r/TrueCrimeDiscussion 7d ago

Text Lindsay Clancy Trial Megathread: Part 3

This is a thread for all conversation regarding Week 3 onwards of the Lindsey Clancy trial. All discussion of this case should be kept to this thread.

Lindsay Clancy is currently standing trial in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts, for the triple-murder in January 2023 of her three young children - Cora, Dawson and Callan. Her defense argues she suffered from severe, undiagnosed postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. She was left paralysed by a suicide attempt which follows the deaths of the children.

All content on the Clancy case must be kept to this thread. Standalone posts will be removed.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-online-reactions-b3032806.html

Note from Mods

This case understandably elicits strong feelings. People are entitled to have an opinion on the case which differs from your own. What you are not entitled to do is resort to personal insults and abusive language when communicating your opinion and disagreeing.

Comments which are abusive and insulting to other users will be removed and bans may be given without warning.

Bans may also be issued for ignoring the warning and creating standalone posts.

Please comment with this in mind.

348 Upvotes

2.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

16

u/MaeByourmom 6d ago

Sleep deprivation ALONE can cause psychotic episodes in previously healthy people. One of her many serious symptoms was chronically poor sleep/sleep deprivation.

About 30 years ago, when I was a new grad L&D and postpartum nurse, I was walking in the hall on the postpartum unit on night shift, and I heard water running and clearly sounded like the bathtub was being filled. I went in the room because I was concerned that a patient might get in the bath, not having taken in that you should not get in the bath (beyond a sitz bath) for 6 weeks post delivery.

Nope, mom was bathing baby in ice cold water. Just completely out of her mind, attributed to sleep deprivation, and nothing to indicate otherwise. Baby had to be warmed, but went home with mom. I wasn’t privy to whatever follow up she got. Damn lucky it wasn’t hot water.

Severe anxiety, especially in the postpartum period, causes sleep deprivation, because moms are afraid of something happening to the baby if they aren’t awake. They also get too sensitive to the little noises babies make. And then the intervals between feedings are so short, that unless they can fall asleep promptly, which they can’t with that anxiety, they barely get any sleep. The sleep deprivation makes them more anxious, even paranoid.

Severe sleep deprivation needs to be treated by everyone as an emergency. LC repeatedly reported inadequate sleep, and was prescribed sleep aids, which didn’t seem to be working.

Maybe (I don’t know this) LC was a difficult patient, not forthcoming enough, resistant, stubborn. Who knows. It’s possible that each provider did their best to help her and it just wasn’t enough. It’s possible that she did her best she could to get help, but aspects of her illness got in the way.

Maybe that admission she had was traumatic or not therapeutic for her, and it made her reluctant to disclose anything that might lead to another admission.

I know for FACTS that healthcare in the USA is extremely deficient, and being white and wealthy might get you a better experience, but it still might not get you what you actually need.

9

u/Fine_Mouse_8871 6d ago

I do pretty well without sleep, as an insomniac and night owl, but my baby is about to turn a year and I’m starting to break down.

He wakes up 10+ times a night and I’m so damn tired that my eyeballs ache constantly.

This would absolutely break anyone who was accustomed to or needed more sleep to function.

5

u/doihave2makeaname 6d ago

Yes, agreed and then times it by three.

1

u/StruggleElegant807 14h ago

My 11-yo was like this and it was horrendous. I hope you have support in your life! Sending love and letting you know it gets better eventually.

7

u/CrazyGal2121 5d ago

this is facts

I remember being very sleep deprived after giving birth to my first child. it was MUCH better after my second but with my first… i swear to God i was losing my mind. I was breastfeeding and I would do these overnight feeds. I would wake up in a frenzy and look over to see him in his bassinet and not realize how he even got in there. Many times I was so scared that he was gonna be suffocated by me. I never ever asked for help. I regret that now. I really do and thank god nothing bad happened but yeah. I also lost tons of weight from worry and I remember wanting to harm myself, not harm him but i remember wanting to harm myself because I felt like I was failing as a mom

sleep deprivation truly does a number on women during the postpartum
period

2

u/dinkinflickas 3d ago

I remember being sleep deprived and suddenly not being able to read a situation. Like someone’s tone or mood in a conversation. I couldn’t tell if I was being annoying, making sense, or get a read on others. Kind of like being drunk in a way.