As a result of being trapped at the hands of abuse by her mother, Clauddine Blanchard, who was suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard Anderson, born July 27, 1991 in Golden Meadow Louisiana, convinced her former boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn to kill her mother, in a desperate attempt to escape. After spending eight years in prison, Gypsy-Rose was released on parole early on Thursday, December 28, 2023. Countless news articles and podcasts have been produced based on her fascinating story of the struggles she overcame in her life. Many people know her name, but do they know the true story?
According to the National Health Service, Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSP) is a psychological disorder that causes a person to falsely present their child as being ill, impaired, or injured. The person with MSP receives attention by searching for medical help to treat false symptoms of their child. For over two decades, Clauddine Blanchard, stated her daughter had sleep apnea. Clauddine falsely asserted that her daughter suffered from leukemia and muscular dystrophy at the age of 8. Muscular dystrophy is a hereditary condition that causes progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles. Clauddine Blanchard continued to lie about her daughter’s health, and said she needed a wheelchair, stating that she had seizures, visual and hearing problems, along with asthma, claiming that her daughter’s medical records were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Due to her mother’s sickening facade, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was given a large amount of medications and had to sleep using a breathing machine. Although Gypsy was healthy, she had to undergo many unneccessary surgeries due to her mother’s false claims. Her entire childhood was taken away from her. Over the years, she started to realize the falsensess of her medical diagnoses, and became more independent.
This was the fateful moment when she decided to contact someone she met online on a dating site in 2012. His name was Nicholas Godejohn. He helped Gypsy pursue the elaborate plan of the murder of her mother. “I talked him into it” claims Gypsy Rose, during her trial in court, according to NBC5 Chicago. Nicholas Godejohn was charged with first-degree murder in 2018.
Munchausen syndrome by proxy affected Gypsy’s life in various parts of her life. According to Biography.com, Clauddine Blanchard was formally a nurse, therefore she knew how to explain the symptoms of certain conditions, and how to speak to other medical proffesionals. People believed Gypsy’s mother because of the caring devotion she had towards her. Yet, it was all a terrible scheme to gain full control over her daughter.
“I was desperate to get out of that situation… Nobody will ever hear me say I’m glad she’s dead or I’m proud of what I did. I regret it every single day…” stated Gypsy Rose Blanchard, according to Peoples magazine.
Since her release, Gypsy Rose is now married to Ryan Anderson, she has published Relased: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom, and is working on publishing a full memoir later this year. The story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to serve as an inspiring story to all victims abuse to help promote awareness of the ruinous impacts of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
