The Returning: Gypsy Rose Blanchard

photo courtesy of People.com

The Entertainment staff of VIRIDIAN News asks WGHS students about their thoughts and feelings on the recent release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and the importance the case plays in modern society’s knowledge of Munchausen Syndrome. 
by Cheyenne Seagraves, Malachi Lovett, Makenzee Kelley, Cason Pasqualino, Lochlan Chastain

photo courtesy of People.com

​The Entertainment staff of VIRIDIAN News asks WGHS students about their thoughts and feelings on the recent release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and the importance the case plays in modern society’s knowledge of Munchausen Syndrome. 

Macie McDuffie (Junior) explains the events that led up to Gypsy's arrest, “Basically in 2005, this girl was born, and she had nothing wrong with her, but her mom was like, ‘I'm going to make her have something wrong with her just so I can keep her in my life for longer.’ She started giving her all these medications causing her to get surgeries. And she had to get eye surgery and get teeth pulled…” 

Macie states that [Gypsy] was on her little computer on an Omegle type website hanging out with all these dudes and she met this guy, Nick. According to Macie, "Nick is like 'Let's go kill your mom.' And Gypsy Rose is like “Yeah Let's [get my mom] so we can run away together and live happily ever after.'” 

Macie finishes with what happened after their plan was carried out, “Nick comes over and attacks her mom and Gypsy Rose was like, ‘I didn't think you would do it…’ So now they both go to prison, but she lied, ‘Well I didn’t do it.’ So when the cops found out she was lying, she was like, ‘Oh my gosh. What do I do?” So she plead guilty and went to prison for eight years and is now out on parole.

Macie believes she shouldn’t have gone to jail because it was self defense from the abuse she was enduring from her mother. She continued by saying that Nick was the opening for her to get out of the situation she was in. Macie ends by saying that this case should be publicized because people need to be more aware of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, the mental illness the mom had. 

---

photo courtesy of FoxNews.com

Matthew McGiboney, (Senior) gives his insight on the situation. “Her mom was pretty bad, you shouldn’t do that to a kid...” His hypothetical sentence for Gypsy would probably be 10 years. Matthew feels that her actions were justified… he also feels that it’s messed up how she got Nick to do her dirty work and then didn't with him. Matthew ends by talking about what he thinks about the media aspect, “It’s a wild case, so yeah it’s probably put out in the media. It's interesting. A lot of people like it.”

Sydney Williams (Junior) states how she thinks Gypsy felt after the murder, as well as how she feels today, “I think she does regret what she did, and the way of how it was done. Although she is happy she is out of abuse now.”

​​Sydney says Gypsy wasn’t in the right mind when the event took place, “She was heavily drugged and manipulated by her boyfriend. I don't think it was right, but her mom deserved [some justice] for what she did.” She also feels that Gypsy is an icon to some people and is using her platform to share her trauma, and that after jail, you can still have a life.

Freshman Dayla Wilson explains her knowledge of the Gypsy Rose situation, “Well, I know that she just got out of jail, and that people are trying to make fun of her husband, [and] she’s supporting him…” 

Dayla then shares how she felt about Gypsy being released early on parole she stated, “I don’t think that she should’ve gone to jail ‘cause her mom was doing all that stuff to her; I think she kinda deserved [justice].” 

She also talks about how she feels about Gypsy’s relationship with her new husband, “That was kinda weird, I don’t know how you can marry someone you met while you’re in jail, it’s like e-dating on another level.” She later concludes her opinions on the case by talking about the publicity the case has been given. She felt like it was kind of a really controversial thing, so obviously Gypsy's case was gonna be famous. 

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has been out of jail since December 28th, she’s been sharing Instagram posts and TikToks talking about her life, and how it feels to finally be free. She is married to Ryan Scott Anderson since July 21, 2022. They will be having another wedding now that she’s free.

---