The end of 2023 marked the release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard following her 10-year sentence for the murder of her mother Claudine “Dee Dee ” Blanchard in 2015. This was following years of Dee Dee claiming Gypsy had a vast array of medical issues causing her to go under procedures/treatments she didn’t need.
Eventually, when Gypsy became more suspicious of the situation while speaking to her ex-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn, they conspired to kill Dee Dee with Gypsy supplying him with a knife and hiding in the bathroom as Godejohn killed Dee Dee. This led to their arrest on June 15, 2015. Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in prison under second-degree murder.
Gypsy was released on parole after serving 7 years in prison on December 28, 2023. This release caused a massive media uproar with the attention Blanchard’s case had received. Blanchard since her release has become a sensation and a sort of mockery with the platform she has been given such as on TikTok and Instagram. This situation has been very divisive with some finding the attention she has been given weird and off-putting while others welcome her reintegration into society following her release as well as the awareness she brings to Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome.
Sarai Juarez, senior, when asked about her thoughts on Blanchard becoming a sort of influencer and the platform she has been given shared, “It’s whatever I mean she didn’t do anything wrong, she’s just putting her story out there”. Some people seem indifferent towards her not thinking much of her social media presence but rather seeing her as some woman who was released from jail recently for killing her mom who faked her having a vast amount of medical issues.
Yamili Rubio, junior, shared her perspective stating “I feel she doesn’t deserve to be an influencer because people who are still minors are gonna be like oh so killing her mom was correct.” This concern comes from the fact that if a young demographic finds themselves on different platforms they may come across her story and misinterpret her actions and background. Gypsy’s release also brings forward safety concerns in terms of her mental health and whether it is safe to have her released and whether she had a sort of mental evaluation to ensure a safe transition back into society.
The sudden influx of attention has also caused a stir in terms of whether Gypsy was justified in organizing the murder of her mother. Oliver Castillo, senior, expressed his thoughts, sharing, “I feel it was the correct thing to do but at the same time why kill a person like that”.
Most people seem to be divisive in the justification of Gypsy’s actions and the moral behind them to be a very blurred line due to her circumstances. On one hand, people see her very unfortunate and tragic situation in what she had to endure her whole life at the hands of her mother but at the same time, the drastic measures leave quite a bad taste in people’s mouths.
Written by Opinions Editor, Janelle Herrera
Photo credit: courtesy of Gypsy Rose Blanchard/Instagram, YouTube