Gypsy’s Revenge (2018)

Submitted by: IVON P. LIMBAWAN

Submitted to: MS. CARESSE DANAE BANTIC

Submitted on October 11, 2021

Gypsy’s Revenge is a documentary film that portrays a real life mother-daughter relationship
namely Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Dee Dee and Gypsy were known to have a very
loving and caring relationship by all of their close friends, families and even their neighbours. Dee Dee
have shown to others how much she care for her only daughter. She was always by her daughter’s side
whenever and wherever she goes. Gypsy was known to be a sick for many illnesses and diseases like
epilepsy, leukaemia, muscular dystrophy and more, but everything was a lie created by her mother Dee
Dee and she even lied about the true age of Gypsy. She made up those stories to control her daughter to
have emotional gratification and to be recognized as a heroic caregiver.

Everything started on a social media post on their joint Facebook account stating “That Bitch is
dead!” which alarmed their close friends. Many suspicions were felt by their close friends and ended up
finding Dee Dee dead inside their house and Gypsy was missing. The investigation was initiated and
found out the IP address of the post on Facebook and found Gypsy unharmed on the house of Nicholas
Godejohn a person whom she met online.

Gypsy met Nicholas on a Christian Dating App and eventually becoming a couple. The time
came when Nicholas met Dee Dee when they went to watch on a movie theatre together with Gypsy, but
everything went wrong because Dee Dee does not want her daughter to have connection with other
people that might take Gypsy away from her. Gypsy got desperate on having a happy life and she talked
to Nicholas and started a plan on murdering Gypsy’s mother in order for them to be together. Nicholas
went to Springfield and went to the Gypsy’s house and perform their plan on murdering Dee Dee. As
planned, Gypsy left gloves and knives outside their house and as soon as they start, Gypsy went to the
restroom and covered her ears for her not to hear her mother’s scream, but still heard her agony while she
is being stabbed by Nicholas multiple times. They left together and went to Nicholas’ house and after
some time Gypsy was bothered by her conscience and posted on Facebook “That Bitch is dead!” in order
for their friends to find Dee Dee but one morning they got arrested. Gypsy was charge second degree
second degree murder while Nicholas was charged first degree murder.

Gypsy’s revenge is a very disturbing issue that must be given attention because it shows how a
family member could greatly influence the psychological and emotional state of a child in developing
different behaviours. The family is a great factor in developing a person especially that the mother and the
father creates the most intimate relationship with their child and primary influence to their child.

Abuses were present in the documentary which is a big factor that can affect the state of mind and
emotion of a person. Psychological abuse was the most evident in the documentary film where Dee Dee
manipulated Gypsy by creating lies about Gypsy having different illness and disease like cancer,
muscular dystrophy and more. From the beginning it was engraved on Gypsy’s mind that she is sick that
she had nothing to do but believe her mother because she is still young and learning. Gypsy was
controlled by her mother that she even act as if she is really ill and she even act like she cannot walk even
if she can. It was totally disturbing that the actions of Gypsy were controlled because of what is planted
on her mind. Dee Dee became even more persuasive and manipulative because of medical abuse she did
to Gypsy. She made Gypsy take different and numerous medications which made it more believable for
Gypsy that she is really sick. Gypsy also experience physical abuse where she was locked and chained on
a bed for a length of time. On the case of emotional abuse, there was a time when Gypsy felt scared
because of how she is being hindered from having friends, love life, and a happy life. All of these abuses
were big factor on how Gypsy ended in killing her own mother.

Unfortunately, Dee Dee was once a victim by her own mother of being manipulated and
controlled. She was always treated as a baby that she even act as a baby and she was also treated as a sick
person by her mother even though she is not. This is a possible reason why Dee Dee manipulated her own
daughter and did all the abuses to her daughter. She might have learned that the way she was raised is one
way she can to raise her own child and possibly that she is still wanting the attention she received from
her mother.

Gypsy cannot be blamed for murdering her mother because of how she was raised and her
experiences from her mother but her action is still unacceptable and Gypsy wanting to be in a relationship
and have a happy life is still an unacceptable reason for her to kill her mother. As what the brother of Dee
Dee said, there are still different ways that must have done other than killing Dee Dee. Gypsy became
greatly desperate of escaping the life she is having with her mother which led her in killing her own
mother and the one to be blamed is her mother. The good thing is that Gypsy accepted her fault and faced
the consequences of her actions and paid the price.

Gypsy’s Revenge documentary is very disturbing because if Gypsy have experienced those
abuses and see how she was affected we cannot let it happen to other children. In this world where crime
is evident and can possibly happen anywhere, we can possibly say that family influences are one factor in
the development of criminal behaviour of a person. It is very heart-breaking how the story went through
and ended, think of how much more to those children who experience abuse more worse than what Gypsy
have experienced.

Parents are the one responsible in teaching and nurturing their children. They are the role models
for their children and everything they do is mirrored by their children. Parents who are busy in their jobs
and cannot give attention to their children may develop a child that always seeks attention. Parents who
are smokers and drunkards may develop smokers and drunkard children. It is believed that parents are the
first teachers of a child. A theory may be formed that children carry and apply everything they first
learned that what is initially engraved in them is their foundation in developing themselves.

I can say that I am very fortunate that I have never experienced those kinds of abused especially
from a family. I am grateful that I am raised by the best family I have, I have been provided of all my
needs, and was able to communicate and socialize with other people.

Juvenile delinquents is one product of family abuses. It is shown in the documentary how the
child developed criminal acts because of how she is psychologically and emotionally abused. Criminal
parents can also develop delinquent child because parents are seen as role model for children. They are
the idols in the eyes of their children that whatever they do is done by their children.

Family is a very crucial factor in building up one’s personality especially that it is the most
influential to a person. It is where a person starts learning, creating relationships, having a role model and
starting to build oneself. Everyone must be educated on how a family can greatly affect the development
of a child and we can stop abuse if everyone becomes vigilant and laws against abuses are implemented
properly and strictly. Developing and learning starts in the family.