As Lindsay Clancy trial begins, her ex-husband describes growing concern for his children's safety - WBUR

What the report says

WBUR reported that Patrick Clancy testified Monday in Plymouth Superior Court on the first full day of Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial, describing mounting worries about his then-wife’s mental health and the safety of their three children before their deaths in Duxbury in 2023. Lindsay Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, is charged with murdering 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan.

Patrick Clancy told jurors that Lindsay Clancy had been dealing with postpartum depression for months and, about a month before the killings, had expressed thoughts of harming herself or the children. He said he never saw her physically hurt them and believed at times that she seemed to be improving, even as she was anxious about returning to work. He also described each child to the court, becoming emotional during the testimony. WBUR reported that Patrick Clancy divorced Lindsay Clancy after the killings and has since remarried and moved to New York City.

The defense does not contest that Lindsay Clancy strangled the children before jumping from a second-floor window in a suicide attempt that left her paralyzed. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, argues she should not be held criminally responsible, saying she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors, however, presented a different account in opening statements, saying Clancy was functioning normally, did not fully follow treatment and made an intentional choice.

The case matters because jurors must decide not only what happened, but whether Clancy was legally responsible at the time. WBUR reported that a murder conviction could bring a life sentence; a finding of not criminally responsible would still keep her in state custody at a medical facility, with periodic reviews.