Original subtitles

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[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]

**

[ RINGING CONTINUES ]

[ BEEP ]

Kim: Dee Dee, I understand

if you're sick,

if you don't feel good.

Could you please,

please call me back

or at least pick up the phone?

Let me know

that everything's okay.

[ BEEP ]

-- Captions by VITAC --

www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Woman: WHERE DO YOU WANT

EVERYTHING?

WELL, THIS BEDROOM

IS EMPTY.

Reporter: IT WAS

A ROLE-CHANGE OF SORTS

FOR THESE FIRST RESPONDERS.

RATHER THAN ROLLING UP

TO MEDICAL CALLS,

THIS TEAM SPENT THE AFTERNOON

MOVING BOXES

AND FURNITURE

INTO THIS AURORA HOUSE,

AND IT'S ALL FOR THIS FAMILY,

DEE DEE BLANCHARD

AND HER 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER,

GYPSY ROSE.

Dee Dee:

IT'S BEEN A BLESSING.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO NICE TO US.

IT FEELS LIKE

WE FINALLY CAME HOME.

IT IS WONDERFUL.

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL

AND HAPPY AND HOMEY.

Reporter:

A HOME THAT THIS FAMILY

WAS DESPERATELY IN NEED OF.

THEIR TREK TO THE OZARKS BEGAN

WHEN A ST. JOHN'S

MEDICAL TEAM...

Kim:

DURING HURRICANE KATRINA,

DEE DEE AND GYPSY'S HOME

HAD BEEN DESTROYED,

AND THEY HAD BASICALLY

LOST EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAD.

IT WAS JUST A COMPLETE WASH.

SO THEY WERE RELOCATED UP

TO MISSOURI,

AND THEY WERE BASICALLY HERE

TO JUST START OVER

FROM SCRATCH.

WE BASICALLY GOT OUT OF THERE.

WHEN THEY SAID, "LEAVE,"

WE LEFT.

Reporter: AFTER WEEKS OF STAYING

IN THE HOSPITAL,

DEE DEE AND GYPSY ROSE WERE THEN

LIFE-FLIGHTED TO ST. JOHN'S

IN SPRINGFIELD FOR CARE.

TEAM LEADER DR...

Kim: THE MORE THAT I GOT TO KNOW

DEE DEE AND GYPSY,

THE MORE I GOT TO KNOW

ABOUT GYPSY'S AILMENTS.

SHE HAD MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY.

SHE HAD A FEEDING TUBE.

SHE SUFFERED FROM SEVERE

MIGRAINES,

AND SHE WAS ON A LOT

OF DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS.

Dave:

SHE WAS UNABLE TO WALK ANYWHERE.

I, MYSELF, HAVE PICKED HER UP

AND TRANSPORTED HER BETWEEN,

YOU KNOW, COUCHES

AND BEDS AND VEHICLES.

Woodmansee: WHEN I MET HER,

SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN 11 OR 12,

BUT DEE DEE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD

THE MENTALITY OF,

LIKE, A 4-YEAR-OLD,

SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE,

SO SHE WASN'T QUITE

AS DEVELOPED AS SHE SEEMED.

Reporter:

WITH NO HOME AND GYPSY ROSE

BATTLING BOTH MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

AND LEUKEMIA,

THE ST. JOHN'S AURORA TEAM

WENT TO WORK SECURING

THIS RENT-FREE HOME

FOR THE FAMILY

AND CLEANING IT UP.

IT IS OVERWHELMING.

YOU CAN NEVER DREAM IT

IN YOUR WILDEST DREAM

THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD JUST

SO GENEROUSLY COME

AND HELP US AND LOVE US

AND JUST WELCOME US.

Reporter:

FOR GYPSY ROSE AND HER MOTHER,

THE MOVE BRINGS A SENSE

OF SECURITY, A NEW TOWN

AND A NEW HOME THAT HAS

WELCOMED THEM WITH OPEN ARMS.

Gypsy: IT JUST PROVES

THAT HAPPY ENDINGS

ARE NOT JUST

IN FAIRY TALES.

THEY ARE REAL AND TRUE

IN REAL LIFE ALSO.

Dee Dee: THEY COULDN'T DRAG ME

BACK TO LOUISIANA

KICKING AND SCREAMING.

I'M HERE TO STAY.

WE'RE HOME.

Kim: DEE DEE TREATED EVERYBODY

AROUND HER LIKE FAMILY,

WHICH MADE IT ALL THE FUNNIER

THAT WE SHARED A LAST NAME,

BUT IN NO WAY WERE

WE ACTUALLY BLOOD RELATED,

BUT SHE COULD MAKE YOU

FEEL LIKE YOU WERE.

Dave: EVERY TIME WE SAW THEM,

THEY WERE ALWAYS HAPPY

AND GO-LUCKY AND WANTED TO HELP,

AND SO WE WANTED

TO HELP THEM AS WELL.

Kim: DEE DEE HAD A LOT OF

TROUBLE ASKING FOR HELP,

BUT THEY WERE ACTUALLY

GIVEN QUITE A BIT OF STUFF,

LIKE TRIPS

TO DISNEY WORLD, DISNEYLAND.

THEY GOT THE HABITAT

FOR HUMANITY HOUSE

AND THE FURNITURE IN IT

AND ALL THAT.

WE HAVE AN AWESOME BATHTUB.

IT'S A JACUZZI TUB

MEANT FOR MY MUSCLES,

AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL RAMP,

SO I CAN GET UP

AND DOWN BY MYSELF.

THE LIGHT SWITCHES,

I CAN REACH THEM NOW.

I HAVE WIDER DOORS,

SO MY CHAIR CAN GET THROUGH.

Kim: THEY WERE GIVEN THE VAN,

AND WHEN THE VAN DIED,

THEY GOT

ANOTHER SIMILAR VEHICLE.

-HERE'S THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE.

-THANK YOU.

AND HERE'S THE KEYS TO THE CAR

THAT WAS DONATED.

THEY WERE ALSO GIVEN THINGS

LIKE FREE FLIGHTS

TO GYPSY'S MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

OR CONFERENCES.

AS FAR AS GYPSY BEING SICK,

YOU ALMOST WOULDN'T THINK

THAT SHE WAS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD A LOT

LESS WRONG WITH THEM

WOULD PROBABLY HAVE DONE

A LOT MORE MOANING

AND WAILING

ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

Woodmansee: HERE SHE IS HAVING

TUBES BEING PUT INTO HER,

HAVING NEEDLES AND TREATMENTS,

AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY INSPIRING

TO SEE HOW GYPSY RESPONDED

TO THESE CONDITIONS.

IT WAS UNREAL.

Gypsy: HELLO, EVERYBODY.

THIS IS GYPSY ROSE REPORTING

FROM AURORA, MISSOURI.

I AM ABOUT TO DIVE OFF OUR PORCH

INTO THE PILE OF SNOW.

YOU READY?

GYPSY HAD THAT REALLY SOFT,

HIGH-PITCHED VOICE THAT KIND OF,

LIKE, MADE YOU FEEL, LIKE,

REALLY NICE AND GOOD.

AH!

THAT WAS SO FUN!

WHOO!

ALL RIGHT!

YEAH!

THE NORMALCY OF LIFE

THAT A CHILD LIKE GYPSY

COULD ENJOY SEEMED

TO BE VERY LIMITED.

HI, EVERYBODY.

RIGHT NOW, I'M IN

CINDERELLA'S CASTLE

EATING SOME ROYAL

MASHED POTATOES.

MM.

IT'S GOOD.

Kim: SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT

TO DEE DEE FOR GYPSY

TO HAVE A VERY FULFILLED

LIFE BEFORE SHE PASSED.

**

Woodmansee: I DID THINK THEIR

RELATIONSHIP WAS UNIQUE

BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING

THEY DID TOGETHER.

THEY EVEN HAD A JOINT

FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

CALLED DEE GYP BLANCHARD,

AND THAT'S WHERE DEE DEE WOULD

GIVE UPDATES ON GYPSY'S HEALTH

AND, LIKE, TAKE PHOTOS

OF HER IN THE HOSPITAL

OR, YOU KNOW,

IN DISNEY WORLD.

I MEAN, THAT WAS, LIKE,

THE DREAM RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN ANY MOTHER

AND DAUGHTER.

I THINK IT'S TIME TO GO

AND GET SOME ICE CREAM.

BUT I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE GYPSY

DID MISS GOING TO SCHOOL

SO THAT SHE CAN, YOU KNOW,

MAKE ALL THOSE FRIENDS

BECAUSE YOU COULD TELL

THAT SHE WANTED TO HAVE A LIFE

OUTSIDE OF HER HOME,

AND SO SHE HAD TO LIVE

THROUGH FANTASY.

ANY TIME THERE WAS AN

OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO DRESS UP,

SHE WOULD.

IF THEY WERE GOING TO COMIC-CON,

OR IF THEY WERE GOING

TO MOVIE PREMIERES,

SHE WOULD DRESS UP

AS THE CHARACTERS.

I JUST FELT LIKE SHE LIKED BEING

SOMEONE ELSE FOR A WHILE,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO,

LIKE, THE HAIR

BECAUSE SHE NEVER REALLY

HAD ANY HAIR,

AND SO SHE GOT TO WEAR

THESE BEAUTIFUL, LONG WIGS,

AND SHE TOOK ON THIS ENTIRE

PERSONA OF SOMEONE

THAT SHE COULD NEVER BE.

WE WERE FRIENDS, AND WE WERE

VERY FRIENDLY TO EACH OTHER,

BUT WE HADN'T REALLY GOTTEN

TO KNOW EACH OTHER ON,

LIKE, A REAL FRIENDSHIP LEVEL

UNTIL SHE STARTED MESSAGING ME.

GYPSY HAD SET UP A SECRET

FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

SO THAT WE COULD TALK,

AND SHE COULD VENT, YOU KNOW,

WITHOUT HAVING TO BE FILTERED

OR CENSORED BY HER MOM

BECAUSE HER MOM

WAS ALWAYS PRESENT

WHENEVER WE WERE

HANGING OUT TOGETHER.

EMMA ROSE WAS AN ALIAS

THAT SHE USED.

SHE WAS JUST COMING TO ME

AS, LIKE,

AN OLDER COMPANION,

YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE SHE'S ONLY EVER HAD

HER MOM HER ENTIRE LIFE.

AND I FIGURED I COULD BE

THAT FRIEND THAT COULD BE THERE

AND, LIKE, LISTEN TO HER

AND, LIKE, SHARE SECRETS WITH.

AND SO SHE STARTED

CALLING ME HER BIG SIS,

AND I STARTED CALLING

HER LITTLE SIS.

**

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

Kim:

THE SUNDAY THAT IT ALL STARTED

WAS JUST A VERY TYPICAL SUNDAY,

BUT THEN I SEE THIS POST.

IT WAS FROM THEIR DEE GYP

BLANCHARD FACEBOOK ACCOUNT.

THAT WAS A VERY JARRING MOMENT.

Dave: I WAS LIKE,

"WELL, THAT SEEMS WEIRD.

I BET YOU THEY GOT

THEIR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT HACKED,

AND SOMEBODY HAS BEEN

PLAYING GAMES WITH THEM."

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER POST.

SO I CALLED THEIR PHONE,

AND THEY DIDN'T PICK UP.

Dave:

AT THAT POINT, I TOLD KIM,

"WE'RE JUST GONNA GO OVER

TO THE HOUSE."

Kim: I WAS LEAVING MESSAGES

ON THE MACHINE.

"DEE DEE, COULD YOU PLEASE,

PLEASE CALL ME BACK

OR AT LEAST PICK UP THE PHONE?

LET ME KNOW

THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY."

WHEN WE GOT TO DEE DEE

AND GYPSY'S HOUSE,

THE CAR WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY.

SOMETHING DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.

Dave: WE WALKED UP TO THE HOUSE

AND STARTED KNOCKING

ON THE DOOR,

AND NOBODY IS ANSWERING.

I KNOCKED ON THE WINDOWS,

AND WE SHOUTED THEIR NAMES.

Dave: AT THAT POINT,

I WAS STARTING TO FEEL

A LITTLE ANXIOUS,

SO I HAD KIM CALL

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

TO SEE IF THEY COULD

COME DO A WELLNESS CHECK.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

WHEN THE POLICE SHOWED UP,

WE REALIZE THAT THE KITCHEN

WINDOW WAS ACTUALLY UNLOCKED.

THE POLICE EXPLAINED TO US

THAT SINCE THERE DOESN'T APPEAR

TO BE A BREAK-IN OF ANY KIND

THAT THERE IS NO LEGAL MEANS

FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO

JUST ENTER THE PROPERTY,

SO I ASKED THEM IF THERE'S

GONNA BE ANY REASON

WHY I COULDN'T GO IN THE HOUSE,

AND I WAS TOLD

THAT WOULD BE OKAY.

FIRST THING THAT I NOTICED

WHEN I GOT INSIDE,

OTHER THAN IT BEING DARK,

IS THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY COLD.

IT WAS LIKE THE AIR CONDITIONER

HAD BEEN ON FULL BLAST

AND JUST CONSTANTLY RUNNING,

AND THE HOUSE LOOKED NORMAL.

I WAS JUST LOOKING TO SEE

IF I COULD FIND ANY PEOPLE

OR ANYTHING THAT REALLY

JUST STRUCK ME AS ODD,

YOU KNOW,

LIKE OVERTURNED FURNITURE

OR THINGS THAT ARE BROKEN.

GYPSY'S WHEELCHAIRS ARE STILL

SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM,

AND HER ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR

WAS IN THE BATHROOM,

SO THAT MEANS ALL THREE

OF THE WHEELCHAIRS

THAT I KNEW THAT SHE HAD

WERE IN THE HOUSE.

IN GYPSY'S ROOM, EVERYTHING

IS JUST TYPICAL KID'S ROOM.

**

DEE DEE'S BED WAS UNMADE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF BLANKETS

ON IT,

BUT NOTHING LOOKED

OUT OF SORTS.

WHEN DAVE TOLD THE COP

WHAT WAS IN THE HOUSE,

WHICH INCLUDED ALL THREE

OF GYPSY'S WHEELCHAIRS,

I JUST KNEW

THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

THE MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL

ISSUED A STATEWIDE ALERT TONIGHT

ABOUT A MOTHER

AND A DAUGHTER

MISSING

FROM SPRINGFIELD TONIGHT.

THEY SAY 19-YEAR-OLD

GYPSY BLANCHARD

AND 48-YEAR-OLD

CLAUDDINEA BLANCHARD

WERE LAST SEEN JUNE 10th.

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT

THEIR WHEREABOUTS,

YOU'RE ASKED TO

CALL POLICE RIGHT AWAY.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

Woodmansee: I SAW A CROWD OF

NEIGHBORS GATHERED UP,

AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT

ABOUT THE FACEBOOK POSTS.

I THOUGHT MAYBE SOMEONE HAD

JUST HACKED THEIR ACCOUNT,

BUT WHAT MADE IT STRANGE

WAS THAT NOBODY HAD SEEN THEM

IN A FEW DAYS,

AND NOBODY COULD GET

AHOLD OF THEM.

KIM AND I BOTH FELT THAT

THE POLICE

WERE DOING

THEIR DUE DILIGENCE

AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHERE DEE DEE AND GYPSY WERE,

SO WE WENT HOME.

**

**

**

Woodmansee: I WOKE UP TO A PHONE

CALL FROM A DETECTIVE

WHO SAID THAT HE WANTED TO GET

SOME ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS.

I WAS SURPRISED BY HIM WANTING

TO COME OVER IMMEDIATELY,

BUT I KNEW IT HAD TO BE

AT LEAST FAIRLY SERIOUS.

**

HE ASKED ME, LIKE,

HOW WELL I KNOW GYPSY,

HOW WELL I KNOW DEE DEE,

IF THEY HAD ANY CONFLICTS,

BUT, OF COURSE,

I TOLD THEM THERE WAS

NOTHING CRAZY BETWEEN THEM

AND THEY WERE VERY,

VERY CLOSE.

**

[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]

HE ENDED UP GETTING A CALL.

IT WAS VERY SHORT,

AND AS SOON AS HE DISCONNECTED,

I JUST KNEW THAT

SOMETHING BAD HAD HAPPENED.

[ BELLS TOLLING ]

I WAKE UP AND TURN ON THE NEWS.

THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF

HAS NEW INFORMATION

ABOUT A MOTHER FOUND MURDERED

AT HER HOME

AND HER MISSING DAUGHTER.

LET'S GO LIVE NOW

TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

Reporter #2: 48-YEAR-OLD

DEE DEE BLANCHARD'S BODY

WAS FOUND

IN HER HOUSE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

THE SHERIFF ISN'T SAYING

HOW SHE DIED

BUT HAS SAID HER DEATH

WAS VIOLENT.

INVESTIGATORS CONTINUED

SEARCHING FOR HER DAUGHTER,

19-YEAR-OLD GYPSY,

THROUGH THE NIGHT.

ONE THING THAT WORRIED FRIENDS

AND HELPED INVESTIGATORS

WITH THEIR CASE...

Dave: I WAS FLOORED.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

I WAS IN THAT HOUSE.

HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED

SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

Kim: THE OVERALL FEELING

WAS NUMBNESS.

[ SIGHS ]

I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE

ANY OF IT.

I WANTED THIS TO BE ANYBODY

BUT DEE DEE.

DEE DEE HAD BEEN STABBED

MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE BACK,

SLASH ACROSS THE BACK

OF HER NECK

AND HAD BEEN DEAD

AND ALONE IN HER HOUSE

FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS.

**

Kim:

THIS POOR WOMAN HAD DONE NOTHING

BUT GIVE HER LIFE FOR HER CHILD

AND HAD DONE NOTHING BUT LOVE

EVERYBODY AROUND HER.

Dave: I COULD NOT THINK OF

ANYBODY WHO WOULD WANT TO CAUSE

ANY KIND OF HARM

TO DEE DEE AND GYPSY.

THERE WAS NO SUSPECT.

THERE WAS NOBODY THAT ANYBODY

HAD ANY IDEA

WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THIS,

AND SO ALL SIGNS DID JUST POINT

TO SOME RANDOM KILLER.

Reporter #3: QUESTIONS STILL

SURROUND DEE DEE'S DEATH,

BUT FRIENDS ARE ASKING

EVERYBODY IN THE AREA

TO KEEP DEE DEE AND GYPSY

IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

AS THIS INVESTIGATION

MOVES FORWARD.

Woodmansee:

I JUST STARTED SOBBING.

THE FACEBOOK POSTS WERE REAL.

DEE DEE WAS DEAD.

THAT MEANT GYPSY IS, TOO,

AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER

OF TIME BEFORE WE FIND HER.

AT THAT POINT, ALL I WANTED

WAS GYPSY BACK HOME.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

Woodmansee:

THE DETECTIVE TOLD ME

THAT HE NEEDED MORE INFORMATION,

SO I TOLD HIM I HAD THESE

MESSAGES BETWEEN GYPSY AND I.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY

INFORMATION THAT HE COULD USE,

BUT LITTLE DID I KNOW

THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY

FAIRLY VITAL PIECES

IN FINDING OUT

WHO HAD MURDERED DEE DEE.

AT FIRST, OUR CONVERSATIONS

WERE VERY, VERY INNOCENT.

AND THEN SLOWLY SHE STARTED

OPENING UP TO ME MORE ABOUT BOYS

AND, LIKE, WANTING ADVICE

ON LOVE AND, LIKE, KISSING

BECAUSE SHE HAD NEVER HAD

HER FIRST KISS.

IT KIND OF SHOCKED ME

BECAUSE I WASN'T EXPECTING IT,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

SHE WAS JUST GETTING OLDER,

AND SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, 15, 16.

IT JUST SEEMED TOTALLY NORMAL

FOR A GIRL HER AGE

TO BE ASKING THESE THINGS.

AND THEN FROM THERE,

IT ACTUALLY BECAME LIKE SHE HAD

A LOVE INTEREST.

GYPSY WAS NOT ALLOWED

TO DATE BOYS.

SHE WAS ALLOWED TO HAVE FRIENDS,

BUT BOYFRIENDS WAS COMPLETELY

OUT OF THE QUESTION.

SHE IMMEDIATELY JUMPED IN

TO HOW THEY WERE PLANNING

ON GETTING MARRIED

AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GET

MARRIED IN A GAZEBO IN THE SNOW.

AND THIS WAS MY INTRODUCTION

TO NICHOLAS GODEJOHN.

I TOLD HER, "JUST BE CAREFUL.

PLAY IT SAFE. PLAY IT SMART."

"DON'T JUST RUN OFF

WITH SOME STRANGER."

BUT HONESTLY, ESPECIALLY

SINCE HE WAS FROM WISCONSIN,

I DIDN'T THINK THAT ANYTHING

WOULD EVER COME OF IT.

I THOUGHT THAT HER MOM HAD,

LIKE, ENOUGH CONTROL

THAT THERE WAS NOTHING

REALLY TO WORRY ABOUT AT ALL.

**

**

Pack: THE POLICE TRACKED

THE I.P. ADDRESS

OF THE FACEBOOK STATUS

THAT WAS MADE ON DEE DEE

AND GYPSY'S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA

IN BIG BEND, WISCONSIN,

WAUKESHA COUNTY,

AND THE POLICE DETERMINED

THAT IT WAS NICHOLAS'

PARENTS' HOME.

WHEN THEY FIGURED OUT

THAT THE POST

HAD BEEN MADE

IN WAUKESHA COUNTY,

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT

THEY COULD GET THERE IN TIME

BECAUSE THEY WERE 8

OR 9 HOURS AWAY,

SO THEY HAD TO ASK

THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT

TO GO TO THE RESIDENCE

AND SEE IF GYPSY WAS THERE.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

THEY DISPATCHED A VERY LARGE

GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS,

AND THEY DESCENDED ON THE HOUSE

PREPARED FOR ANYTHING.

[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]

I FELT LIKE WE WERE GOING

TO END UP FINDING GYPSY,

YOU KNOW, IN A SIMILAR CONDITION

THEY FOUND DEE DEE.

[ BANGING ON DOOR ]

Officer: MOVE IT!

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

[ INDISTINCT YELLING ]

Reporter #4:

THIS IS A KY3 SPECIAL REPORT.

Neider: A HUGE BREAK IN THIS

HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION,

WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT

19-YEAR-OLD GYPSY ROSE BLANCHARD

HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE.

SHE IS OKAY.

SHE HAS BEEN FOUND

IN ANOTHER STATE

AND THAT ALSO A PERSON

OF INTEREST IS IN CUSTODY.

DETECTIVES ARE, RIGHT NOW,

HEADING TO THAT STATE

TO GET IN TOUCH WITH GYPSY ROSE

AND THIS PERSON

OF INTEREST IN THE CASE.

WE WILL GIVE YOU

MORE UPDATES ONLINE

AND HAVE LIVE REPORTS

COMING UP TODAY ON KY3.

TO HEAR THAT SHE HAD BEEN FOUND

IN WISCONSIN,

ALIVE, UNHARMED,

IT WAS ONE RAY OF HOPE.

Woodmansee: I WAS RELIEVED

THAT SHE WAS FOUND,

BUT, YOU KNOW,

WHAT CONDITION WAS SHE IN?

LIKE, WHAT DID SHE GO THROUGH?

Pack: POLICE DID A SEARCH

OF NICHOLAS' BEDROOM,

AND THEY FOUND

A LARGE AMOUNT OF CASH

THAT HAD BEEN STOLEN

FROM DEE DEE'S BEDROOM

AS WELL AS AN ENVELOPE

THAT HAD BEEN MAILED

FROM THE SPRINGFIELD LOCATION

WITH THE MURDER WEAPON INSIDE.

OKAY.

Man: HEY, DEE.

**

DEE DEE'S FULL NAME

WAS CLAUDDINE ANNE PITRE,

BUT EVERYONE

CALLED HER DEE DEE.

HEY, DEE.

Dorla: THERE WAS SIX OF US --

THREE OLDER BROTHERS

AND MY OLDEST SISTER.

I WAS THE FIFTH CHILD,

AND DEE DEE WAS THE SIXTH CHILD.

SHE WAS CONSIDERED THE BABY.

DEE DEE WENT OUT OF HER WAY

TO BE DIFFERENT,

BY HERSELF, A LONER,

AND THAT'S WHAT SHE LIKED.

Emma: YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NOTICE

SHE GOT A SHORT...

A JACKET,

BUT SHE GOT A SHORT.

SHE'S GOT THE FIRE.

TODAY IS FRIDAY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SHE'S GONNA SEE

THE BOYS TONIGHT.

WE SHOULD MOVE

THE CAR UP.

AND THAT'S YOUR DADDY,

OF COURSE.

Rod: I'M AT THE BOWLING ALLEY,

HANGING OUT ONE NIGHT

GOING THERE TO HEAR A BAND,

AND I SEE THIS GIRL.

SHE LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SHE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE

SHE'S FROM AROUND HERE.

HI.

MY NAME IS DEE DEE.

I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE TO GO OUT,

ME AND SUZETTE AND LJ

AND MICHELLE AND TITANIA,

AND WE'RE GONNA GO DO

SOME TRICKS TONIGHT.

WE'RE NOT TREATING ANYONE.

THIS IS HOW I LOOK.

-TURN AROUND.

Rod: THE WAY SHE DRESSED

AND THEN CARRIED HERSELF...

DESIGNED BY DEE DEE.

...SHE STOOD OUT

FROM THE CROWD, DEFINITELY.

Man #2: YOU THE BAD WITCH

OR THE GOOD WITCH?

SHE'S THE GOOD ONE.

I'M THE BAD ONE, OKAY?

WE STRAIGHTENED THOSE THINGS

OUT ALREADY.

YEAH.

I WAS 17 YEARS OLD.

I WAS WILD AS A WEED, YOU KNOW?

SHE WAS A LITTLE OLDER THAN ME,

BUT I GOT HER PHONE NUMBER,

AND WE STARTED

DATING AFTER THAT.

SHE TELLS ME ONE MORNING

THAT SHE'S GOT SOME NEWS

THAT SHE'S PREGNANT.

SO I WAS LIKE, "REALLY?

OH, REALLY? ALREADY?"

RIGHT AWAY, I SAID,

"WELL, I GUESS

WE'RE GONNA GET MARRIED."

SHE WAS THE PERFECT

SOUTHERN WIFE,

A REALLY NICE GIRL,

VERY POLITE, VERY GENEROUS,

BUT I JUST NEVER DEVELOPED

THAT SPECIAL PLACE

IN MY HEART FOR HER.

WE WAS MARRIED

ONLY THREE MONTHS.

Man #3: THE OLDEST ONE

IS RUNNING.

I PROMISED HER I WOULD ALWAYS

DO EVERYTHING

I COULD TO TAKE CARE OF HER

AND THE CHILD

TO DO WHAT I CAN FOR THEM

FINANCIALLY AND MENTALLY,

BUT I JUST COULDN'T --

I JUST COULDN'T STAY.

**

**

WE NAMED HER

GYPSY ROSE BLANCHARD.

SHE MAY HAVE BEEN

A LITTLE SMALL,

BUT BY ALL MEANS,

SHE WAS A NORMAL, LITTLE BABY.

Claudia:

I NICKNAMED HER POSSUM...

Dee Dee: YES.

...BECAUSE SHE LOOKED LIKE

A LITTLE POSSUM,

LITTLE, BITTY POSSUM EYES,

LITTLE, BITTY BLONDE,

BLONDE HAIR

THAT STUCK UP ALL THE TIME.

SHE WAS SO TINY.

Rod: AS SOON AS I SAW HER,

I KNEW MY LIFE

WAS GONNA BE

DIFFERENT FOREVER

BUT HAD NO IDEA

WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE ON.

HEY, GYPSY.

I LOVE YOU.

AS SHE GOT OLDER,

DEE DEE TELLS ME

THAT SHE'S TRYING TO GET HER

THIS HEART MONITOR

THAT SHE'D HAVE TO WEAR

WHILE SHE SLEPT

BECAUSE SHE STOPPED BREATHING

IN HER SLEEP,

OR SHE'D HAVE SEIZURES

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,

AND SHE WAS TELLING ME

SHE WAS BRINGING HER FOR TESTS

AND EVERYTHING

AND THAT SHE HAD SLEEP APNEA.

SHE ACTED SO SCARED.

WELL, WAVE GOODBYE

TO ME.

Claudia: SHE DIDN'T WANT NOBODY

WATCHING HER.

THE ONLY ONE SHE WOULD

LET BABYSIT GYPSY

WAS MY MOM AND MY DAD.

I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO BABYSIT HER

BECAUSE SHE WAS SICK.

GYPSY.

GYPSY.

DO YOU WANT TO GO PLAY OUTSIDE?

-NO.

SHE WOULDN'T EVEN LEAVE HER

WITH ME FOR AN HOUR OR ANYTHING,

SO SHE WAS WITH HER

ALL THE TIME.

HOW OLD ARE YOU?

YOU'RE 1?

AND WHERE'S YOUR CRANIUM?

VERY GOOD,

AND WHERE'S YOUR FRIEND,

ALLIE?

YES.

VERY, VERY GOOD.

DEE DEE WAS A GREAT MOM.

I WOULD TELL HER ALL THE TIME.

"MAN, I DON'T KNOW

HOW YOU DO IT, YOU KNOW,

DAY IN AND DAY OUT TAKING CARE

OF GYPSY,

BEING THERE FOR HER."

HI. WE'RE POOFING,

JUST A SMIDGE.

Woman #2: YAY!

Rod: I THOUGHT SHE WAS

THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD.

I'M GETTING CLOSE, CLOSE,

CLOSE TO YOUR FACE.

OOH. GIVE ME

THAT BIG SMILE NOW

SO I CAN SEE

JUST YOUR FACE.

WHEN GYPSY WAS AROUND

4, 5, 6,

DEE DEE STARTED TELLING ME

THAT SHE'S GOT SOME PROBLEMS

WITH HER EYES, SEIZURES.

SHE WOULD SAY THAT THE SEIZURES

WOULD AFFECT HER EYES,

SO THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SURGERY

WHERE THEY WOULD

STRAIGHTEN HER EYE OUT,

AND THEN SHE WOULD HAVE

ANOTHER SEIZURE,

AND HER EYE

WOULD GET CROOKED AGAIN.

WHOO!

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE RIGHT

THERE IN MY CAMERA.

WOW.

ALL I CAN SEE IS JUST

YOUR GLASSES NOW.

DEE DEE WAS TELLING ME THAT

WHEN SHE'D HAVE THESE SEIZURES,

IT WOULD KNOCK HER BACK

MENTALLY A COUPLE YEARS.

-OH.

-OH, HONEY.

-NOT THE SLIP-AND-FALL.

-OKAY. NOW GET UP.

AS GYPSY'S UNCLE,

YOU ALWAYS WANT THE BEST.

YOU FEEL SAD.

YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE

A NORMAL HEALTHY LIFE,

BUT WITH GYPSY,

THAT NEVER REALLY HAPPENED.

Woman #3: TURN THE OTHER WAY.

LET US SEE HIM.

OH.

HE'S SO CUTE.

Rod:

IT JUST GOT WORSE AND WORSE.

DEE DEE STARTED TELLING ME,

"THEY'RE RUNNING TESTS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER.

SHE'S GOT A LOT OF ISSUES."

SHE HAD SOME PROBLEMS

WITH HER HEARING.

SHE NEEDED TO GET SOME TUBES

PUT IN HER EARS.

SHE HAD BAD PROBLEM

WITH REFLUX, SO 7 OR 8,

SHE HAD

THE FEEDING TUBE PUT IN,

AND SHE'S BEING FED

WITH THIS MACHINE

THROUGH A FEEDING BUTTON.

OVER HERE, BABY.

IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE DEE DEE

WAS TAKING CARE OF GYPSY 24/7,

SO SHE DIDN'T WORK

AT ALL ANYMORE.

I PROMISED HER I WOULD ALWAYS

PAY HER CHILD SUPPORT

ALONG WITH ALIMONY AND COVER

ALL MEDICAL EXPENSES

AND HEALTH INSURANCE

FOR GYPSY.

I PAID DEE DEE

UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIED.

WHEN GYPSY WAS AROUND 7,

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME

I SAW HER IN THE WHEELCHAIR.

THEY CAME OVER FOR A VISIT,

HER AND DEE DEE.

I WOULD ASK HER, "WHAT'S WRONG

WITH HER LEGS?

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

WHAT'S THE DIAGNOSIS?"

DEE DEE TOLD ME THAT,

"SHE'S GOT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY,

AND HER LEG MUSCLES ARE GOING

TO EVENTUALLY QUIT WORKING."

THAT IS TERRIFYING TO HEAR

THAT ABOUT YOUR CHILD.

AFTER THAT FIRST TIME

I SAW HER IN THE WHEELCHAIR,

I NEVER SEEN HER WALK AGAIN.

BUT THROUGH ALL THE ILLNESSES,

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A TROOPER.

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN ALL SMILES.

YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH

ALL THE PICTURES WE HAVE.

THERE'S NOT MANY SAD PICTURES

OF GYPSY.

SHE'S ALWAYS GOT A SMILE.

**

THEY MOVED TO THIBODAUX,

WHICH IS 45 MINUTES AWAY.

A COUPLE YEARS LATER,

THEY MOVED TO NEW ORLEANS,

A COUPLE HOURS AWAY.

AS SHE GOT OLDER,

THEY MOVED FURTHER

AND FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY.

IT GOT HARDER AND HARDER

TO SEE HER.

I'D GO TO THEIR HOUSE AND JUST

A COUPLE HOURS HANG OUT,

BUT WHEN GYPSY AND I WOULD START

BUILDING A LITTLE CLOSENESS,

A LITTLE BOND AND EVERYTHING,

IT'D BE 3 OR 4 MONTHS

BEFORE WE COULD GET BACK

TOGETHER AND REBUILD UPON THAT.

IT SEEMED LIKE DEE DEE

WAS NEVER LETTING US BUILD

THAT FATHER-DAUGHTER

RELATIONSHIP

THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE

WITH YOUR CHILDREN.

AND KATRINA HIT IN 2005,

AND THEY WERE RELOCATED

TO MISSOURI.

THAT'S 11 HOURS AWAY.

BY THAT POINT, SHE'D LET ME

TALK TO GYPSY ON THE PHONE

WHENEVER I WANTED

AND EVERYTHING,

BUT SHE SAID A VISIT WAS PRETTY

MUCH OUT OF THE QUESTION.

I NEVER RAISED ANY REALLY

HARD QUESTIONS WITH DEE DEE

BECAUSE SHE STILL ALLOWED ME

TO TALK TO HER WHEN WE CALLED

AND KEEP

SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.

I KNEW THAT IF I RAISED ANY

SERIOUS QUESTIONS OR ISSUES,

SHE COULD CUT ME OFF

IN A MINUTE,

SO THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAD

WAS MOSTLY JUST PHONE CALLS,

GIFTS, BIRTHDAY CARDS,

STUFF LIKE THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE

HER FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"I'M GONNA BE HERE

FOR YOU FOREVER, WAITING.

ONE DAY, YOU'RE GOING

TO CALL ME AND SAY,

'HEY, DAD, IT'S GYPSY.'

YOU KNOW, 'CAN YOU COME

SEE ME?'" OR SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST HOPING

FOR THAT DAY TO COME,

AND IT NEVER CAME.

UH...

YES.

NO, SIR.

NO, SIR.

**

OKAY.

GOOD MORNING.

I WANT TO SPECIFY

AT THE BEGINNING

OF THIS PRESS CONFERENCE

THAT THIS IS

AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

THE PROSECUTOR HAS FILED CHARGES

THIS MORNING

FOR FIRST-DEGREE MURDER

ON TWO SUSPECTS.

WE'RE STILL INVESTIGATING

THE EXTENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP,

BUT IT HAS BEEN REFERRED

TO AS BOYFRIEND-GIRLFRIEND.

Woodmansee: I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS

WOULD'VE THOUGHT

SHE WOULD'VE

EVER BEEN ASSOCIATED

WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

I MEAN, ANY SORT OF CRIME,

PERIOD,

BUT ESPECIALLY THE MURDER

OF HER OWN MOTHER.

I WAS LIKE, "WHAT IS

GOING ON HERE?"

AS FAR AS I KNEW,

THEY HAD THE PERFECT

MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP.

I MEAN, IT WAS A PERFECT LITTLE

HAPPY FAMILY.

Kim: THE POLICE MUST'VE GOTTEN

SOMEBODY'S STORY BACKWARDS,

OR SOMEBODY WASN'T TELLING

THE WHOLE TRUTH,

BUT IT COULDN'T BE GYPSY.

Reporter #5: 26-YEAR-OLD

NICHOLAS GODEJOHN

WAS IN A WAUKESHA COUNTY

COURTROOM THIS MORNING.

HE WAIVED HIS RIGHT

TO AN EXTRADITION HEARING.

HE'S CHARGED IN THE MISSOURI

MURDER OF DEE DEE BLANCHARD.

PROSECUTORS SAY HE STABBED

THE WOMAN TO DEATH

AFTER THE VICTIM'S DAUGHTER,

GYPSY, ALLEGEDLY ASKED HIM TO.

GODEJOHN ALSO HAS

A CRIMINAL PAST.

IN 2013, HE WAS ARRESTED

AFTER INVESTIGATORS

SAY HE WAS WATCHING PORNOGRAPHY

AND FONDLING HIMSELF

IN A McDONALD'S RESTAURANT

FOR 9 HOURS,

POLICE FINDING A LARGE KNIFE

DURING THE ARREST.

I THINK EVERYONE ASSUMED THAT HE

WAS JUST THIS INTERNET PREDATOR

THAT HAD, YOU KNOW,

PREYED ON GYPSY,

ESPECIALLY GIVEN

HER CIRCUMSTANCES.

OKAY.

YEAH.

YEAH.

YEAH.

OKAY.

YEAH.

YES.

I DO REMEMBER THINKING

THAT IT WAS GODEJOHN

WHO WAS A MASTERMIND

BEHIND IT ALL,

BUT IT SLOWLY CAME

TO LIGHT THAT,

THROUGH TALKING

WITH THE DETECTIVES

AND SEEING

THE NEWS BROADCASTS,

THAT THERE WAS A LOT MORE

THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT SHE CAN WALK

WITHOUT ASSISTANCE

OR A WHEELCHAIR,

AND SHE CAN DO THAT VERY WELL.

Bailiff: STATE OF WISCONSIN

VERSUS GYPSY BLANCHARD,

CASE NUMBER 15.

755

ASSIGNED TO JUDGE BOYD.

Rod: WHEN I SAW HER WALKING

INTO COURT, I WAS IN SHOCK.

I WAS FREAKED OUT.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

Dave: I COCKED MY HEAD AND WAS

LIKE, "THAT'S NOT HER,"

AND I HAD TO REWIND

MULTIPLE TIMES

JUST FOR IT

TO TRULY SINK IN THAT

SHE IS ACTUALLY WALKING

INTO THE COURTROOM

UP TO A PODIUM.

IT DIDN'T SEEM REAL.

Woodmansee: I HAD SPENT SO MUCH

TIME WORRYING ABOUT HER

AND ABOUT HER CONDITION.

**

AND I NEVER KNEW

THAT SHE COULD WALK.

AND THEN SHE WAS WALKING

ACROSS THE TV,

AND SHE WAS FINE.

Kim: I REFUSED, FLAT-OUT REFUSED

TO BELIEVE

THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.

IT WASN'T MY GYPSY.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HER

OUT OF HER WHEELCHAIR.

THAT'S UNHEARD OF.

Man #4: LET'S JUST SAY SHE WAS

REALLY GOOD AT ACTING.

I THOUGHT FOR SURE

THAT SHE REALLY WAS CRIPPLED.

I STARTED TO DOUBT EVERYTHING

THAT I EVER KNEW ABOUT THEM.

Rod: A LOT OF QUESTIONS STARTED

POPPING IN MY HEAD

ABOUT WHAT WAS REAL OVER

THE LAST 23 YEARS OF HER LIFE.

Man #5: IT SEEMS LIKE A HUGE

RABBIT TRAIL

THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING TO SEE

IF ANYTHING IS TRUE.

Reporter #6: UNTIL QUESTIONS ARE

ANSWERED, PEOPLE WILL BE LEFT

WONDERING WHO THE REAL MOTHER

AND DAUGHTER REALLY WERE.

I THOUGHT I KNEW

THESE PEOPLE SO WELL.

Reporter #7: EVEN BLANCHARD'S

TRUE AGE IS A MYSTERY.

IF SHE COULD WALK,

SHE KNEW SHE COULD WALK...

...HOW DEEP DID THE LIE GO?

**

**

Gypsy: EVERYBODY THAT I'D EVER

MET IN MY LIFE...

...I KEPT THINKING

ABOUT THEIR FACES

AND HOW HURT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN

TO FIND OUT

THAT THESE TWO PEOPLE THAT THEY

HAD CARED SO MUCH FOR

WERE NOT WHO THEY THOUGHT.

**

I WOULD DESCRIBE MY RELATIONSHIP

WITH MY MOTHER AS COMPLICATED.

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER,

IT WAS A LOT BETTER

JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS

LIKE A BEST FRIEND TO ME.

Dee Dee: YOU WANT

TO BLOW ME A KISS?

VERY GOOD.

I LOVE YOU.

WE USED TO DO THINGS

TOGETHER ALL THE TIME,

GO TO THE MOVIES,

GO TO THE PARK, THE ZOO.

WHEN I WAS PROBABLY

ABOUT 5 OR 6,

MY MOTHER TOLD ME

THAT I HAD EPILEPSY

AND THAT I WAS PARALYZED

FROM THE WAIST DOWN.

SHE SAID I HAD CANCER,

AND SHE WOULD SHAVE OFF

MY HAIR AND TELL ME,

"IT'S GONNA FALL OUT ANYWAY,

SO LET'S KEEP IT NICE AND NEAT."

SHE WOULD ALSO SAY

THAT I COULDN'T EAT

AND THAT I NEEDED

A FEEDING TUBE,

AND SO I WOULD HAVE FORMULA

THROUGH THE FEEDING TUBE,

AND I'D ALSO RECEIVE

MY MEDICATION

THROUGH THE FEEDING TUBE.

I'M NOT SURE ALL THE NAMES

OF THE MEDICATION

THAT MY MOM WAS MAKING ME TAKE,

BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF ONES

THAT BASICALLY JUST PUT ME

UNDER A SEDATED STATE.

THE MEDICATIONS

DID AFFECT MY TEETH.

THEY STARTED TO DETERIORATE,

AND SOME OF THEM

HAD TO BE EXTRACTED.

Woman #4: SO WHERE ARE YOU

GOING TODAY?

I'M GOING TO CHILDREN'S

MERCY HOSPITAL

TO SEE MY DENTIST FOR MY TEETH.

I HAD MANY, MANY SURGERIES.

AND WE'LL BE BACK SOON.

I'VE HAD MY SALIVARY GLANDS

REMOVED

BECAUSE MY MOTHER SAID

THAT I DROOLED.

I HAD THE FEEDING-TUBE PLACEMENT

IN MY TUMMY.

I HAD MULTIPLE EYE SURGERIES

ON MY RIGHT AND LEFT EYE,

EAR SURGERIES,

A MUSCLE BIOPSY TO FIND OUT

WHY MY LEGS DIDN'T WORK

AND A SURGERY TO MAKE ME

NOT THROW UP ANYMORE.

**

I BELIEVED I HAD

ALL THESE ILLNESSES

EXCEPT THAT I KNEW I COULD WALK,

AND I KNEW THAT I COULD EAT.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I SAW MY

ATTORNEY FOR THE FIRST TIME,

AND HE TELLS ME THAT

THERE'S BEEN NO MEDICAL RECORDS

THAT SAYS I HAVE CANCER,

AND IT SHOCKED ME.

I DON'T HAVE CANCER?

IT CONFUSED ME SO MUCH.

SO WHAT OTHER ILLNESSES

DON'T I HAVE?

HE TELLS ME, FOR THE MOST PART,

HE THINKS I'M PERFECTLY HEALTHY

AND THAT A LOT OF THIS

IS MADE UP.

I WAS HAPPY TO KNOW

THAT I'M PERFECTLY HEALTHY,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

IT HURT

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE MY WHOLE WORLD

HAD BEEN TOSSED UP,

AND I REALIZED THAT MY MOTHER

WASN'T WHO I THOUGHT SHE WAS.

Reporter #8: IT'S THE NEWEST

DEVELOPMENT IN THE MURDER CASE

AGAINST GYPSY BLANCHARD

AND HER BOYFRIEND,

NICHOLAS GODEJOHN.

GYPSY'S MOTHER APPARENTLY

KEPT GYPSY IN A WHEELCHAIR,

MAKING UP HER ILLNESSES

AND DISABILITIES.

Stanfield:

GYPSY'S MOM WAS ABUSING HER

PHYSICALLY, MEDICALLY,

GIVING HER MEDICATION

SHE DIDN'T NEED, HAVING HER

GO THROUGH PROCEDURES

THAT SHE DIDN'T NEED

TO THE POINT

WHERE MOST OF GYPSY'S TEETH

ARE NOT EVEN HERS

BECAUSE OF THE MEDICATION

THAT HER MOM WAS GIVING HER

THAT SHE HAD NO CONDITION FOR.

I SHOW PLEAS OF NOT GUILTY

TO EACH COUNT.

I REMEMBER JUST BEING

NAUSEOUS...

JUST WANTING TO TURN AWAY

FROM IT ALL

AND JUST THROW UP.

I FELT EMPTY.

I FELT COLD.

I FELT NUMB.

I FELT GUILTY.

LIKE, I LITERALLY FELT

EVERYTHING.

Man #6: WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO

GET A SENSE

OF THE OVERALL PICTURE

AND TO FIND OUT EXACTLY

HOW WIDESPREAD GYPSY'S...

HER MOTHER'S CONTROL

WAS OVER HER.

Dr. Feldman: AS SOON AS I WAS

AWARE OF THE CASE,

I STARTED SEARCHING THE INTERNET

AND TRYING TO ACQUIRE

ALL THE INFORMATION I COULD,

AND IT BECAME ONE

OF THE LEAST DIFFICULT CASES

I'VE EVER SEEN IN ESTABLISHING

THIS AS MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,

WHICH IS WHEN PEOPLE MAKE OTHERS

UNDER THEIR CONTROL EITHER SICK

OR LIE ABOUT THEIR ILLNESSES

OR EXAGGERATE THEIR ILLNESSES,

ALL TO GET SOME KIND OF

EMOTIONAL GRATIFICATION

FOR THEMSELVES.

DEE DEE WAS A WOMAN

OF FAIRLY FEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THERE WERE RELATIVELY FEW

THINGS THAT DISTINGUISHED HER

FROM THE RUN-OF-THE-MILL PERSON,

AND THAT DIDN'T SUIT HER,

SO HAVING A SICK CHILD

GAVE HER A SENSE OF IDENTITY,

WHICH WAS OF THE INDEFATIGABLE,

HEROIC CAREGIVER

WHO LEFT OTHERS BREATHLESS

WITH THE EXCELLENCE

OF HER CHILD-REARING.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID,

"YOU'RE THE REASON I WAS BORN,

TO BE YOUR MAMA."

IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW,

YOU KNOW, WHY SHE KEPT GYPSY

AT SUCH A DISTANCE

FROM ME ALL OF THESE YEARS,

WHY THEY MOVED SO FAR AWAY.

SHE DIDN'T WANT GYPSY TO DEVELOP

ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP

WITH ANYBODY THAT MIGHT

TAKE HER AWAY FROM HER.

I FELT SO STUPID.

LIKE, WHY COULDN'T

I SEE THROUGH THIS?

"WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?"

IS ALL I KEPT ASKING MYSELF.

Dr. Feldman: I'VE SEEN AT THIS

POINT HUNDREDS OF CASES,

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,

WE SEE A CASE THAT VEERS

INTO WHAT WE CALL MALINGERING

BY PROXY WHERE THE PERPETRATOR

IS AFTER FINANCIAL REMUNERATION,

AND I THINK THEY WERE

COMBINED IN THIS CASE.

Reporter #9: OVER THE YEARS,

DEE DEE AND GYPSY BLANCHARD

RECEIVED MONEY AND ASSISTANCE

FROM A LONG LIST OF CHARITIES

ACROSS THE NATION.

CHURCHES IN THEIR HOMETOWN

OF THIBODAUX,

LOUISIANA, HELD FUNDRAISERS.

Dave: THAT'S WHEN I STARTED

TO GET ANGRY.

THAT POINT, I KNEW THAT I HAD

BEEN [SIGHS] DUPED

FOR MANY YEARS

AND...

JUST COMPLETELY FELT

TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

Rod: THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

THAT DEE DEE

SCAMMED THROUGH PEOPLE,

DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS,

SURELY IT'S IN THE THOUSANDS

AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

DEE DEE SCAMMED ME

PERSONALLY FOR AT LEAST $150,000

BETWEEN UNNECESSARY MEDICAL

EXPENSES AND CHILD SUPPORT

THAT I CONTINUED TO PAY

AFTER SHE TURNED 18.

Dorla: DEE DEE WASN'T A STRANGER

TO THE LAW.

SHE'D SHOPLIFT.

SHE WAS WANTED FOR

WRITING BAD CHECKS.

SHE STOLE FROM MANY A PEOPLE.

SHE WOULD GET SO MANY

CREDIT CARDS

UNDERNEATH MY DEAD MOTHER'S NAME

AND RUN UP THE BILLS LIKE CRAZY.

SHE WAS GONNA DO ANYTHING,

ANY WAY, ANYHOW TO GET HER WAY.

Woodmansee:

ALL OF THIS COMBINED

REALLY ALTERED

MY VIEW OF DEE DEE.

I MEAN, ONCE I STARTED REALIZING

THE EXTENT

OF WHAT SHE DID

AND HER ACTIONS,

I STARTED REALIZING

HOW CRUEL SHE WAS

AND HOW SHE ALLOWED HER DAUGHTER

TO BE ESSENTIALLY TORTURED

CONSTANTLY FOR ALL OF HER LIFE.

Rod: DEE DEE HAD A COUPLE YEARS

OF COLLEGE

UNDER HER BELT TO BE A NURSE,

AND SHE'D WORKED IN A HOSPITAL.

SHE DID HER RESEARCH

ON WHATEVER DISEASE

SHE WAS GONNA FATHOM

THAT GYPSY HAD.

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG

WITH THE MEDICAL SYSTEM

IF A CHILD COULD GET THROUGH

BEING UNTREATED

OR OVERTREATED YEAR

AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

MM, MAKES ME MAD.

DEE DEE GOT AWAY

WITH THIS FOR SO LONG

BECAUSE SHE IS LIKE SO MANY

MUNCHAUSEN-BY-PROXY

PERPETRATORS.

THEY DON'T ENCOUNTER

THAT MUCH RESISTANCE.

DOCTORS ARE BUSINESSMEN,

AND THEY LIKE

SATISFIED CONSUMERS,

SO I THINK THE EASIEST

THING FOR THEM TO DO

IS IGNORE THE POSSIBILITY

OF MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY

AND JUST GO ON AND TREAT

AND TREAT AND TREAT

FOR WHATEVER AILMENTS THE MOTHER

CLAIMS THE CHILD HAS.

Gypsy: SHE HAD A VERY

PERSUASIVE PERSONALITY.

ON THE OUTSIDE, YOU WOULD

ALMOST THINK

THAT SHE'S JUST THE KINDEST,

SWEETEST, MOST GENUINE WOMAN.

SHE WOULD GIVE ME A STUFFED

ANIMAL OR A DOLL TO PLAY WITH,

AND SHE WOULD JUST

TELL ME TO KEEP QUIET,

AND IF THE DOCTOR ASKED ME

HOW I WAS DOING,

SAY, "FINE,"

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, DON'T TALK,

AND IF SHE FOUND THE DOCTOR

DIDN'T AGREE

WITH WHAT SHE WANTED

OR IF THEY DIDN'T PUT ME

ON A CERTAIN MEDICATION

OR DIDN'T DO A CERTAIN SURGERY,

SHE WOULD SWITCH

TO A DIFFERENT DOCTOR

THAT SHE WOULD FIND THAT WOULD.

I'VE PROBABLY SEEN OVER

100 DOCTORS IN MY LIFE.

AROUND AUGUST OF 2007,

GYPSY CAME WITH HER MOTHER

FOR NEUROLOGICAL ASSESSMENT.

FROM WHAT I KNEW

AND I REMEMBERED,

SHE MOVED FROM LOUISIANA.

SHE WAS A KATRINA SURVIVOR,

AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS GIRL

HAS A SAD STORY,

AND THE COMMUNITY KIND OF ADOPT

HER, AND THEY EMBRACE HER.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS

TO THE PATIENT,

BUT AT THE TIME, THE INTERACTION

WAS MAINLY WITH THE MOTHER.

SHE SAID SHE HAD MUSCULAR

DYSTROPHY,

AND SHE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY,

THAT SHE HAD A SEIZURE DISORDER,

EPILEPSY, AND SO I ASKED

FOR GYPSY'S MEDICAL RECORDS,

BUT GYPSY'S MOTHER SAID

SHE DOESN'T HAVE NO RECORDS

BECAUSE EVERYTHING GOT LOST

IN THE STORM.

BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECORDS

TO BE OBTAINED OR REQUESTED,

I HAD TO BASE,

TRUST AND RELY ON WHAT

THE MOTHER TOLD ME AT THE TIME.

BUT THE VOLUME OF HER MUSCLES

WERE NORMAL.

THEY WERE WELL-SIZED,

AND HER REFLEXES WERE NORMAL,

MEANING THAT IT KIND OF

DIDN'T MAKE SENSE

THAT SHE WOULD NOT

BE ABLE TO WALK,

SO SHE WAS REFERRED TO HAVE

AN MRI OF THE SPINE

TO SEE IF THERE COULD

BE ANYTHING THAT I'M MISSING.

AND IT WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL.

SO I TOLD MOM

THAT I DON'T SEE ANY REASON

WHY SHE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE

TO STAND UP AND WALK.

WELL, SHE WAS MAD.

SHE SAID, "THAT'S NOT TRUE.

SHE CANNOT WALK.

THAT'S A FACT,"

AND SAID

SHE WAS NOT COMING BACK.

WHEN HER REACTION WAS NOT

AS EXPECTED,

I SAID THAT I HAVE A SUSPICION

THAT THIS IS NOT REAL.

THIS IS FABRICATED

OR EXAGGERATED.

THAT'S WHEN I SAID

THIS IS SUSPICIOUS

OF MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,

SO MY DUTY WAS TO TELL

THE PEDIATRICIAN IN MY REPORT.

Dr. Feldman:

THE PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST

WHO RAISED THE NOTION

OF MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY

HAD A POWERFUL RESPONSIBILITY

TO GYPSY.

BY VIRTUE OF HIS EVEN

CONSIDERING THE DIAGNOSIS

MEANS HE NEEDED

TO PICK UP THE PHONE

AND CALL CHILD

PROTECTIVE SERVICES,

AND HE FAILED TO DO

SO AS DID OTHER DOCTORS.

Dr. Flasterstein:

IF I WOULD'VE REPORTED HER,

I BELIEVE THAT THE MOTHER

WOULD HAVE CONVINCED THEM

THAT WHAT I'M SAYING

IS NOT TRUE.

I NEEDED MORE TO BE ABLE TO

REPORT THEM TO CHILD SERVICES.

Dr. Feldman: IF YOU HAVE

A REASONABLE SUSPICION

THAT YOU'RE MAKING

IN GOOD FAITH,

YOU ARE PROTECTED

AND REQUIRED TO MAKE THE REPORT.

Dr. Flasterstein:

HAVING SEEN WHAT HAPPENED,

IF I SEE IN THE FUTURE

ANOTHER MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,

I PROBABLY SHOULD BE

MORE AGGRESSIVE.

Dorla: I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING

ABOUT THE MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,

DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

WHEN WE FOUND OUT WAS IT

REALLY WAS ALL ABOUT,

THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED

DEE DEE IS DOING TO GYPSY

WHAT MOM DID TO HER.

**

Evans: WHEN DEE DEE WAS BORN,

MY MOM SAID THAT SHE CAME ALONG

WITH ALL THESE SICKNESSES,

HEART MURMUR

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

Dorla: MY MOM WOULD ALWAYS MAKE

US GO PLAY OUTSIDE,

AND IT WAS LIKE, "OH, WELL,

YOUR SISTER'S NOT FEELING GOOD.

YOUR SISTER'S GOT

AN UPSET STOMACH.

SHE'S GOT A HEADACHE.

Y'ALL GO PLAY OUTSIDE.

BE QUIET.

LEAVE HER ALONE," YOU KNOW?

AS SHE GOT OLDER,

DEE DEE COULDN'T GET EXCITED.

DEE DEE COULDN'T JUMP AROUND.

SHE COULDN'T PLAY OUTSIDE

BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T

OVERHEAT HERSELF.

Evans: SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED

TO ASSIST WITH CHORES.

IF DEE DEE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT,

WELL, THEN SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO

BECAUSE THE HEART MURMUR.

IT WAS USED LIKE A CRUTCH

FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT DEE DEE WAS BASICALLY NOT

AS SICK AS IT WAS TO BELIEVE.

Dorla:

MY MOM SMOTHERED HER.

SHE DIDN'T WANT HER TO GROW UP.

SHE WANTED TO KEEP HER YOUNG

SO THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS

HAVE HER TO HOLD ON TO.

OUR BEDROOM WAS WHERE

ALL OF US KIDS SLEPT,

BUT DEE DEE ALWAYS SLEPT

WITH MY MAMA.

IT'S LIKE SHE WAS HER SHADOW,

ALWAYS BY MY MAMA'S SIDE,

ALWAYS.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

-YES, I GET A BOY.

-THAT'S YOUR BOY.

THIS IS MINE, TOO?

Emma: YOUR BOY

AND YOUR RING.

Dad: HI, MAMA.

HOW YOU DOING, MOM?

WHAT'S THAT, MAMA?

-SOME GREEN.

-SOME GREEN.

GREEN MACHINE.

-THAT'S MINE.

-YOUR WHAT?

WE DIDN'T GET TO GO TO COLLEGE,

BUT DEE DEE WENT TO COLLEGE.

WE DIDN'T GET A CAR

WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP.

DEE DEE GOT THE CAR.

Emma: THAT'S WHAT

DADDY IS FIXING

FOR HER TO GO IN TONIGHT.

DINO SAID

SHE NEEDS A NEW ONE.

Evans:

WE KNEW IF YOU WANTED SOMETHING,

YOU HAD TO GO OUT AND EARN IT.

HI!

BUT DEE DEE JUST WANTED IT

AND GOT IT.

Claudia: DEE DEE WAS INTO

BEAUTY PAGEANTS,

AND MY MAMA WENT OUT AND BOUGHT

HER THE PRETTIEST DRESS,

THE PRETTIEST SHOES.

SHE WAS JUST ALL

ABOUT THE ATTENTION.

Evans: WHEN MY MOM PASSED AWAY,

DEE DEE TOOK IT HARD.

YOU KNOW, THE PERSON WHO BABIED

HER ALL HER LIFE

WASN'T THERE ANYMORE.

Man #7: SAY, "HI."

BUT SHE STILL NEEDED

THE ATTENTION.

IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW

AS LONG AS IT WAS COMING.

**

I FEEL SORRY FOR GYPSY.

I FEEL SORRY FOR THE WAY

SHE WAS RAISED,

BUT I'M EXTREMELY UPSET THAT

GYPSY DIDN'T TRUST ANY OF US,

THAT SHE COULDN'T SAY

SOMETHING TO US

BECAUSE ALL OF THIS

COULD'VE ENDED DIFFERENTLY.

I JUST DON'T KNOW, LIKE,

WHAT I WAS DOING

TO MAKE HER FEEL LIKE

I COULDN'T DO SOMETHING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT MADE

HER RESIST, LIKE,

JUST OPENING UP AND JUST

TELLING ME WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IF I'D HAVE HAD ANY INDICATION

THAT SHE NEEDED

ANY KIND OF HELP,

I WOULD'VE BEEN OVER THERE

IN A HEARTBEAT,

BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE

GYPSY FEEL LIKE SHE CAN CALL ME

WHEN THERE WAS SOMETHING

WRONG, GROWING UP LIKE THAT,

SO I FEEL PRETTY BAD ABOUT THAT.

Gypsy: I COULDN'T JUST JUMP OUT

OF THE WHEELCHAIR

BECAUSE, TO BE HONEST,

I WAS AFRAID OF WHAT

MY MOTHER MIGHT DO,

AND I DIDN'T THINK

THAT I HAD ANYONE TO TRUST.

I COULDN'T TRUST ALEAH

BECAUSE MY MOTHER

WAS STARTING TO PUT THINGS

IN MY HEAD THAT

ALEAH WASN'T MY TRUE FRIEND

AND THAT SHE WAS

A BAD INFLUENCE ON ME,

SO I COULDN'T BE FRIENDS

WITH HER ANYMORE,

AND I DIDN'T REACH OUT TO MY DAD

BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH MY MOM

SAYING ALL THESE HORRIBLE

THINGS ABOUT HIM,

THAT HE ABANDONED US,

THAT HE DIDN'T LOVE ME OR HER,

THAT HE DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING

TO DO WITH ME,

SO I THOUGHT, "HE WOULDN'T CARE,

SO WHY REACH OUT TO HIM?"

IF I HAD KNOWN THEN

WHAT I KNOW NOW,

I WOULD HAVE REACHED OUT

TO ANYBODY FOR HELP,

BUT I WAS TOO AFRAID TO.

Dee Dee:

THEY SAID IT'S SNOWING,

SO I'M STAYING UNDER

MY HEATING BLANKIE,

AND I'M NOT GETTING OUT.

AS I WAS GROWING UP,

I WANTED MORE INDEPENDENCE,

AND THAT JUST WASN'T

OKAY WITH HER.

SHE WANTS TO GET OUT.

AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.

LET HER DOG TAKE CARE OF HER.

Gypsy: OH!

Gypsy: I ASKED MY MOTHER,

"CAN WE PLEASE

GET RID OF THE FEEDING TUBE?

I DON'T NEED IT,"

AND SHE SAID, "NO."

"CAN I PLEASE MAYBE GET SOME

PHYSICAL THERAPY

TO HELP ME WALK

A LITTLE BIT BETTER?"

AND SHE JUST SAID, "NO."

**

**

I THINK I STARTED TO PIECE

THINGS TOGETHER

WHEN I CAME

ACROSS A MEDICAID CARD,

AND IT SAID THAT

I WAS BORN IN 1991

AND NOT 1995 LIKE SHE

HAD CLAIMED AND TOLD ME.

SO I WAS ACTUALLY

19 AT THE TIME, NOT 15.

Rod: AFTER EVERYTHING WENT DOWN,

I FOUND OUT THAT DEE DEE

CHANGED HER BIRTH

CERTIFICATE SEVERAL TIMES.

SHE WAS BORN IN '91.

SHE CHANGED THE 1 TO A 5,

SO SHE TOOK 4 YEARS

OFF OF HER LIFE RIGHT THERE.

DEE DEE HAD SO MUCH TO LOSE

BY LETTING HER UNDERSTAND

SHE WAS 18, YOU KNOW?

SHE KNOWS THAT GYPSY COULD HAVE

JUST GOT UP AND WALKED OUT.

SHE HAD MET THIS GUY

AT THIS SCI-FI CONVENTION,

AND SHE TOLD HIM

WHAT WAS GOING ON,

THAT SHE WAS TRYING

TO GET AWAY FROM HER MOM,

THAT SHE NEEDED SOME HELP.

I TRUSTED HIM A LITTLE BIT,

ENOUGH TO RUN AWAY FROM HOME.

HE DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE

OF HIS OWN,

SO HE WAS STAYING

WITH A FRIEND.

THOSE FRIENDS KNEW MY MOM.

THEY CALLED MY MOM,

AND MY MOM CAME TO GET ME.

SHE TOLD HIM THAT I WAS 15.

SO HE FREAKED OUT BECAUSE

HE WAS 36 AT THE TIME.

MY MOTHER BROUGHT ME BACK

WITH HER, SMASHED MY COMPUTER.

SHE CHAINED ME TO A BED,

TINTED THE WINDOWS

SO NOBODY COULD SEE

WHAT WAS GOING INSIDE THE HOUSE

AND PUT BELLS ON THE DOORS,

SO IF I TRIED TO SNEAK OUT

AGAIN, SHE CAN HEAR.

I HAD ASKED HER, YOU KNOW,

IF I CAN GO TO THE BATHROOM.

SHE'D UNCHAIN ME,

TAKE ME TO THE BATHROOM,

BUT THEN CHAIN ME

BACK UP TO THE BED.

SHE WOULD STARVE ME.

SHE WOULD HIT ME

WITH A COAT HANGER,

AND SHE WOULD CALL ME BITCH,

SLUT, WHORE, DEVIL'S SPAWN.

FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS,

THAT HAPPENED.

I WENT FROM LOOKING AT HER

LIKE A LOVING PARENT

TO SEEING HER AS SOMEBODY

THAT I WAS QUITE AFRAID OF.

I FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO HOPE.

I JUST KEPT THINKING, "DEAR GOD,

GET ME OUT OF HERE SOMEHOW."

I FIRST MET NICK ON A CHRISTIAN

DATING WEBSITE IN 2012.

I BELIEVE IT WAS OCTOBER.

I MESSAGED HIM.

HE MESSAGED ME BACK.

I WAS ABLE TO CARRY IT ON

BY SNEAKING ONTO

MY MOTHER'S COMPUTER

WHILE MY MOTHER WAS ASLEEP,

AND WE STARTED TO TALK

ABOUT OUR LIVES,

AND WE LIKED EACH OTHER

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

I DID TELL HIM THAT I WAS IN

A WHEELCHAIR

FROM THE GET-GO,

AND HE SEEMED ACCEPTING.

HE WAS LIKE, "IT DOESN'T MATTER

TO ME. I LOVE YOU ALL THE SAME."

IT WAS JUST DIFFERENT TO FIND

SOMEBODY THAT ACCEPTED ME.

EVEN THOUGH I KNEW I COULD WALK,

I STILL THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NICE

OF HIM TO ACCEPT ME AS I AM.

THINGS PROGRESSED

KIND OF QUICKLY.

WE MET ONE WEEK ONLINE

AND THEN BECAME, LIKE,

A COUPLE THE NEXT WEEK.

ABOUT A YEAR

INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP,

I TOLD HIM THAT I COULD WALK.

HE WAS NOT SURPRISED AT ALL.

HE CLAIMED TO HAVE

PSYCHIC ABILITIES.

THEN HE STARTED TO TELL ME

THAT HE HAD MULTIPLE

PERSONALITY DISORDER

AND THAT HE HAD SEVERAL,

AND ONE OF THEM

WAS NAMED VICTOR,

AND VICTOR WAS THE VIOLENT ONE.

I STARTED TO BE A LITTLE

BIT MORE SCARED,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

I WAS DESPERATE FOR AFFECTION,

SO I MADE UP PERSONALITIES

TO MATCH HIS.

ONE OF THEM I CREATED WAS CANDY,

AND SHE HAD, LIKE,

RAINBOW-COLORED HAIR.

ANOTHER ONE WAS RUBY.

THAT WAS TO MATCH VICTOR.

I WOULD HAVE DONE PRETTY MUCH

ANYTHING

JUST TO MAKE HIM STAY,

MAKE HIM HAPPY,

BUT THEN SOON MY MOTHER

STARTED TO LOCK HER COMPUTER,

SO I STOLE A CELLPHONE

AND CAN'T MAKE

ANY CALLS OR ANYTHING,

BUT I HOOKED IT UP

TO THE WI-FI OF THE HOUSE,

AND I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO NICK

THAT WAY, THROUGH FACEBOOK

AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE FELT THAT IT WAS TIME

TO MEET UP FACE-TO-FACE,

AND SO I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA,

YOU KNOW, "LET'S MEET UP

AT A MOVIE THEATER.

LET'S PRETEND LIKE

WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER,

AND WE'LL BUMP INTO EACH OTHER,

MAKE FRIENDS," AND I THOUGHT,

"IF HE DRESSED NICE,

IF HE SAID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS,

IF HE WAS JUST A KIND PERSON

THAT MY MOM WOULD THINK,

'HEY, WELL, WHY NOT?

THIS BE THE ONE,'

AND THEN THAT WAY

WE DON'T HAVE TO LIE

AND HIDE

OUR RELATIONSHIP ANYMORE."

I HAD PICKED A MOVIE, AND IT WAS

"CINDERELLA," THE NEW VERSION.

I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS PERFECT.

SO HE GOT A BUS TICKET,

AND HE CAME TO SPRINGFIELD

TO FINALLY MEET ME.

HE JUST STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION

WITH MY MOM

IN THE MOVIE THEATER,

AND SHE THOUGHT

THAT HE WAS CREEPY

AND GAVE OFF

A SORT OF DANGEROUS VIBE.

SO SHE MOVED DOWN

A COUPLE OF SEATS

AND TOLD ME TO FOLLOW HER.

I DIDN'T.

WE PLANNED IT ALL OUT

FROM THE BEGINNING

THAT IT WAS TIME FOR ME

TO LOSE MY VIRGINITY,

SO I TOLD MY MOM THAT I WAS

GOING TO THE BATHROOM,

AND HE FOLLOWED ME.

I ALWAYS IMAGINED, LIKE,

ROSE PETALS AND CANDLES,

YOU KNOW, ROMANCE,

BUT IT WAS NONE OF THOSE THINGS.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

MY MOTHER STARTED TO WORRY,

SO SHE CAME OUT

OF THE AUDITORIUM,

AND JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME,

WE WERE BY CONCESSIONS.

MY MOTHER TOLD ME,

"WHY ARE YOU STILL HANGING OUT

WITH THAT GUY?"

AND THAT LED TO AN ARGUMENT,

AND I'M LIKE,

"HE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.

HE JUST WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND.

YOU KNOW,

WHY CAN'T I HAVE FRIENDS?"

SHE TOOK ME TO THE BATHROOM,

AND SHE SLAPPED ME.

**

IT MADE ME FEEL DEVASTATED

THAT IT ALL WENT WRONG

BECAUSE I KNEW THAT MOM'S

NEVER GONNA LET ME BE HAPPY,

HAVE FRIENDS, FALL IN LOVE,

GET MARRIED,

HAVE KIDS,

HAVE A NORMAL LIFE,

AND I NEVER WANTED

ANY MORE THAT THAT.

I GOT SCARED AND DESPERATE,

AND THE ONLY THING

THAT I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS,

"I WANT THIS IDEAL LIFE

OF FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS.

HOW CAN I GET IT?"

AND THEN ME AND NICK

WERE TALKING ONE NIGHT,

AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD DO

ANYTHING TO PROTECT ME,

AND I ASKED HIM, "ANYTHING?"

AND HE SAID, "YEAH."

"FROM ANYBODY?"

HE SAID, "YEAH."

"EVEN MY MOM?"

HE SAID, "YES,"

AND THAT'S WHEN

THIS KIND OF PLAN

STARTED TO DEVELOP

OF A MURDER PLOT.

[ Phone ringing ]

YOU HAVE A COLLECT CALL

FROM...

NICHOLAS GODEJOHN.

...AN INMATE

AT GREENE COUNTY JAIL.

TO ACCEPT CHARGES,

PRESS ONE.

[ BEEP ]

SO...

Gypsy: I FELT, "HOW ELSE AM I

GOING TO ESCAPE?"

IT SEEMED LIKE TAKING HER

OUT OF THE EQUATION

COMPLETELY WAS THE ONLY OPTION.

WE STARTED LOOKING

AT SOME DIFFERENT POISONS.

WE WENT LOOKING AT ARSON,

PRETEND THAT A CANDLE FELL

IN THE BEDROOM AND CAUGHT FIRE,

AND WE WENT LOOKING AT A GUN,

BUT THEN I FINALLY TOLD HIM,

"I CAN'T KILL HER.

I DON'T HAVE IT IN ME

TO KILL HER,"

AND HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW,

IF YOU CAN'T KILL HER,

WHO'S GONNA DO IT?"

AND I SAID, "COULD YOU?"

HE SAID THAT HE WAS VERY GOOD

WITH KNIVES,

AND I SAID I WANTED IT

TO BE PAINLESS.

I DIDN'T WANT HER TO SUFFER

BECAUSE SHE WAS STILL MY MOTHER.

WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD

NEVER GET CAUGHT.

I FELT LIKE THIS WAS

A FAIRY TALE,

AND I WAS GONNA BE

THE PRINCESS THAT GETS RESCUED,

AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY IN

WISCONSIN WHERE I'D BE LOVED,

AND I'D HAVE MY FREEDOM,

AND I'D HAVE

THIS WONDERFUL NEW LIFE.

BUT WHAT STARTED AS A FAIRY TALE

ENDED AS A HORROR MOVIE.

THE PLAN WAS THAT HE WOULD PUT

ON THE GLOVES AND COME IN,

AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS JUST GO

IN THE BATHROOM AND KEEP QUIET.

I COVERED MY EARS SO I WOULDN'T

HEAR ANYTHING.

[ DEE DEE SCREAMING ]

BUT I STILL HEARD

MY MOTHER SCREAM,

AND AT THAT POINT, I THOUGHT,

"HEY, I DON'T WANT THIS

TO HAPPEN.

I WANT THIS TO STOP NOW."

[ SCREAMING CONTINUES ]

BUT I WAS TOO AFRAID

TO GO AND HELP.

YOU THINK THAT HEARING A MURDER

IS LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR

ON A HORROR FILM OR SOMETHING,

BUT IT'S REALLY NOT.

YOU CAN STAND WATCHING

A HORROR FILM,

BUT HEARING SOMEONE ACTUALLY

BEING MURDERED IS TERRIFYING.

[ SCREAMING ]

IT CREATES THIS ALMOST NAUSEOUS

FEELING IN YOUR STOMACH.

YOU CAN'T THINK.

ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT

IS HOW AFRAID YOU ARE.

IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES,

SHE STOPPED SCREAMING.

[ CRYING ]

NICK CAME IN, AND HE WAS

HOLDING THE KNIFE IN BLOOD.

HE ORDERED ME TO PATCH UP

HIS FINGER

BECAUSE HE CUT HIS FINGER

ON THE KNIFE,

AND THEN HE ORDERED ME TO CLEAN

UP LITTLE DROPLETS OF BLOOD

THAT WAS LEFT

IN THE HALL AND BATHROOM.

MY MOTHER HAD A MONEY POUCH.

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT IT WAS

MY DAD SENDING CHILD SUPPORT,

SO WE TOOK IT, AND THAT'S

HOW WE PAID FOR EVERYTHING.

WE PACKED A COUPLE OF THINGS

IN MY SUITCASE.

WE CALLED A CAB,

AND WE WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL

THAT HE WAS STAYING AT.

I WAS HAPPY BECAUSE I WAS FREE.

HI, HONEY.

I'M FILMING THIS.

BUT THE LOOMING AWARENESS

OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED

CLOUDED MY MIND,

SO I USED PILLS TO DROWN OUT

ALL OF MY REMORSE

AND CARES AND FEARS.

**

I LEFT THE MOTEL WITH HIM,

AND WE WENT TO THE BUS STOP.

HE WANTED ME TO FIRST

CARRY THE KNIFE

WITH ME

ONTO THE GREYHOUND BUS,

BUT I ASSUMED THAT

THEY HAD METAL DETECTORS,

SO I SUGGESTED,

"LET'S MAIL THE KNIFE."

I THOUGHT IT WAS

THE SAFEST OPTION.

AND THEN WE TOOK A GREYHOUND

BUS BACK TO WISCONSIN.

**

I WANTED MY MOTHER FOUND

BECAUSE I FELT REMORSE,

AND I COULDN'T STAND THE THOUGHT

OF HER JUST BEING THERE,

BUT I NEEDED SOMETHING ALARMING

THAT WOULD ALARM HER FRIENDS

TO CALL THE POLICE.

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

AND THEN ONE MORNING, WE WAKE UP

TO THE SOUND OF POLICE.

WE WERE SURROUNDED.

I THINK THE LAST THING

THAT I SAID TO HIM

IS THAT WE'RE GOING

TO STICK TOGETHER.

**

Judge: THIS IS IN THE CASE

OF STATE OF MISSOURI

VERSUS GYPSY ROSE BLANCHARD,

CASE NUMBER 1531CR03591.

APPEARING FOR THE STATE

IS MR. PATTERSON.

Rod: I DON'T BLAME HER

FOR WHAT SHE DONE.

EVERYONE FAILED GYPSY

FROM MYSELF,

HER MOTHER, DOCTORS,

THE POLICE, SOCIAL SERVICES.

WE ALL LOOKED OUT FOR OURSELVES.

WE WASN'T TOTALLY

LOOKING OUT FOR HER.

Judge:

PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

DO YOU SWEAR, AFFIRM THAT

THE TESTIMONY

YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE

WILL BE THE TRUTH,

THE WHOLE TRUTH

AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH?

Gypsy: YES, SIR.

I HELD ONTO GYPSY'S INNOCENCE

UNTIL THE DAY SHE PLEADED.

MY BRAIN WOULD NOT WRAP AROUND

THAT SHE HAD THIS CAPACITY,

HAD THIS RAGE,

AND THAT BROKE MY HEART

BECAUSE I HAD TO ADMIT THAT

NOTHING THAT I KNEW WAS RIGHT.

HOW DO YOU PLEAD

TO THE CLASS-A FELONY

OF MURDER

IN THE SECOND DEGREE?

GUILTY.

**

Reporter #10: PROSECUTING

ATTORNEY DAN PATTERSON

SAYS WHILE GYPSY

IS GUILTY OF MURDER,

THE AMENDED CHARGE FAIRLY

AND JUSTLY HOLDS

HER ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LAW

WHILE ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT

THE EXTREME

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES

OF MERELY TWO DECADES

OF SYSTEMATIC ABUSE

BY HER MOTHER.

THE COURT ACCEPTS DEFENDANT'S

PLEA OF GUILTY

TO THE CLASS-A FELONY OF MURDER

IN THE SECOND DEGREE

AND BY SUBMITTING

GUILTY...

**

**

WHEN I THINK ABOUT

WHAT DEE DEE DID TO GYPSY,

IT MAKES ME SAD, BUT THEY DIDN'T

REALLY HAVE TO KILL MY SISTER.

THEY COULD HAVE JUST

RAN AWAY TOGETHER,

BUT THEY CHOSE

TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE,

AND MY SISTER GOT KILLED,

WELL, NOT KILLED, MURDERED.

**

**

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,

I'M ALWAYS GONNA LOVE HER

UNCONDITIONALLY,

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER

IF WE BREAK UP.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

I'M ALWAYS GONNA LOVE

HER UNCONDITIONALLY.

TO THIS DAY,

I STILL DO LOVE HER.

I DO LOVE HER,

AND I KNOW FOR A FACT

THAT SHE STILL DOES LOVE ME.

Gypsy:

NOW THAT I'VE GROWN AND MATURED,

I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN LOVE AND INFATUATION.

HE WANTS TO FEEL

WHATEVER HE WANTS TO FEEL,

BUT I DON'T LOVE HIM NO MORE.

**

AFTER GYPSY HAD BEEN

TRANSFERRED TO CHILLICOTHE,

SHE ENDED UP CALLING ME

ONE EVENING.

SHE IMMEDIATELY STARTED

APOLOGIZING FOR EVERYTHING,

AND THEN SHE STARTED

CARRYING ON

ABOUT HOW SHE'S LEARNING

TO DO HER HAIR,

AND LIKE, SHE'S LEARNING

TO DO HER MAKEUP,

AND SHE'S MAKING FRIENDS.

I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE

SHE'S JUST AWAY FOR COLLEGE,

AND I FEEL LIKE AS SAD

AS IT MAY SOUND,

HER STORY REALLY DOES FINALLY

HAVE A HAPPY ENDING,

AT LEAST FOR HER.

**

**

Gypsy: I HAVE A LOT

OF COMPLICATED EMOTIONS

FOR MY MOTHER.

THERE ARE SOME TIMES

THAT I'M ANGRY AT HER.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT I THINK

THAT SHE WAS SO MANIPULATIVE

AND, "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT

TO YOUR CHILD?"

AND THEN I THINK ABOUT

OTHER TIMES WHERE I'M LIKE,

"SHE JUST WAS SO DESPERATE

FOR SOMEBODY TO LOVE HER,"

BUT REGARDLESS OF ALL OF THAT,

I STILL LOVE HER,

AND I STILL MISS HER

BECAUSE SHE WAS MY MOTHER.