Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the woman who gained national attention for her involvement in the murder of her abusive mother, was released from prison on parole today. Blanchard's story captivated the nation due to the extreme abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, who fabricated numerous illnesses and disabilities for her daughter.
The saga began when Gypsy and her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, moved to Missouri after their house was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Dee Dee presented herself as a loving and devoted single parent caring for a profoundly disabled child. However, it was later revealed that Dee Dee had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder where a guardian causes or exaggerates a child's illnesses.
