Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s story, one of the most notable cases of Munchausen by Proxy, saw a brutal and shocking conclusion with the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, in 2015. Gypsy was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to her role in the second-degree murder, carried out with the help of her then-boyfriend, Nicholas “Nick” Godejohn, whom she met online.

The background leading to these events is chilling. Gypsy was portrayed as a chronically ill child and young adult, due to her mother’s complex web of medically-unnecessary treatments and manipulations. This went on for years until Gypsy, in an effort to escape her controlled and abusive life, collaborated with her boyfriend to kill her mother. After the murder, their plot was discovered, leading to their arrest.

Gypsy’s ordeal received widespread media attention, casting a spotlight on Munchausen by Proxy, a form of abuse where a caregiver feigns or induces illness in another person to gain attention or sympathy.

Now, six years later, news has surfaced that Gypsy is set for an early release from prison on December 28. Post-release, Gypsy aims to lead a normal life and to use her harrowing experiences to create awareness about Munchausen by Proxy.