Woman from infamous murder case set to become public speaker on mental health

01 November 2023 , 16:23

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Gypsy's mother took away much of her life from her

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has spoken out on the career she hopes to follow post-prison - and it’s not what you’d expect.

Blanchard, who pled guilty to second-degree murder in 2015 for killing her abusive mother, says she wants to get behind the microphone and start a career in public speaking and advocacy work on behalf of child abuse victims, sources close to her have revealed. It comes as she is set to be released on December 28 this year after being granted parole in September.

Sources close to Gypsy say she specifically wants to raise awareness about Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy - which is the medical term used by docs to describe the actions of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The syndrome itself refers to a mental disorder in which someone fakes an illness - by proxy, it usually refers to a parent who pretends their kids are sick.

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Those close to Gypsy believe she can help others who might be going through similar things due to her extensive experience, adding that she wants to put a positive spotlight on mental health. The sources told TMZ that she has matured while she has been incarcerated, and feels equipped to re-assimilate into society.

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Nick Godejohn, left, and Gypsy Blanchard, right, were behind Dee Dee's murder

She feels she has a strong support system, including her husband, Ryan, who she married on June 27 2022. It is claimed that group therapy was very helpful for Gypsy - but that when she is out of prison, she will focus on having one-on-one trauma therapy sessions to continue working through any issues.

Gypsy was given a 10-year sentence in 2015 after accepting a plea bargain agreement for second-degree murder. Where there had initially been public disgust at the murder, sympathy quickly shifted towards Gypsy after it was revealed how she was treated as a child.

Dee Dee made Gypsy use a wheelchair when she was around 7 or 8, after she got a graze on her knee when riding a bike. Dee Dee believed Gypsy had muscular dystrophy, a condition that causes the breakdown of muscles over time.

Gypsy's mum Dee Dee, above, was the victim of murder - but was also accused of abusiveness (Family Handout)

The child did not go to school after second grade as her mother, who instead homeschooled her, claimed she was too ill to go in. It was believed to be an attempt to further isolate Gypsy, reinforcing Dee Dee’s control over her life.

Over the years, Dee Dee would gain charitable donations and local media attention through the story of her daughter. Gypsy would be fed medication for various conditions that she didn’t need, and Dee Dee used to shave her hair off - telling her it would eventually fall out anyway.

The young girl believed she spent her childhood with severe illness

But eventually Gypsy’s independence grew and in 2012 she made friends with a young man called Nicholas Godejohn online, around her age. It culminated in June 2015, when the pair planned to kill Dee Dee - and did so while she slept in her bed.

Alex Croft