Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted in 2016 of convincing her boyfriend to help her kill her mother due to abuse she faced, was released from prison early Thursday.
Blanchard was granted parole after serving 85% of her 10-year sentence. The Missouri Department of Corrections confirmed to Scripps News Kansas City that Blanchard was released from Chillicothe Correctional Center at 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
Blanchard, now 32, was convicted for her involvement in the death of her mom Dee Dee Blanchard. Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she faced constant abuse as a child, as Dee Dee was consistently able to fool the public and doctors alike, securing treatment for issues even after biopsies, testing or X-rays found no signs of the illnesses the mom insisted her daughter had.
In 2011, Gypsy, who now knew her capabilities despite her mother's insistence that she was ill, attempted to run away with a man, but Dee Dee found her and convinced her partner she was a minor.
Who is Gypsy Rose Blanchard? Why a 'sick' girl helped murder her mom
Gypsy Rose Blanchard will soon be released from prison. Here's a look at why she served time for the murder of her mother.
In public, if Gypsy ever suggested she was older or stronger than her mother claimed, Dee Dee would allegedly tightly squeeze her hand as a signal to stop. When they were alone, she would slap her or strike her with a coat hanger.
In 2012, Gypsy met Nicholas Godejohn on a Christian dating website. They began a relationship online, discussing plans to elope. But those plans soon became violent, with Gypsy asking Godejohn to help her kill her mother due to the abuse.
In June of 2015, Godejohn came to the Blanchard home while Dee Dee was asleep. Gypsy hid in a bathroom and covered her ears while her boyfriend stabbed her mother 17 times in the back.
Gypsy and Godejohn fled with $4,000 in cash to the latter's home in Wisconsin, while many believed a helpless Gypsy had been abducted.
The public was soon made aware of Dee Dee's treatment of Gypsy, who said she committed the act because she believed no one would believe her if she just tried to walk away from the situation.
At trial, her defense secured a second-degree murder plea deal after obtaining her true medical records. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2016.
Godejohn, on the other hand, was convicted of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was sentenced to life in prison, concurrent with the 25-year sentence of the second charge.
Gypsy now knows the extent of her mom's abuse, and said she felt more free in prison than she did under her mom's thumb. She does feel remorse for the crime but has said she believes her reason for doing it should have left her with less prison time and more resources to get help.
