The husband of the Boston nurse who strangled their three children in a fit of postpartum depression has shared his side of the story leading up to the tragic event. Patrick Clancy, the father of Cora, Dawson, and Callan, recounted the events that took place before the horrifying murders in an interview with The New Yorker.
Lindsay Clancy had been struggling with anxiety and insomnia since her pregnancy with Callan, seeking help from postpartum-mental-health specialists. Despite her efforts, she never received more than a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. She was admitted to an inpatient program at McLean Hospital but was discharged shortly after with an anti-depressant prescription.
On the day of the tragedy, Patrick left Lindsay in charge of their children while he went out for errands. Upon returning home, he found the house quiet and discovered a gruesome scene in the master bedroom. Lindsay had attempted suicide, and their children were found strangled in the basement.
Despite his efforts to save them, two of the children died at the scene, and the third passed away later in the hospital. In the aftermath, Patrick received a troubling phone call from Lindsay, who claimed she was commanded to kill their children by a voice. He has since been in contact with her, trying to understand what led to the tragic events.
Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the murders, and the family continues to grapple with the aftermath of the heartbreaking loss.
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“She explained, ‘No, it just felt like a snap of the fingers.’”
He inquired why Lindsay searched for how long it would take him to pick up dinner, to which she expressed concern about him getting stuck in traffic.
“Then I asked her, ‘Did you Google Ways to kill?’ And she responded, ‘Yes, for myself, because I was suicidal for two months.’”
Patrick has kept a low profile since the tragic incident.
Shortly after the incident, he urged people to find it within themselves to forgive her, as he had done.
In April, Clancy participated in the Boston Marathon to honor his children and raised over $73,000 for the hospital where his youngest, Callan, received treatment before her passing.
Patrick decided to speak with the New Yorker to address the “lies and misinformation” circulating due to the interest in her upcoming trial.
“I was not married to a monster – I was married to someone who became ill,” he shared with the outlet.
Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, plans to pursue an insanity defense.
The prosecution argues that Lindsay’s evaluations by mental health professionals, her research on ways to kill, and other evidence suggest premeditation.
A trial date for Lindsay has yet to be determined.
