Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted in 2015 of second-degree murder for her role in her mother’s death, was released from prison on December 28th, 2022 after serving nearly 10 years behind bars. Blanchard’s story captivated the nation – she had spent her entire life confined to a wheelchair and subject to unnecessary medical treatments for illnesses she did not actually have due to her mother’s Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Her release marks the start of a new chapter in her life.
Life in Prison and Preparing For Release
While in prison, Blanchard worked to better herself through various programs and classes. She obtained her GED and took classes on anger management and meditation. She also got involved with the prison choir.
In the months leading up to her release, Blanchard met with the prison therapist to establish a plan to aid in her transition back to normal life. This included lining up a place to live and work.
The prison warden described Blanchard as a “model inmate” who did not get in trouble during her time there. Blanchard expressed remorse for her crime, though still feels her actions were justified due to her mother’s long-term abuse.
Release From Prison
On the morning of December 28th, 2022, Gypsy Rose Blanchard walked out of the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri just after 10 AM. A friend came to pick her up. Blanchard covered her face with her hands as she made her way to the waiting car, avoiding the media gathered outside.
Blanchard is reportedly being kept at an undisclosed safehouse in Arkansas to avoid security risks and adjust to normal life. She will serve out her remaining sentence on parole.
Life After Prison
Where Blanchard Is Now
Very few details are known about Blanchard’s current whereabouts, which are being kept private for her safety and to avoid media scrutiny as she transitions back into the world. Her stepmother Kristy confirmed Blanchard is doing well but declined to provide any specifics.
Blanchard will likely spend her first months out of prison quietly adjusting to freedom and making plans for her future away from the public eye.
Social Media Presence
Within days of her release, both TikTok and Instagram accounts believed to belong to Blanchard popped up online. The TikTok account quickly amassed over 30,000 followers.
Blanchard posted two videos to her TikTok account celebrating her release. In the first video, captioned “First little video out!”, she dances to the song “Play This When I’m Gone” by Machine Gun Kelly while showing off her prison ID badge.
The second video features Blanchard lip-syncing along to the song “Made You Look” by Meghan Trainor with the caption “When they finally free you after 10 years!!”
These videos seem to confirm that Blanchard is establishing an online presence and connecting with supporters, though their authenticity has not been officially verified.
Romantic Relationship
While in prison, Blanchard developed a romantic relationship with a man named Ryan Scott Anderson, who hails from Wisconsin. The two tied the knot in 2021 in a small prison wedding.
Very little is publicly known about her husband at this time. Blanchard has not directly addressed her marriage since being released. It is unclear if Anderson was the “friend” who picked Blanchard up from prison or when the couple will reunite.
Future Plans
Blanchard has not made any official statement about her plans post-prison, but her attorney expects she will want to keep a low profile to focus on the transition.
It is likely Blanchard will want to find a job and continue taking college classes now that she is free. She will also need to abide by rules of her parole.
In a statement through her lawyer, Blanchard said:
“I look forward to living life as a free woman and assisting my attorneys with my wrongful conviction lawsuit against Webster County as well as pursuing a career in writing and advocacy for disability rights.”
This indicates she may seek legal retribution against those involved in her case.
Her interest in writing and advocacy could point to her authoring a book or taking public speaking opportunities to highlight disability rights issues. However, she may choose to avoid activism given intense public interest in her story.
Ongoing Murder Case
Nicholas Godejohn, who carried out the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard at Gypsy’s request in 2015, remains behind bars serving his life sentence without parole in Missouri.
Godejohn’s attorneys have been trying to appeal the verdict, seeking to introduce new witnesses and evidence that could lessen his charge.
Earlier this year, Godejohn gave an interview from prison maintaining his belief that he committed his crime out of love for Gypsy.
With Gypsy having now been released, the only loose end in this tragic story is whether Godejohn can get the courts to reconsider his harsh sentence due to his significant mental health issues and manipulation by Gypsy.
| Event | Date |
|---|
| Gypsy Rose Blanchard released from prison | December 28th, 2022
| Godejohn sentenced to life in prison without parole | February 2019
| Gypsy Rose Blanchard sentenced to 10 years | July 2016
| Dee Dee Blanchard murdered | June 2015
| Gypsy & Godejohn first meet online | 2012
Media Fascination With Blanchard’s Story
The murder of Dee Dee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose and Gypsy’s boyfriend remains a source of immense public intrigue. Their story has been covered extensively on various true crime shows and inspired the Hulu series The Act.
Now that Gypsy is free, it seems the media attention on her is unlikely to fade anytime soon. Her TikTok following exploded within mere days and major networks like ABC have already secured her first post-prison interview.
While some feel she has served her time and should be left alone, many others argue she deserves scrutiny given her willing participation in her mother’s brutal murder. Online petitions demanding she stay in prison have circulated.
America seems collectively fascinated by this young woman and transfixed on her next moves. For Gypsy Rose, her main challenge now is trying to move forward and build a quiet, normal life despite lingering notoriety and divisive opinions on her past choices.
What’s certain is that this case has brought important issues like Munchausen syndrome by proxy and abuse into the public discourse. Perhaps the best outcome is if Gypsy can emerge as an advocate or leading voice on those issues even as she focuses on her own healing.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
