PLYMOUTH, Mass. (Court TV) — A Massachusetts woman on trial has admitted that she killed her three young children, but claims that she was insane at the time.

Lindsay Clancy, 35, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 7 months. The children were all strangled to death with exercise bands. After killing her children, investigators say, Lindsay Clancy then cut her wrists and neck before jumping from a second-story window at the family’s Duxbury home.

MORE | Lindsay Clancy murder trial: See the evidence from court

Prosecutors say that on Jan. 24, 2023, the defendant sent her husband, Patrick Clancy, to pick up takeout from a restaurant and asked him to grab some medication for one of the children at CVS before carrying out the killings. When Patrick Clancy arrived home, he first saw his wife on the ground and called 911.

The 911 call continued as Patrick Clancy went inside the house and found each of his children, yelling, “She killed the kids!”

The injuries Lindsay Clancy suffered after jumping from her home’s window, including a broken spine, have left her paralyzed and using a wheelchair. At her arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague suggested she had not truly intended to take her own life, saying, “She lowered herself out of the window and dropped down. I don’t think she took into account the fact that the ground was frozen.”

Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s attorney, says that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she killed her children and tried to take her own life. He said that the defendant had a documented history of seeking help for disturbing thoughts in the weeks leading up to the tragedy and that she was not criminally responsible for her actions.

Lindsay Clancy has filed a malpractice lawsuit against two medical providers and their employers, alleging their failure to provide adequate medical care led to her children’s deaths. The lawsuit claims that Lindsay Clancy reached out repeatedly for help beginning 12 weeks after delivering her third child; she said that she was prescribed multiple medications with little or no oversight and was released from inpatient treatment before her symptoms had been fully addressed.

Jury selection began on June 20 as attorneys worked to seat a panel of 18 to hear the trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks. The trial is expected to include a jury viewing of the home, though the house where the children were killed now has a new owner who has opposed the visit.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 9 – 8/7/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 9 | Accused Killer Mom Trial

DAY 8 – 8/6/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 8 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Dr. Kimberly Springer, Medical Examiner
  • Performed Callan’s autopsy. Noted he had therapeutic equipment in place, including a thermometer in his left nostril, a nasogastric tube, an endotracheal tube, a Foley catheter and intravascular catheters.
  • Callan was 26 inches long and 24 pounds.
  • Injuries were consistent with ligature strangulation.
• Dr. Lindsay Rosshirt, pediatrician
  • Was the Clancy family’s pediatrician since 2019.
  • Callan had no health issues. Dawson had a peanut allergy, and Cora had asthma; otherwise, the children were healthy.
  • Saw Cora for a physical on Jan. 24, 2023. She was well-behaved and Lindsay Clancy seemed appropriate.
  • Lindsay Clancy primarily brought the children to the doctor.
• Susan Fraone, prek teacher
  • Dawson started to have harder drop-offs in mid-October 2022.
  • Never saw any cause for concern.
• Susan Bertolo, prek teacher
  • Lindsay was the more responsive parent on ClassDojo.
  • Cora was a “wonderful” prek student.
• Stephanie Williams, prek teacher
  • Cora was a “sweet little girl who loved her little brother.”
  • Cora liked to play with barbies and play princesses.
• Andrea Hennigan, Massachusetts General Hospital labor and delivery nurse
  • Worked with Lindsay Clancy for seven years and saw her twice after Callan’s birth.
  • At a lunch in Nov. 2022, Lindsay said that she was not feeling ready to return to work. She complained of insomnia, brain fog, and not feeling like herself.
  • Encouraged Lindsay Clancy to get the help and support she needed.
  • Said that the defendant “very much desired to be a mother and have a family.”
• Bethany DeCollibus, defendant’s friend
  • Never noticed any extreme changes in the defendant other than her being tired.
• Amy Bevins, defendant’s friend
  • A few days before the incident, Lindsay Clancy said that she had been taking a medication that caused her to have “dark thoughts” but was tapering off it. She didn’t say what the dark thoughts were.
  • Visited Lindsay Clancy at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, but did not discuss the children.
• Christopher Clancy, Patrick’s father
  • Lindsay Clancy seemed in good spirits around the holidays.
  • Lindsay and Patrick asked them to come over on Jan. 24, but they were not available and made plans to visit on Friday.
• Kyle Carney, friends with Patrick Clancy
  • Hosted a party at his home on Jan. 22, 2023.
  • Patrick, Lindsay, Cora and Dawson all attended; Callan was with Lindsay’s parents.
  • Lindsay Clancy seemed quieter than normal.
• Sgt. Andrew Chiachio, Massachusetts State Police
  • Obtained surveillance video from CVS of Patrick Clancy.
  • Obtained surveillance video from ThreeV restaurant showing Patrick Clancy.
  • A Facebook message purportedly posted by Lindsay Clancy described her 19-month-old as “the most difficult human I’ve ever encountered.”
• MORE: Lindsay Clancy said she was having ‘dark thoughts’ days before kids were killed: Friend

DAY 7 – 8/5/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 7 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Eitan Negri, Brigham and Women’s physician assistant
  • Examined and repaired Lindsay Clancy’s wrist lacerations.
  • Her right wrist had a 3Steri-Stripsration that required three sutures and steri-strips.
  • Her left wrist had a 2 cm-deep laceration that required one suture.
  • The cuts did not go deeper than the subcutaneous fatty tissue and did not require further surgical attention.
• Nicholas Roberts, Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab forensic scientist
  • Reviewed toxicology reports for blood, plasma and urine samples from Lindsay Clancy.
  • The defendant tested negative for alcohol and THC. She tested positive for benzodiazepines and other drugs she had been prescribed.
• Dr. Justin Brower, NMS Laboratories forensic toxicologist
  • Reviewed the quantities of drugs found in Lindsay Clancy’s samples.
  • Lamotrigine, mirtazapine, trazodone, and diazepam are within normal therapeutic ranges. Quetiapine was slightly elevated but not at a toxic or suicidal level.
  • Confirmed Narcan would have no effect on the drugs in her system.
• Katarina Stashyn, Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory DNA analyst
  • DNA mixtures containing multiple first-degree relatives complicate interpretations.
  • Analyzed the exercise bands in the case. The yellow exercise band ends included Dawson Clancy; the middle had inclusions for Dawson, Patrick and Callan Clancy. The black exercise band had a complex mixture of three contributors with high inclusion support for Cora Clancy.
  • DNA from swabs on the outside of the house matched Lindsay Clancy.
• Elaine Rossi, Nanny
  • Worked for the Clancy family from Sept. 2022-Dec. 2022.
  • Described Lindsay Clancy as a loving and doting mother who gave detailed instructions for kids’ daily schedules.
  • The jury saw a video of Callan being fed a bottle.
  • Lindsay Clancy told her she had postpartum depression, was struggling with sleep deprivation, was seeing doctors and sleeping in the basement.
  • Never heard the defendant express intrusive thoughts, homicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm. She never felt the children were unsafe around their mother.
• MORE: Lindsay Clancy was a ‘wonderful mom who loved her kids,’ nanny testifies

DAY 6 – 8/4/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 6 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Lindsay Clancy’s defense stipulated to several pieces of evidence.
• Dr. Cristina Carpio, South Shore Hospital general surgeon
  • Was the on-call surgeon when Lindsay Clancy was brought in and was told she fell from a height of approximately 20 feet.
  • Cuts to her neck and wrists were superficial.
  • Lindsay Clancy was hypothermic with a body temperature of 82.1 degrees; she also had low blood pressure.
  • The defendant suffered “complex fractures of the spine at the thoracic level.”
• Lt. Joseph Rabbitt, Massachusetts State Police
  • Assisted with execution of search warrant at Clancy home.
  • Found a lot of pill bottles in a cabinet in the kitchen.
  • On Feb. 6, Patrick Clancy brought more medicines in a CVS bag to police, which he said had been in his car.
• Maureen Hartnett, Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab criminalist
  • Took samples of red-brown stains on Lindsay Clancy’s hands.
  • Collected clothing from the hospital for testing.
  • Processed scene at Clancy home and collected samples from red-brown stains in basement and in master bedroom.
• Trooper Jonathan O’Loughlin, Massachusetts State Police
  • Collected evidence from the Clancy home, including a knife with red-brown staining, exercise bands and pajamas.
    • No fingerprints were found on the knife or bands.
• Hilary Griffiths, Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory forensic scientist
  • Tested Lindsay Clancy’s blood and urine for drugs.
  • No alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, fentanyl, opiates or cannabinoids were found.
• Alicia Zimmerman, Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab forensic scientist
  • Tested samples from the children and found no drugs.
• Sherri Crook, Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab
  • Testified to bloodstain evidence in the case.
  • Described the blood pattern in the bedroom as a drip pattern, meaning it was from a stationary blood source.
• MORE: Prosecution focuses on bloodstains and pill bottles in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial

DAY 5 – 8/3/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 5 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Dr. Michael Snyder, Beth Israel emergency room physician
  • Treated Cora when she was brought to the hospital.
  • Cora was not breathing and had no heartbeat. She was blue, with bruising to the neck and petechiae around the eyes and blood coming from her nose.
  • Doctors attempted to revive her for 30 minutes before she was pronounced dead.
• Dr. Andrew Capraro, Boston Children’s Hospital emergency room physician
  • Treated Callan Clancy, who was brought to Boston Children’s from Beth Israel-Plymouth.
  • Was told the patient had been strangled and was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital in Plymouth. Once intubated, there was a report of spontaneous circulation.
  • Callan was cold on arrival and limp with no purposeful movements.
  • Callan suffered brain swelling.
  • While Callan’s heart was beating and he would occasionally take a breath on his own, doctors determined he was brain-dead.
• Dr. David Casavant, Boston Children’s Hospital intensive care unit physician
  • Callan had a “severe neurologic injury” and was unresponsive.
  • Callan was removed from life support on Jan. 27.
• Dr. Kelly McDonough, South Shore Hospital emergency room physician
  • Treated Lindsay Clancy, who was breathing on her own initially. She was intubated for airway protection.
  • Noted “superficial” lacerations to Clancy’s neck and wrists.
  • Determined the defendant’s injuries were too severe and had her stabilized and moved to Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
• Sgt. Rose Stoffers, Massachusetts State Police
  • Responded to South Shore Hospital to document the defendant’s injuries.
  • When she tried to grab Clancy’s arm, she was “uncooperative and pulling it back.” Nurses had to assist and restrain her.
• Rachelle Amede, Trauma surgical ICU nurse
  • Treated Lindsay Clancy.
  • Overnight, Clancy’s blood pressure dropped and she went into cardiac arrest.
  • Started a “massive blood transfusion protocol”
  • Would write messages on a whiteboard while she was intubated. She said she was confused and couldn’t feel her lower extremeties.
  • On Feb. 2, asked to reach out to her attorneys — this was the first time she referenced anything with her case.
• Meghan Collins, Brigham and Women’s ICU nurse
  • Treated Lindsay Clancy.
  • Clancy experienced “ICU delirium,” which did improve.
• Dr. Sejal Shah, Brigham and Women’s psychiatrist
  • Did a psychiatric safety risk assessment after reported suicide attempt.
  • Clancy asked to change her healthcare proxy on Jan. 29; she wanted to change it from her husband to her parents.
  • On Feb. 21, before her transfer to a rehabilitation hospital, Shah noted Clancy was “feeling down about her current situation” but “her thoughts about what she had done were not constant throughout the day.”
• MORE: Doctors detail treating ‘cold,’ ‘limp’ children after they were strangled by their mother
• Dr. Jhilam Biswas, Brigham and Women’s forensic psychiatrist
  • Treated Lindsay Clancy; initially communicated with her in writing because the defendant had a breathing tube.
  • When asked about her mood, she wrote, “horrified,” and asked if she had an attorney. She also asked if her body was broken, if her legs were straight, if she could have visitors and where her family was.
  • Did not see any signs or symptoms of someone in psychosis.
  • Described the defendant as “exhausted” and “anxious.”
• Sgt. Robert Flynn, Duxbury Police Department
  • Responded to the Clancy home and was told after arriving that a mother had killed her three children.
  • Conducted a security sweep of the house; he observed the home was clearly occupied by young children and saw a takeout bag in the kitchen.
  • The master bedroom was colder than the rest of the house; he noticed a window was open.
  • The screen of the window did not appear to be removed, just “pushed up.”
• Det. Mark Farioli, Massachusetts State Police
  • Went to South Shore Hospital to collect blood and urine collected from Lindsay Clancy. He collected seven vials and brought them to the Massachusetts State Lab.
• Trooper Leah O’Connell, Massachusetts State Police
  • Worked as a forensic evidence technician for the state crime lab.
  • Received seven vials from Trooper Farioli from Lindsay Clancy.
• John Santos, Massachusetts State Police
  • Part of search warrant team assigned to the Clancy home.
  • Searched multiple locations, including the basement, master bedroom and the kitchen.
  • The jury saw a photo showing multiple books and notebooks inside a kitchen cabinet.
  • Collected two laptops and an external hard drive.
• Cory Melo, Massachusetts State Police
  • Part of the team that searched the Clancy home.
  • Found a phone in the upstairs bedroom, a laptop and some workout bands in the basement hanging on a door.
  • Goes through a journal found with notes from Lindsay Clancy talking about being obsessed with the baby’s sleep.

DAY 4 – 7/31/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 4 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• The jury was taken on a view to see the Clancy family’s former home in Duxbury, the CVS and ThreeV restaurant.
• Officer Mark Anthony Maffeo, Duxbury Police Department
  • Responded to the Clancy family’s home and then went to South Shore Hospital with Lindsay Clancy.
  • The defendant was sedated, unconscious and non-responsive.
  • There was blood on her clothing that had soaked through to her undergarments.
• Officer Richard Lippard, Duxbury Police Department
  • Was responsible for watching over Lindsay Clancy; he went with her when she was flown to another hospital in Boston.
  • Overnight, Lindsay Clancy had a medical code.
• Dr. Mark Joseph Tenerowicz, ER physician
  • Treated Dawson Clancy.
  • Was told he was strangled, found without a pulse and not breathing.
  • Dawson was never able to breathe on his own and never regained a pulse.
  • Did CPR and tried to restart his heart.
• Dr. Benjamin Kaufman, ER physician
  • Treated Callan Clancy.
  • Doctors were able to regain a heartbeat after approximately 10 minutes of work but the child never regained the ability to breathe on his own and had no brain function.
• Melissa Arcadipane, South Shore Hospital
  • Processed Lindsay Clancy’s blood and urine samples at the hospital.
• MORE: Lindsay Clancy wipes away tears in court as doctors describe trying to save her kids

DAY 3 – 7/30/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 3 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Officer Stephen Hall, Duxbury Police Department
  • Was dispatched to the Clancy home and was one of the first two officers on the scene.
  • Saw Patrick Clancy with Lindsay Clancy, who was on the ground. She had cuts to both of her wrists and the side of her neck, but the neck wound was not actively bleeding.
  • After Patrick Clancy went into the house, he heard screaming and went into the house.
  • Dawson was on the ground in the basement and was “discolored, like a bluish-purple.”
  • Found Cora and Callan in another area of the basement motionless.
  • While treating Lindsay Clancy, noticed blood marks on the shingles below the couple’s bedroom window.
• Officer Brian Josephine, Duxbury Police Department
  • Lindsay Clancy was mumbling when he arrived on the scene. She had cuts to her wrist and the right side of her neck which were bleeding, but not profusely.
  • Ran inside the home after hearing loud screaming.
  • Saw Dawson Clancy on the floor with signs of strangulation. Picked up the child and ran him out to the ambulance.
  • Returned to the basement to find paramedics treating Cora and Callen Clancy.
• MORE: Police officer recalls father screaming ‘She killed the f—ing kids!’ at Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial
• Captain PJ Hussey, Duxbury Fire Department paramedic/EMT
  • Heard a scream while he was with the defendant in the backyard.
  • Saw Patrick Clancy unwrapping something from around Dawson’s neck.
  • Called for multiple ambulances to come to the scene.
• Loring Nudd, Duxbury Fire Department EMT
  • Saw an officer carrying a blue, pale child out of the house, later identified as Dawson.
  • Drove the ambulance with Dawson in it to the hospital in Plymouth.
• Captain Keith Nettie, Duxbury Fire Department
  • Treated Dawson Clancy in the back of the ambulance, and attempted advanced life support measures.
  • Noticed red marks around Dawson’s neck.
  • The child never regained a pulse or began breathing while being transported.
• Patrick Dwyer, Duxbury Fire Department paramedic
  • Treated Cora Clancy. He observed her to have pale, bluish skin, burst blood vessels around her eyes and blood in her mouth.
• Jennifer Stratton, Duxbury Fire Department paramedic
  • Treated Callan Clancy, including chest compressions and attempted IO access.
  • Observed deep strangulation marks around the child’s neck.
• Robert Costanzo, Pembroke Fire Department paramedic
  • Responded to the scene to provide mutual aid and transported Lindsay Clancy to the hospital.
  • Assessed the defendant’s wrist and neck lacerations and not actively bleeding and were superficial.
• Daniel Doherty, Duxbury Fire Department paramedic
  • Placed an airway device and oxygen mask on Lindsay Clancy and bandaged her wrist and neck lacerations.
  • Rode in the ambulance with Dawson Clancy while operating a mask for him.
• Officer Vincent Cahill, Duxbury Police Department
  • Checked pulses on Cora and Callan Clancy and found none for either child.
  • Moved furniture in the basement to make room for medical equipment.
  • Maintained the official crime scene entry and exit log.

DAY 2 – 7/29/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 2 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Patrick Clancy returned to the stand.
  • While at CVS, he called Lindsay Clancy and had a brief conversation in which she seemed “busy.”
  • When Patrick Clancy got home, the house was unusually quiet and he couldn’t find anyone. When he reached his bedroom door and found it locked, he knew something was wrong.
  • Blood was all over his room and the window was open.
  • He ran outside and found the defendant on the ground; she said she tried to kill herself and said the kids were in the basement.
  • When first responders arrived, Patrick Clancy ran inside and found his children’s bodies in the basement. Cora and Callan were next to each other while Dawson’s body was in his office. Each child had an exercise band tied around their neck.
  • He didn’t know what psychosis was until after his children were killed.
  • MORE: ‘I just saw blood everywhere’: Lindsay Clancy’s ex reveals the moment ‘I know something was wrong’ after kids were killed
• Angela Krause, general manager of CVS
  • Received a phone call on Jan. 24, 2023, from a woman who asked if they had children’s MiraLax.
  • The conversation lasted only a few minutes, and Krause had no difficulty understanding the woman on the phone.
  • Surveillance video showed Patrick Clancy going into the aisle to get the medication at CVS.
• Saria Sweeney, hostess at ThreeV restaurant
  • A woman called on Jan. 24 to order risotto and a Mediterranean Power Bowl, which is a salad they serve.
  • The woman was easy to understand and did not sound impaired in any way.
  • The food was picked up by Patrick Clancy, as seen on surveillance video shown in court.
• Patrick Clancy returned to the stand.
  • Patrick Clancy described Lindsay Clancy as a devoted mother who would read to her children and make up songs for them.
  • Lindsay Clancy’s mental health began to decline after Callan was born.
  • Asked about a Google search for “suicide,” Patrick Clancy said that he had actually clicked the link while searching for information about the death of musician Tom Hall.
  • Patrick Clancy detailed Lindsay Clancy’s struggles with mental health and different medications she was prescribed by multiple doctors. Insomnia was a huge issue, with her going 48 hours without sleep at one point.

DAY 1 – 7/27/26

• LIVESTREAM: MA v. Lindsay Clancy – Day 1 | Accused Killer Mom Trial
• Shanan Buckingham delivered the opening statement for the Commonwealth.
  • On the day of the killings, Lindsay Clancy brought Cora to a doctor’s appointment and Patrick Clancy was home with the boys. They texted each other normally and exchanged photos during the appointment.
  • In the late afternoon, after returning home, Patrick Clancy was working in the basement. Lindsay Clancy searched for takeout, kids’ MiraLax, and the route between her home, a restaurant, and CVS. She sent her husband to pick up food and medicine at CVS.
  • Lindsay Clancy took the children to the basement, strangled them each with exercise bands and then went upstairs.
  • Patrick Clancy called her and the two had a 14-second conversation.
  • Lindsay Clancy then slashed her neck and arms with a knife and jumped out of the window of the master bedroom.
  • Patrick Clancy came home to find his wife and children.
  • Lindsay Clancy was controlling and wanted to kill the children because she was no longer satisfied with her life.
  • The defendant manipulated her doctors and sought a “quick and easy fix” for her mental health problems and then decided she didn’t want to try anymore.
• Kevin Reddington delivered an opening statement for the defense.
  • Lindsay Clancy is aware that she killed her children and is not trying to deny that.
  • The defendant never wanted to get rid of her children.
  • Lindsay Clancy suffered from postpartum issues after her second child, which can lead to bipolar disorder. She was placed on SSRIs despite that being the incorrect treatment for bipolar disorder.
  • Lindsay Clancy suffered severe injuries after jumping from the window, including spinal injuries and broken ribs.
  • The defendant had a documented history of seeking help and was over-prescribed medications as well as given incorrect medications.
• Patrick Clancy, victims’ father
  • Now divorced from Lindsay Clancy and lives in New York City.
  • Met Lindsay Clancy in South Boston in May 2023 through his cousin, who was her college roommate.
  • Before having Cora, Lindsay Clancy worked more than 40 hours a week. Afterward, she worked 20 hours a week.
  • After having Dawson, the defendant had trouble healing from the birth.
  • After each delivery, the defendant experienced increasing anxiety about returning to work.
  • Was extremely anxious in the fall of 2022 and was experiencing declining mental health.
  • She was discharged from the hospital on Jan. 5, 2023, and seemed to be getting better.
  • On the day of the incident, he was downstairs working in the office. Lindsay Clancy had taken the kids outside to build a snowman.
• MORE: ‘She seemed much better’: Mom accused of killing 3 kids sobs as ex-husband takes the stand