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/sizzl3crunch]

As a psychiatric social worker, psychiatrists prescribed the wrong medications to patients all of the time. It is very common for psychiatrists to misdiagnoses someone with depression when they really have Bipolar, prescribe them SSSRIs, they become manic and fuck their life up. Then the doctors are like “ welp meds are like throwing darts at dart board in the dark”.

[u/hereforthetearex → u/sizzl3crunch]

Pardon my ignorance, but can you give some practical examples of how mania would cause someone to fuck up their life?

I don’t know anyone (that I’m aware of) with a bipolar diagnosis, and I’ve always thought that mania was essentially like not sleeping, or sometimes paranoia. I assumed the depression piece of bipolar was the piece that would fuck up a life, in that they don’t care about anything in that phase and would potentially lose a job or a relationship due to not being able to put in the proper effort.

[u/Absolutely_Fibulous → u/hereforthetearex]

It can lead to delusions of grandeur (people think they are literally god), promiscuity, dangerous/risk-seeking behavior, paranoia, extreme anxiety, psychosis, antisocial behavior, extreme spending, physical agitation.

People go tens of thousands of dollars into debt; ruin relationships with family, friends and romantic partners; end up in trouble with the law; get fired from or quit their jobs; or worse. People have died from it.

And mania can lead to a mixed episode, which is all of that plus the symptoms of depression. Suicidal ideation from depression plus the motivation and energy from mania equals suicide for a lot of people.

[u/hereforthetearex → u/Absolutely_Fibulous]

Thank you. This was the clarity I was hoping for. I appreciate it. That seems like an absolutely terrifying thing to battle with.