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After years of incarceration, Gypsy Rose Blanchard is free and back in the world, ready to retake her place in society.
Just 24 hours after her release from prison, Gypsy shared her first selfie on her official Instagram page. With a radiant smile and sparkling eyes full of hope, it seems Gypsy is embracing her newfound freedom with open arms.
She gave the photo a fitting caption, writing, “First selfie of freedom!” In less than six hours, the post had amassed over 500,000 likes and 100,000 comments, indicating the magnitude of support from people, most of whom have probably followed her harrowing story since 2015.
That same year, a jury convicted Gypsy for her role in the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The case made worldwide headlines for its disturbing and rather unusual circumstances. Dee Dee suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Her mental illness forced her to manipulate her child into pretending to be chronically ill.
Dee Dee’s decision subjected Gypsy to numerous unnecessary surgeries and medication, as well as physiological and physical abuse.
Gypsy would endure the mistreatment and exploitation up until her mother’s passing when she conspired with her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn to have Dee Dee killed.
She served eight years at the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri and was released on Thursday (December 27).
Blanchard’s release from prison and subsequent social media post marks a brand new chapter in her life, with her husband, Ryan Scott Anderson, right by her side through it all. The couple tied the knot on June 27, 2022, during which time Gypsy was still incarcerated.
Now that she has gained her freedom, however, she can enjoy the married life to its fullest extent.
Evidently, her freedom hugely contrasts with the life she lived behind bars. However, judging from the speed at which she has adapted to the world of social media, it appears Gypsy is ready to take control of not only her life but also her narrative.
Gypsy is now focusing on her future, hoping to transform her traumatic past into a public speaking platform. More importantly, her case also sheds light on Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare mental illness that poses a huge threat to vulnerable people.
According to CNN, those struggling with the disorder most commonly target preschoolers.
TMZ also reports that when Anderson picked his wife up from prison, he arrived with a camera crew in tow, suggesting that they might be working on a documentary or reality series.
Gypsy has yet to address these reports.
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