Dee Dee Blanchard

On June 14, 2015, Clauddine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard was found stabbed to death in her Springfield, Missouri home. The initial shock of the murder was compounded by a stunning revelation: her daughter Gypsy Rose, whom the community believed to be a wheelchair-bound, severely ill teenager, could actually walk and was far healthier than her mother had claimed.

Dee Dee had subjected Gypsy to Munchausen syndrome by proxy (factitious disorder imposed on another) for Gypsy's entire life. She had convinced doctors, charities, and the community that Gypsy suffered from leukemia, muscular dystrophy, brain damage, and other conditions. Gypsy endured unnecessary surgeries, medications, and a feeding tube. Dee Dee had falsified medical records, shaved Gypsy's head, and forced her to use a wheelchair.

As Gypsy grew older and gained access to the internet, she realized she was not actually ill. She began a secret online relationship with Nicholas Godejohn of Wisconsin. Together they planned Dee Dee's murder, and Godejohn traveled to Springfield and stabbed Dee Dee while Gypsy hid in the bathroom.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. Gypsy was released on parole in December 2023. The case brought unprecedented public awareness to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.