ABC 20/20 “Gypsy Rose The Next Act” January 26 2024
In a captivating and exclusive interview, viewers will get a chance to hear directly from Gypsy Rose Blanchard herself in the highly anticipated 20/20 event premiering this Friday night at 9/8c, on January 26, 2024, only on ABC. For those who prefer streaming, the interview will also be available on Hulu.
For over a decade, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard lived with a myriad of alleged medical issues, including leukemia, seizures, and muscular dystrophy, while using a wheelchair. She and her mother, Dee Dee, were celebrated in their community, speaking at conferences, meeting celebrities, and even receiving a home from Habitat for Humanity. However, in 2015, everything changed when police discovered Dee Dee stabbed to death in her home. Gypsy and her secret boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, were named as the main suspects in the case.
The episode explores the case in detail, shedding light on the disturbing phenomenon of Munchausen by proxy, a form of abuse where a guardian exaggerates or induces illness in a child, often motivated by a desire for attention and sympathy. Gypsy, who claims she was a healthy young woman, opens up to co-anchor Deborah Roberts one week after her release from prison. She discusses her life behind bars, her reckoning with her past, and how she is coping with her newfound fame.
The program also includes an exclusive interview with Lt. Stan Hancock, the lead detective on the case, offering insights into the investigation. Interviews with Sheriff Jim Arnott, Mike Stanfield (Gypsy’s defense attorney), Rod and Kristy Blanchard (Gypsy’s father and stepmother), Aleah Woodmansee (Gypsy’s neighbor and friend), Dr. Bernardo Flasterstein (a pediatric neurologist who treated Gypsy and suspected Munchausen by proxy), Dr. Mary Sanders (a Stanford professor and leading expert on Munchausen by proxy abuse), and EJ Dickson (a writer for Rolling Stone who reported on the case) provide a comprehensive look at this compelling and tragic story.
Don’t miss this exclusive interview with Gypsy Rose Blanchard, as she breaks her silence and shares her side of the story. Tune in to 20/20 on ABC this Friday night at 9/8c, and for those who prefer streaming, catch it on Hulu. This is a television event you won’t want to miss.
What Happened to Gypsy Rose Blanchard & Dee Dee Blanchard?
On June 14, 2015, in Greene County, Missouri, USA, the body of Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard was discovered in her home, and her daughter, Gypsy-Rose, was missing. Dee Dee had portrayed Gypsy-Rose as a severely ill child with multiple medical conditions, including leukemia, asthma, and muscular dystrophy. However, concerned neighbors alerted the police after reading troubling Facebook posts, suspecting foul play and a possible abduction.
The investigation eventually led to Gypsy-Rose being found in Wisconsin, where she had traveled with her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, whom she had met online. It was revealed that Gypsy-Rose was not actually ill and had been a victim of her mother’s fabricated medical history. Some doctors had even suspected that Dee Dee suffered from a mental disorder called factitious disorder imposed on another, where a caretaker exaggerates or induces illness in someone under their care.
Dee Dee had subjected Gypsy-Rose to unnecessary surgeries, medications, and physical and psychological abuse. Gypsy-Rose eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and served eight years of a ten-year sentence. She was granted parole in September 2023.
Dee Dee’s background revealed a history of deception and possible abuse within her own family. She had a habit of stealing from her family, and there were suspicions that she may have contributed to her mother’s death by denying her food. Dee Dee had a daughter, Gypsy-Rose, with Rod Blanchard, but they separated shortly after her birth.
Gypsy-Rose’s childhood was marked by her mother’s belief in her numerous health issues, which led to unnecessary medical treatments and surgeries. Gypsy-Rose was homeschooled and isolated from others, and her mother controlled her through physical abuse. The family received support from charities, and Gypsy-Rose’s father continued to provide financial assistance, unaware of the extent of the deception.
The abuse escalated over the years, and Gypsy-Rose attempted to escape her situation but was unsuccessful. She eventually met Nicholas Godejohn online, and their relationship led to a plan to kill Dee Dee.
Godejohn returned to Springfield in June 2015 and carried out the murder, after which he and Gypsy-Rose fled to Wisconsin. Concerned friends and neighbors alerted the authorities, leading to their arrest. Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The revelation of the deception and abuse shocked the community, and sympathy shifted towards Gypsy-Rose as a long-term victim. Gypsy-Rose served her sentence and expressed a desire to help other abuse victims.
Dee Dee’s family did not mourn her, as they believed she deserved her fate. Gypsy-Rose’s father, Rod Blanchard, was more forgiving and expressed relief at seeing his daughter walking on her own.
The medical community expressed regret that they could not do more to help Gypsy-Rose and recognized the need for better reporting of suspected cases of factitious disorder imposed on another. Experts noted that Gypsy-Rose’s case was unprecedented, as she was an abused child who had killed her abusive parent.
In September 2023, Gypsy-Rose was granted parole and released from prison, starting a new chapter in her life.
