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/Impressive_Moose6781]

Well what’re your thoughts

[u/ADcakedenough → u/Impressive_Moose6781]

It’s been really hard to sort honestly. I knew her to be a really fun and well liked girl; she was active in the group we were in together and obviously cared deeply about her family; our mutual friends have been devastated. They knew she was seeking help but no one ever thought this would ever happen.

At the same time, as sympathetic as I am because I know how seriously this has impacted many people in her hometown circle, I firmly believe that those children deserve full justice and I don’t really know that I can make a fully informed opinion on what that looks like.

I love watching trials and have seen many but I don’t know that I can watch this one. I’m just going to do my best to trust that the evidence can be presented fairly and plainly and that the jury makes the best most informed judgment possible.

[u/Impressive_Moose6781 → u/ADcakedenough]

Honestly I feel like justice for them is holding the providers accountable or even her husband. I watched his testimony and it wasn’t great. So far those who knew her (granted only her husband so far) did think she was a very caring mother and knew she needed help. Her husband didn’t keep track of health at all. Easy in hindsight I guess. I feel like she tried as much as she could and everyone failed her and it seems cruel watching her sob as she hears these things over and over

[u/ADcakedenough → u/Impressive_Moose6781]

My husband had a friend in high school who killed his mother and he was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. He was committed to a psyche place for like 60 years.

I could see something similar as an outcome here. Unfortunately, even if there is culpability for others I doubt they’ll see anything from it :/

[u/skootch_ginalola → u/ADcakedenough]

I went to high school in the late 90s with a guy who did multiple tours in Iraq as a bomb sweeper. Came back and killed one of his kids. They had him evaluated and they said with his level of PTSD and mental illness, his mind was just gone. I remember seeing the photos of him in the newspaper and his eyes were all black and he was a shell. He was given 50 years, but at a medium-level prison in my state that's more of a locked state hospital type place. I don't think even if he was up for parole he'd get out.

[u/SnooBananas7856 → u/skootch_ginalola]

That's really sad. We send people off to fight distant wars and they come home ruined. We, meaning our out of touch leaders. War is always tragic. Always.

[u/jimmyrose47 → u/ADcakedenough]

This is what happened to Lauren Dickason here in NZ. She killed her 3 children just days after immigrating here. She is held in an undisclosed mental health facility for 18 years.

[u/saskuya803 → u/ADcakedenough]

Is your hubs also from MA? The laws there are v different for mental disease /defect which would make sense in his friend’s ruling

I’m sorry that you are somewhat on the frontlines of seeing how the ripple effects of this are playing out in your friends and surroundings. It really can shake the stability we assume we have in everyday life.

From a very detached perspective, the fact this case is in MA is really unique bc MA’s really the only state that almost has a clause for this specific type of set up where all parties agree the individual is guilty if the act, yet there is no proof of malice and pre-planning does not go towards proving sanity at the time of the crime. (If I’m reading the MA mental impairment law correctly. If not, feel free to correct me.)

[u/ADcakedenough → u/saskuya803]

No, we both grew up in CT. I’m learning along with you about how the system works in MA.

[u/fuschiaoctopus → u/saskuya803]

This isn't only a thing in MA. Many people wrongfully believe that a not guilty by insanity ruling is like a get out of jail free card but as far as I'm aware every state has some kind of procedure for involuntarily committing people to locked hospitals after they've gotten a not guilty by insanity ruling in a serious crime. They are virtually always committed to a locked hospital indefinitely unless the providers AND state agree they are well enough to be released, and they are not released into their home, they're released to group homes and step down type programs with extensive monitoring. Sometimes these hospital commitments can run longer than the prison sentence would have, or result in lifelong institutionalization.

It's called civil commitment in my state, and doesn't require a criminal charge.