Gypsy-Rose Blanchard said she has “taken accountability” for her role in the death of her abusive mother, and now plans to “take back my life.”
On Instagram earlier this week, Blanchard shared a lengthy statement after completing her parole program on June 24. “When I accepted my sentence, I accepted the weight of my choices,” Blanchard wrote. “I served my time. That was my accountability and I’ve carried it for years. I don’t owe the past anything more.”
Blanchard spent seven years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for conspiring to kill her mother, Claudine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. The case gained notoriety after it was revealed that Dee Dee — who appeared to suffer from Munchausen by proxy — had spent years making Blanchard believe she was disabled and chronically ill, even subjecting her to unnecessary surgeries and medication.
Blanchard’s co-conspirator in the killing was her boyfriend at the time, Nicholas Godejohn, who is serving a life sentence for the murder and is not eligible for parole. Much of Blanchard’s new statement actually centered on Godejohn, with Blanchard calling him “a deeply disturbed man,” who nevertheless “knew the difference between right and wrong.” She also said Godejohn’s diagnosis of autism and Asperger’s “does not excuse what he did,” pointing to his original conviction and numerous failed appeals.
“Nicholas made the decision to move forward with that night,” Blanchard said. “That was a choice, and he is not exempt from the consequences of that choice.”
As for her “unintentional manipulation” of Godejohn, Blanchard wrote, “This type of manipulation isn’t rooted in malice, it’s often a reflection of past trauma, fear of abandonment or a lack of emotional tools. The key difference is intent. The person is not trying to deceive or control, but the behavior still affects others and requires self awareness and growth to correct.”
Blanchard ended her statement by saying, “I will not carry [Godejohn’s] actions on my shoulders any longer. I’ve taken responsibility for mine. This next chapter is one of healing. Of growth. Of reclaiming my life. This is freedom and I’m moving forward with clarity, peace, and self-forgiveness.”