In what is arguably one of the most notorious true-crime stories of the last fifteen years, another chapter is about to close.
One of the most well-known cases of suspected Munchausen by Proxy, a psychological disorder that leads a caregiver to engage in attention-seeking behavior by making the person or people under their care sick or leading others to believe they are sick, is the case of Clauddine “Dee Dee” and Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
Currently referred to as “Factitious disorder imposed on another,” it is believed that this disorder is what led Dee Dee to deceive friends, family, charities, medical professionals, and even Gypsy herself into believing her daughter was much younger than she actually was.
Dee Dee even went so far as to persuade Gypsy that she needed a wheelchair, feeding tube, and oxygen since she was unable to breathe, walk, or eat regularly. Gypsy was subsequently shown to be able to breathe, eat, and walk without assistance.
When Gypsy was just 8 years old, Dee Dee claimed that her daughter had been diagnosed with leukemia and muscular dystrophy and required a wheelchair and feeding tube, among other medical accommodations. This was the beginning of Dee Dee’s medical abuse of Gypsy.
Her tendency to report her daughter as ill began even earlier, when Dee Dee claimed Gypsy had sleep apnea shortly after Gypsy was born. Dee Dee later claimed Gypsy had asthma, hearing, and vision problems in addition to seizures, and she had doctors prescribe medication and carry out operations to treat these ailments.
Later, Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, came up with a plot to get away from Dee Dee, which led to Gypsy’s stabbing death. Gypsy was given a 10-year prison sentence for the murder, but she has since gained notoriety, giving interviews about her past and present, and being included in television programs and films such as “The Act” and “Mommy Dead and Dearest.”
Gypsy, who is 32 years old, is scheduled to be released from prison on Thursday, December 28, having completed 85% of her term. Following years of legal wrangling, the public is closely watching Blanchard to see what happens when she is released from prison. Want a summary of the intricate circumstances? Review the specifics with our timeline.
Dee Dee and Gypsy relocate to Springfield, Missouri in March 2008.
Dee Dee informed neighbors that Hurricane Katrina had damaged Gypsy’s medical records and their condominium in Louisiana when the Blanchard family landed in Missouri in September 2005. The local Habitat for Humanity built a pink, accessible home for the obviously dedicated mother and her sick daughter in Springfield, with no reason not to trust them (the sick daughter had a shaved head and missing teeth that were extracted after medication caused them to rot). The couple stayed in temporary accommodation in Aurora, Missouri, prior to the construction of the pink home in March 2008. In addition to organizing charitable activities and providing gifts, the community came together to support Gypsy’s travels and medical needs.
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