Gypsy Rose release shines light on effects of Munchausen Syndrome
The internet went crazy as Gypsy Rose Blanchard-Anderson finally saw the light of day, this time without prison walls or an abusive mother to shield her from the world. Recently, Blanchard-Anderson was released on parole, after serving eight years of a ten-year sentence. Blanchard-Anderson pled guilty to second-degree murder, after she asked her former-boyfriend to kill her mother. Blanchard-Anderson’s mom had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, leaving her daughter to suffer from constant medical abuse.
Social studies and psychology teacher Patrick Bertram understands the rarity of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
“I believe that, luckily, Munchausen syndrome by proxy is rare,” he said. “Oftentimes, it affects mothers with children. The mother tries to find things wrong with their child to convince the doctors that the child needs help. However, it’s usually the parent who wants attention.”
Munchausen can have lasting effects on the victim.
“She experienced a type of trauma,” Bertram said. “She was a child who was healthy but was made to feel and pretend to be sick. Going through all these surgeries and procedures done to her, it was abuse.”
Blanchard-Anderson risked life-long imprisonment to escape her mother’s abuse, an action supported by sophomore Sam Raybern.
“She went through a lot, and her mom was super abusive, forcing her to act ill, so I believe that it was justified for her to find a way of getting out of the situation,” they said. “I think she did what she needed to do in order to survive.”
However, after being released, Blanchard-Anderson has been experiencing an overwhelming amount of support from the public and the media. Sophomore Annabelle Schmitz is thrilled for her release./
“I’m so happy that Gypsy was able to be released,” she said. “I think she deserves to be free after these years of abuse and being in jail. She needed to get out and live her life.”
Raybern has similar thoughts.
“She just got out of prison after spending the longest time there,” they said. “She was probably really bored and sad there. I think a little bit of fame right now never hurt anybody.”
Not all opinions on Blanchard-Anderson’s release have been positive. Many, including West math teacher Nicole Bouzek, believe that the attention isn’t a good thing.
“I feel like when people like Gypsy get media attention that it almost signals to other people that it’s okay to do those sorts of things, because if they want to get media attention, some people don’t care how they get it,” she said. “That’s what tends to happen with serial killers, and criminals like that.”
Munchausen Syndrome can cause stunts in growth physically and emotionally.
“Just like anyone who has experienced trauma, it affects how logical they are and will be, how they will develop, and how they see things,” Bertram said. “Without the proper care, it can be very difficult for a person, especially the longer they’re in that situation the damage can be done.”
Blanchard-Anderson’s release gives her an opportunity to live a “normal” life, but her capability of fully adapting to ordinary life may be difficult.
“I think it might be hard for Gypsy to live normally because of all the trauma, abuse, and harm that she went through,” Schmitz said.
However, Bouzek notes she has a safety net to survive in society.
“She served time. I struggle with having an opinion on the matter, but if the parole committee thinks she’s fine and safe, then I can’t argue with it,” she said. “She’s in the public eye now, so if she messes up again, she’ll likely end up going back to jail.”
by Tenna Ruetten & Kassandra Bowlus-Jasinksi
Published January 29, 2024
Oshkosh West Index volume 120 issue IV