's murder, questions swirled about why Gypsy Rose had resorted to such extreme measures.
Many wondered why she hadn't simply exposed her mother's lies by standing up for herself in public. However, Gypsy had been conditioned to believe that no one would believe her, a common tactic used by manipulative abusers.
Throughout her life, Gypsy was subjected to total control and monitoring by her mother. She was denied a proper education and told by Dee Dee to conceal her true intelligence, with her mother insisting that she had the mental age of a seven-year-old. In public, Dee Dee held Gypsy's hand constantly, squeezing it as a signal for her to remain silent.
Dr. Marc Feldman, an expert in Munchausen syndrome by proxy, noted that Gypsy's life mirrored that of a hostage, with her mother exercising complete dominance. Her desperate actions, including the murder of Dee Dee, can be understood as those of a hostage seeking to escape her captor.
Gypsy's Legal Fate and Redemption
In the aftermath of Dee Dee's murder, Gypsy Rose faced legal repercussions. Her lawyer, armed with medical records that documented the years of abuse, managed to secure a plea deal.
In 2016, Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, resulting in a ten-year prison sentence.
Nicholas Godejohn, the man who committed the murder at Gypsy's request, was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2018 and received a life sentence in prison.
Today, Gypsy is in good health and, on December 28, has been released from prison.
However, her sentiments toward Dee Dee's demise are complex. While Gypsy is relieved to be free from her mother's control, she is not elated by her mother's death. In an interview with Dr. Phil in 2017, she revealed that she wants nothing to do with Godejohn and wishes that her mother's murder never happened.
She expressed that rather than cause her mother harm, Godejohn was old enough to do the responsible thing and, instead, take her to the police.
Gypsy Rose's story serves as a stark reminder of the depths of manipulation and abuse one individual can inflict on another, and the enduring quest for justice and redemption in the face of unimaginable circumstances.
There's no doubt her case will continue to be one that leaves people divided over what's right and wrong, and that people will continue to watch her story continue with great interest.
