The Truth (And Sad New Details) About Dee Dee & Gypsy Rose Blanchard From From HBO's 'Mommy Dead And Dearest'

According to WebMD: Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a mental health problem in which a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury in a person under his or her care, such as a child, an elderly adult, or a person who has a disability. Because vulnerable people are the victims, MSBP is a form of child abuse or elder abuse.

As I watched the new HBO documentary, Mommy Dead and Dearest, I had pangs of anxiety that rippled through my body. 

My emotionally abusive mother had me taken out of school during my elementary years because I was "sick."

No doctor was able to diagnose me with anything other than allergies.

Yet, my mother still removed me from school so she could take care of me.

When I was older, she made sure she was the only one to care for my dying grandparents even though she tortured them with elder abuse.

After they passed, she would talk about how she was their only caregiver and craved the attention it brought from strangers who would hail her as a living angel.

Though my story is nowhere near as severe as what I'm about to explain in regards to the Blanchard's, it does go to show you that this type of behavior can happen.

It's not just something that occurs in movies.

Please be mindful.

Who Are Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose Blanchard?

Photo Credit: HBO

Dee Dee Blanchard was a single mother to Gypsy Rose, a little girl with a list of medical issues including mental retardation, leukemia, and muscular dystrophy.

From only a few months old, Dee Dee started telling those around her that Gypsy was not right.

As Gypsy aged, her mother took her to over 100 doctors in the span of 10 years and put Gypsy through multiple painful surgeries.

Because of Gypsy's illnesses, Dee Dee was able to get a free home from Habitat For Humanity, free trips to Disney, and several other kindnesses from strangers who thought the family was in need.

Dee Dee kept a blog to inform everyone about Gypsy's progress, or lack thereof (The Gypsy Rose Trip Blog is no longer inactive).

Photo Credit: Thought Catalog

Dee Dee, who's real name was Claudinnea, lived in Springfield, Mo with Gypsy after claiming they were Hurricane Katrina survivors.

It seems that was a pretty easy way to have people believe there were no medical records available and she was able to start fresh with new doctors and deliver information based on what Dee Dee wanted.

She wouldn't keep Gypsy at one doctor for any length of time though, for fear her rouse would be discovered.

Gypsy was given medication, sometimes through her feeding tube while she was asleep and unaware, that would cause symptoms that mimic those of the diseases Dee Dee claimed her daughter suffered from.

At one point, she even shaved Gypsy's head to make it appear as though she was going through chemotherapy; one more puzzle piece for people to feel sorry for both mother and daughter.

Medical professionals that were interviewed in the documentary claim that Dee Dee's excessive hand-holding and hugging were not forms of affection, but ways to show who was in charge.

Gypsy Rose said that if she were to say something out of line, her mother would squeeze her hand and she knew not to go any further.

Photo Credit: HBO

You would think this story is horrible enough, right?

It only gets worse.

Who is Nicholas 'Nick' Godejohn?

While online, Gypsy met Nicholas Godejohn and they started an internet relationship.

But Nick wasn't without his own mental disorders.

According to his mother, he had Asperger's and according to Nick himself, he suffered with multiple personalities.

Gypsy and Nick arranged their first meet up at a movie theater.

Dee Dee would be taking Gypsy to see the live-action film, Cinderella and Nick would just happen to be there.

Dee Dee thought Nick was strange.

And can you blame her?

A single male without children or a wife going to see a kid's movie?

We'll let her have that one.

Photo Credit: Springfield News

Gypsy learned of Nick's multiple personalities and his passion for BDSM.

Nick wanted his other personalities to have girlfriends, too and Gypsy obliged.

Photo Credits: HBO

How exactly was Dee Dee Blanchard murdered?

What Gypsy did not know was that in 2013, Nick was arrested and charged with watching pornography while touching himself at McDonald's and also carrying a concealed knife.

But she must have known that Nick would do anything for her, and that included murdering her mother, Dee Dee.

After Dee Dee went to bed on the night of June 14, 2015, Nick came to the home while Gypsy hid in the bathroom.

Nick mentioned to Gypsy that he wanted to rape Dee Dee, but Gypsy bargained with him and allowed him to rape her instead.

While Dee Dee slept in her bedroom, Nick walked in and stabbed her to death.

People became concerned when the following Facebook status was posted on Dee Dee and Gypsy's join account:

Photo Credit: Imgur

​It was believed that Gypsy was 19-years-old and missing.

But she was found a few days later with Nick and her actual age was revealed to be 23. 

At first, Gypsy denied any involvement.

After only admitting some things to her attorneys, they bargained down 1st Degree Murder to 2nd Degree Murder and Gypsy was sentenced to ten years in prison.

She claims that had she been sentenced to life, she would have committed suicide.

Gypsy Rose is currently serving her time at Chillicothe Correctional Facility in Missouri.

Nick Godejohn pleaded not guilty to 1st Degree Murder and is awaiting trial.

You can watch the trailer for the documentary here: