Springfield, Missouri – Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted for her role in the murder of her abusive mother, is opening up about forgiveness and her return to normal life in an exclusive interview with the Mirror.
The 32-year-old Blanchard revealed that she has come to regret her decision to end her mother’s life and has found forgiveness for both her mother and herself. She also expressed her newfound sympathy towards her late mother, who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy – a disorder in which someone fakes illness in a child to seek attention.
Blanchard recounted the years of suffering at the hands of her mother, including undergoing unnecessary operations and being forced to pretend as a wheelchair-bound invalid with muscular dystrophy and leukemia. In 2015, she conspired with her boyfriend to kill her mother, resulting in her imprisonment for second-degree murder.
After serving eight-and-a-half years of a 10-year sentence, Blanchard has now been released and is the focus of a documentary exploring her story. In her first UK interview since being released, she shared her plans to renew her vows with her husband and her remorse for her actions. Blanchard also revealed her aspirations to become an advocate for mental health and protect other children vulnerable to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Additionally, she expressed her disappointment in the medical profession and social services for not intervening despite suspicions of her mother’s condition, and her hopes to work in Munchausen syndrome by proxy advocacy. Reflecting on her past and the impact of her mother’s lies, Blanchard is now focusing on reshaping herself as a person while working to unravel her harrowing past in therapy.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s story will be featured in a six-part documentary airing on Crime + Investigation, highlighting her journey towards forgiveness and healing.