Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse and suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A heartbroken father has shared insights into the daily life he and his wife led before the tragic passing of their children.
Patrick and Lindsay Clancy were the proud parents of three young children: Cora, aged five, Dawson, aged three, and Callan, who was just eight months old.
In a devastating turn of events in January 2023, Patrick came home to their residence in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and discovered his children had died and his wife was severely injured after jumping from a window in an attempt to end her own life.
This incident resulted in her being permanently paralyzed.
Patrick later discovered that Lindsay was responsible for the deaths of Cora, Dawson, and Callan.
She has been charged with two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Lindsay admitted to taking the lives of her children but pleaded not guilty to the charges, stating that she acted ‘during a moment of psychosis’.
In the weeks prior to the children’s deaths, Lindsay was grappling with poor mental health. Her issues with anxiety and insomnia began during her pregnancy with Callan. Despite seeing postpartum specialists, she was never diagnosed with a severe generalised anxiety disorder.
However, by mid-January, Lindsay seemed to be showing signs of improvement.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Patrick spoke about the questions he would ask his wife every morning.
He described how it became a ‘routine’ for him to embrace Lindsay and inquire, “How are you feeling? How did you sleep?”
On the tragic day their children passed away, Lindsay assured her husband that she felt ‘good’ and had slept ‘pretty well’, according to the news outlet.
Lindsay is currently held without bail at Tewksbury Hospital, where she reportedly receives mental health treatment.
In a poignant interview with The New Yorker, Patrick recounted the day he returned home to the tragic scene.
Initially thinking Lindsay might be bathing their children, he soon sensed something was amiss when he had to force entry into the locked master bedroom.
Upon entering, he found the window open, blood on the floor, and a bloody knife on the nightstand.
Patrick then discovered his wife outside, barely conscious. He asked, ‘what did you do?’, to which Lindsay responded: “I tried to kill myself.”
When he inquired about their children’s whereabouts, she replied: “In the basement.”
Patrick went downstairs to find their three children with exercise bands around their necks.
Cora and Dawson were declared dead on the scene, while Callan succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress or a crisis, assistance is available through Mental Health America. You can call or text 988 for 24-hour support or webchat at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line is also accessible by texting MHA to 741741.
If these issues have affected you or if you need to speak confidentially about a child’s welfare, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)) is available 24/7 and accepts calls from the U.S., Canada, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.