Last week, Gypsy Rose Blanchard left prison on parole.
After a lifetime of suffering poisoning, mutilation, abuse, lies, and an unjust incarceration, she is finally free, albeit tentatively.
Now, she’s reclaiming life with close family — including her husband.
Just days after her release from behind bars, she celebrated New Year’s Eve with loved ones. We hope that 2024 is particularly magical for her.
A quick acknowledgement: Obviously, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard’s first name is a slur that contributes towards the marginalization and dehumanization of the Roma people across multiple European countries. We are only writing it because it is also her name.
Giving a name like that is a terrible thing to do to someone, but unfortunately does not even make the Top 10 list of things that Gypsy’s mother put her through.
Fortunately, her mother can no longer harm her. And the 32-year-old survivor is now out of prison and on social media, where she is receiving widespread and well-deserved support.
As of late last week, Gypsy is no longer in prison. Just days ago, she took to social media to wish her followers a very happy New Year’s Eve. And she wasn’t celebrating alone.
“I have my dad, and my stepmom Kristy here, and of course my husband, so we’re looking to ring in the new year together,” she shared.
“And it’s gonna be really awesome to have some family time after so long,” Gypsy expressed. “So to everyone watching, happy New Year’s Eve!”
Tragedy and injustice defined much of Gypsy’s life. Most recently, she had to spend seven years in prison after the 2015 murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.
However, she appears to be adjusting to her well-deserved freedom very quickly.
Just days ago, she shared this mirror selfie (below) featuring a sports-related jersey shirt. “NFL game day!” she announced. The NFL is a professional football organization.
Just hours after her release from prison last Thursday, Gypsy went out shopping. She is on parole.
Her close family — including her father and stepmother — threw her a welcome home party.
Gypsy celebrated with her followers and supporters as well. On Friday, December 29, she shared a mirror selfie, writing: “First selfie of freedom!”
As many people know, Gypsy’s case is one of the most infamous stories of Munchausen by Proxy victims in the world.
For years, her (now deceased) mother lied to doctors, neighbors, and more — claiming that she had numerous conditions, including leukemia, an unspecified chromosomal disorder, and muscular dystrophy. She lied about Gypsy’s age and homeschooled her without teaching her how to read.
This was not merely a financial grift. This long-term abuse of Gypsy isolated her from her peers and education, and involved horrific medical and surgical consequences. One of those was the removal of her teeth, which was part of a series of “changes” that her mother had made to her mouth.
In July 2016, Gypsy pleaded guilty for her role in the death of Dee Dee Blanchard. She received a 10-year sentence. That alone is an indictment of our justice system.
She did not personally kill her mother. Then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, received a life sentence after his conviction for first degree murder.
Considering the incalculable harm that her mother inflicted upon her and that this was likely Gypsy’s only chance for escape, she has received widespread sympathy. Notably, doctors had expressed suspicions and police had even visited Dee Dee and Gypsy without taking action to save Gypsy. The system failed her until she, with the help of an online boyfriend, saved herself.
In September 2023, Gypsy received parole. This lead to her December 28 release from prison.
She is receiving widespread support and encouragement. Gypsy should never have been behind bars.
The injustice of this situation has reminded many people of others who should not be in prison. Commenters are already asking if the Menendez Brothers might taste freedom again. Sadly, that is unlikely unless our society becomes wiser and more just very quickly.