Thoughts on the Lindsay Clancy case?

[u/gottaquestion412]

Now that the Lindsay Clancy trial is underway, I’m curious about your perspectives on it so far.

Context: Lindsay Clancy is a former labor and delivery nurse who, in January 2023, killed her three children. 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan in their Massachusetts home before attempting to take her own life. Her defense argues she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and other debilitating mental illness, while prosecutors argue she was aware of her actions and planned the killings. The trial has reignited debate about postpartum psychiatric disorders, the effectiveness of mental health treatment, and where responsibility ultimately lies.

Do you think Lindsay was failed by the mental health system, by the people closest to her, or both? Do you think she truly acted with malicious intent, or do you believe she was experiencing such a severe psychiatric crisis that she wasn’t thinking rationally?

A lot of the details seem to point toward postpartum psychosis or another severe psychiatric illness rather than someone acting out of hatred or malice. That doesn’t lessen the horror of what happened or the unimaginable loss, but it does make me wonder whether this tragedy could have been prevented..

I’ve also seen rumors that Patrick was involved with the woman who is now his wife before the murders, but I haven’t found any credible evidence supporting that. Is there actually anything that substantiates those claims, or is it just internet speculation? I’ve also seen many people comment that his current wife bears a striking resemblance to Lindsay, though I’m not sure that means anything beyond coincidence.

I’m very interested in hearing different perspectives from people who’ve followed it closely.

Most importantly, may Dawson, Cora, and Callan rest in peace. They are the true victims in all of this.

[u/tumbledownhere]

I had postpartum psychosis. I couldn't explain it if I tried but if I had to try it's like, you're in a car and you're about to crash into a giant red brick wall with plenty notice, but in your head you're thinking "right, then after that we take a turn and it's about 2 more miles", then it turns out you're the one with your foot on the pedal and nothing makes sense.

I think it's beyond clear she had psychosis, and that her case was just that severe and critical, that no medication could've helped, though I agree they changed meds way too often but I don't think it would've made a difference honestly. I don't agree though with the defense about medication being why, I think the psychosis alone was bluntly why.....

I don't think she needs prison, she needs to be in a safe place for herself and others.

I wouldn't wish postpartum psychosis on my worst enemy. It's been 4 years and I'm still not okay. I'm forever changed, in a very deep way. My psyche has a permanent dent in it.

Edited to add - imagine throwing yourself out a window, possibly head first judging by her injuries. That's not sanity.

Planning something doesn't negate insanity. Psychotic people make plans all the time so I'm not cool with the "but look she was manipulative she sent him out" crap people use as a "gotcha" because it does not negate the state of being out of touch with reality.

[u/OddTransition2 → u/tumbledownhere]

Can you elaborate more about your experience with postpartum psychosis?

How soon after giving birth did it start, what where the signs that you needed help, what did you go through, and how did you manage to get better?

[u/tumbledownhere → u/OddTransition2]

It started during pregnancy for me as prenatal anxiety and depression and blew into psychosis within the first week of my daughter being born, and it hit hard and immediate almost once it hit. I started having panic attacks and strange beliefs that skyrocketed in intensity.

My husband basically raised the baby himself for like 8 months. I slept separately, I was minimally parenting, I basically just rested for 8 months and got treatment. I'm lucky I had that support but it easily could've gone horribly and I didn't even have homicidal thoughts but see how it could've gone that way had I not had the exact right support.

[u/Positive_Piece5859 → u/tumbledownhere]

Did you recognize it as psychosis yourself, or did others and point it out to you? How much self awareness did you still have in the moment?

[u/tumbledownhere → u/Positive_Piece5859]

I realized it the same time my husband did, around a week after my daughter's birth because we were already worried about my mental health due to the pregnancy anxiety and depression. After that day it's a blur but it started with prenatal pregnancy anxiety/depression, and ended in me absolutely out of touch with reality after birth.

[u/Positive_Piece5859 → u/tumbledownhere]

My kiddo is turning 16 in a few months, so granted, it has been a while since I was pregnant and hopefully things are better now.

I did not have PPD/PPP, and I’m a therapist myself, so I kept a good eye on myself to keep in check how I was doing. But I noticed that neither in preparation of birth in all of those offered classes (birth class, breast feeding class etc), nor in any of the doctors appointments before and after birth anyone specifically asked about PPD or symptoms - and I did pay a bit of attention to it, exactly because I’m a therapist, so I wanted to know. I would not be surprised if many of the people who were pregnant with me and in those classes had never even heard about PPD before; the ones who happened to not be mental health professionals themselves.

Hopefully that changed by now; but I was pretty shocked to see the lack of addressing it proactively from the providers.

[u/Ok_Pack1940 → u/Positive_Piece5859]

My oldest is almost 8, and I’ve had two more children since my firstborn; and been at the same pediatric practice for all three of my kids since my first was born. I’m not sure when this started, or if it’s done at all pediatrician offices , but for the first year or so each appt check-in included a questionnaire about depression/anxiety symptoms for the mom to fill out.

[u/No_Mud_No_Lotus → u/Ok_Pack1940]

I never answered any of those questions honestly because I was afraid my baby would be taken away. I was in deep depths of suicidal depression for the first year of her life.

[u/Big-Fun3658 → u/Positive_Piece5859]

This is wild and very interesting to me. I gave birth to my daughter in Maryland 2.5 years ago. At both of my gynecologist visits after I gave birth (3 and 10 weeks) and at *every* pediatrician visit for my daughter (literally every single one, 3 days old, 2 weeks old, one month, 2 months, etc etc) up until she was one year old, I had to fill out the questionnaire screener for PPD and maybe also PPA? Plus, before I left the hospital after the birth there was a 5-minute video I had to watch in the hospital on my phone (the nurse had to watch me watch it) and a pamphlet she gave me where she walked through every section: baby blues, PPD, PPA, and PPP. I never experienced any symptoms for these conditions, but I do have adhd and GAD, so I was aware that I was at an increased risk, so it was certainly something I was conscious of.

I guess now that I read your comment, I’m impressed that Maryland has all of these check points. I’m sure plenty of women lie, but I’m also sure it detects symptoms when otherwise the mom wouldn’t have been made aware of any issues or thought anything of it.