Now known as "Factitious disorder imposed on another," it is suspected this disorder is what caused Dee Dee to lie to friends, family, charities, doctors and even Gypsy herself, convincing everyone her daughter was severely ill and much younger than she was.
Dee Dee went as far as to convince Gypsy she was unable to walk, breathe or eat normally, requiring a wheelchair, feeding tube and oxygen. It was later proven Gypsy was capable of walking, eating and breathing unassisted.
Dee Dee's medical abuse of Gypsy began when she was just 8 years old, at which time she said her daughter had been diagnosed with leukemia and muscular dystrophy and needed a wheelchair and feeding tube, among other medical accommodations.
Her propensity for reporting her daughter as being sick started even earlier, when Dee Dee insisted Gypsy experienced sleep apnea as an infant soon after birth. Dee Dee also later insisted Gypsy had seizures, asthma, and hearing and visual issues and had doctors prescribe medications and perform surgeries for these conditions.
Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, later devised a plan to escape Dee Dee, resulting in her death via stabbing. Following the murder, Gypsy was sentenced to 10 years and has since become a well-known figure, granting interviews about her life and crimes and becoming the subject of documentaries and television shows like
"Mommy Dead and Dearest" and
"The Act."
The story of Gypsy and her mother Dee Dee became one of the most infamous cases of Munchausen by Proxy in history after it led to a brutal murder.
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