‘First selfie of freedom’ Gypsy Rose Blanchard on Instagram

Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted of killing her abusive mother in 2015, is starting the new year as a free woman.

Blanchard, 32, was released from prison on Dec. 28, three years earlier than her original sentence of 10 years.

She shared her first Instagram post since her release the next day, a mirror selfie with the caption “First selfie of freedom!”

She also went shopping with her husband, Ryan Scott Anderson, whom she married in 2022 while in prison. She told reporters that she has “lots of ’em” plans for the future.

Blanchard’s case gained national attention after it was revealed that her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, had subjected her to years of medical abuse and fraud. Dee Dee Blanchard claimed that her daughter had various illnesses, such as leukemia and muscular dystrophy, and forced her to use a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. She also controlled her daughter’s diet, medication, and social life.

Blanchard eventually met Nicholas Godejohn online and asked him to kill her mother. Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee Blanchard to death in her home in Springfield, Missouri, and fled with Blanchard to Wisconsin, where they were arrested.

Blanchard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.

Blanchard has expressed remorse for her mother’s death and said that she was a victim of Munchhausen syndrome by proxy, a disorder in which a caretaker makes someone ill or pretends they are ill for attention or sympathy.

Blanchard’s story has inspired several documentaries and a Hulu series, The Act, starring Joey King and Patricia Arquette.

Blanchard has also written a book, “Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom,” which will be published in January. The book is a collection of interview transcripts, journal entries, illustrations, and photos that reveal Blanchard’s perspective on her life and her case.

Blanchard’s family said that they are happy to have her back and that they will celebrate Christmas with her. Blanchard said that she hopes to help other victims of abuse and raise awareness about Munchhausen syndrome by proxy.