Former Springfield native Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker joyfully welcomed their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, into the world on Wednesday.
“Embracing the arrival of 2025 with the most precious present,” Urker shared on Instagram Wednesday, accompanied by a heartfelt photo featuring the couple and their newborn baby.”
Blanchard and Urker forged a connection during her time behind bars for her involvement in her mother’s murder in Springfield back in June 2015.
Blanchard’s harrowing experience as a victim of Munchausen by proxy, enduring countless unnecessary medical procedures at the hands of her mother, has garnered significant attention in recent years, leading to the production of multiple documentaries highlighting her story.
After spending eight years behind bars, Blanchard was granted parole in December 2023. She tied the knot with Ryan Anderson, but their relationship didn’t last, leading her to reunite with Urker.
Blanchard made her pregnancy public and subsequently shared the outcome of a prenatal paternity test, which confirmed that Urker was the father.
During a recent interview with People, Blanchard provided insight into the inspiration behind Aurora’s name. Contrary to popular speculation, it wasn’t influenced by “Sleeping Beauty” or Kristy’s dog, Aurora Grace.
Blanchard explained to the outlet that the reason is not because of that.
“Ken and I had a shared fascination for the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis,” she reminisced. “Around 2018, we coincidentally chose the name Aurora for our future children without realizing that the other person had also picked the same name.”
Over the years, despite their breakup, she continued to remember his name.
“When our relationship ended, it felt as if the possibility of Aurora ever being born had disappeared. Many people have their assumptions about how it all started, but they are unaware of this little anecdote.”
Blanchard, who is currently on parole, has a plan to witness the mesmerizing beauty of the Northern Lights alongside Urker in the near future.
“We will definitely see it one day,” she declared. “Once I am no longer on parole, we are going to visit Sweden.”
