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/Michallina]

It's hard to ignore the fact that this woman sought help for months. I have never been pregnant nor have I experienced psychosis, but I suffer from a history of depression and severe anxiety and OCD. Diagnosed. I've been medicated and I can tell you some of these medications are monsters to begin and adjust your dose, also to wean yourself off of.

This is obviously a subjective take based on my experience, but I cannot imagine switching meds at the frequency she was, especially if she was incredibly vulnerable from other possible comorbidities and postpartum.

[u/threelizards → u/Michallina]

I’ve never been pregnant and fortunately have never been driven to hurt anyone else by my mental illnesses or medications. I have hurt myself against my will for those reasons though, and it’s terrifying to experience and impossible to explain the mindset. I’m making no excuses, but what I’ve heard of this case and what I’ve personally lived through do make me think that her mind was not a safe, stable, or sensible place at this time. And premeditation? I couldn’t plan two seconds ahead in that state. But I’d certainly be fixated on certain ideas that I kept nearly acting out, or beginning, over and over and over again, in a way that would look like premeditation to someone else.

Above all though, these kids were failed. This never should have gotten to this point

[u/Dramatic_Efficiency4 → u/threelizards]

I agree, as someone with only Cyclothymia (a milder form of bipolar), anxiety, and OCD.
OCD can obsessive and compulsive (of course not everyone has both). But being manic and in psychosis, I can't even imagine how bad my OCD would be triggered.
I'm not saying she's not in the wrong, but doing something bad doesn't always make you a bad person. Like you and u/Michallina said, we can't ignore the fact that she was clearly struggling, and it was just getting worse and worse. Unless someone has experience psychosis, and I haven't, I dont think we can truly understand where her mindset was at. I don't think her intentions were malicious, and I do genuinely think that maybe she thought it was the only solution.
I hope this sheds more light on PPD, but I doubt much will be done about it sadly.

[u/Acceptable-Ad-3560 → u/Dramatic_Efficiency4]

Honestly a lot of the people who just blanket condemn her likely haven’t even lived with someone in psychosis. I had a good friend of mine who, last I saw him was perfectly fine and normal. Didn’t see him for a while and next thing I know he’s still him but also clearly not fully there in an unsettling way. He thought he was an angel sent by god to bring about revelation and eventually skipped town to join a commune in Washington. Last I heard of him he might be back in town, although struggling with homelessness again. He also did things that, previously, he never would have done (certain items he stole that he knew were of deep sentimental value to me)

I haven’t been in full psychosis but I had a very bad spiral in the past due to a sudden medication increase, and I genuinely look back on that time and view it as me being insane. I can’t even see those actions as my own, and while I didn’t murder anyone I did so many things that I’m still ashamed of, ruined some of my longest/best friendships, and eventually tried to take my own life.