What is postpartum psychosis? Prosecutors claim Lindsay Clancy heard voices before strangling children

Lindsay Clancy strangled her children and then tried to take her own life on January 25, 2023. Clancy survived the attempt and is currently in the hospital. Considering her injuries, she was allowed to appear for her trial through Zoom from her hospital bed.

The 32-year-old's attorney Kevin Reddington mentioned that she was suffering from several mental illnesses and was also overmedicated. A mental health expert was also hired to assist in the case. Clancy reportedly revealed that she heard a male voice telling her to kill her children.

Clancy’s attorney claimed that his client was suffering from “postpartum depression” and also “postpartum psychosis." A list of all the medications that she was consuming at the time of the tragic incident was also revealed. These medications reportedly induced homicidal and suicidal ideations.

Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic content. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Lindsay Clancy's alleged postpartum psychosis: Definition, causes, and more

Reddington described Lindsay Clancy as a “victim” of the mental health care system. He also mentioned that Clancy was suffering from postpartum depression and psychosis as well. Clancy, herself, has opened up about having mental illnesses post her children’s birth, on social media. She further spoke about postpartum anxiety as well.

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is something that individuals may experience after giving birth. It causes hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, mood changes, mania, disorganized thinking, agitation, and more. It can also hamper a person's sense of reality. In severe cases, individuals may attempt to harm themselves or their children, as in the case of Lindsay Clancy.

As per Cleveland Clinic, postpartum psychosis can impact an individual up to six weeks after they have given birth. It can be caused by a history of mental health issues, hormonal changes, side effects of medication, and more.

The NHS defines postpartum psychosis as:

“A serious mental health illness that can affect someone soon after having a baby. It affects around 1 in 500 mothers after giving birth. It’s a serious mental illness and should be treated as a medical emergency. It’s sometimes called puerperal psychosis, or postnatal psychosis.”

According to attorney Kevin Reddington, 32-year-old Lindsay Clancy was prescribed drugs like Seroquel and Prozac. These medications could reportedly induce suicidal and homicidal tendencies as side effects.

He added:

“[Lindsay Clancy] was… a beautiful person who was destroyed by this medication.”

Reddington addressed Clancy’s current physical condition and revealed that she has sustained spinal cord injuries and has become a paraplegic. He said:

“She can’t walk… she can’t even go to the bathroom. Her emotional state was also not well at all.”

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Prosecutors have accused Lindsay of murdering her children – Callan (8 months), Dawson (3), and Cora (5) at her Duxbury residence. She faces charges including first-degree murder.

Prosecutors mentioned that Lindsay’s husband Patrick returned home and found his children being strangled. He discovered their “little necks” were tied by exercise bands. The responding officer claimed to have heard Patrick yell when they arrived at the scene. He was reportedly saying:

“She killed the kids!”

Prosecutors studied the notes in Clancy’s journal and revealed that she has spoken about her children and her mental health issues. They also claimed that there was no reference to Lindsay Clancy suffering from postpartum depression. However, there was a reference to her experiencing a “touch of postpartum anxiety.”

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Lindsay was reportedly admitted to a psychiatric facility in December 2022

While Reddington spoke about Clancy’s degrading mental condition, prosecutors were convinced that she was improving. They also referred to her brief stay at McClean Hospital. Plymouth Assistant DA Jennifer Sprague added:

“[Clancy] strangled the children in the place they should have felt safest: at home with their mom.”

Prosecutors further mentioned:

“She created the situation and used Apple Maps to make sure she would have enough time to strangle each child before her husband returned from where she had sent him.”

They also claimed that Lindsay allegedly went to her bedroom after strangling her kids and slit her neck and wrists before jumping out of the window. Prosecutors mentioned that when Patrick returned home, he couldn’t find his wife and kids. He eventually found Lindsay outside the building and asked her where the kids were. In response, she allegedly said that they were “in the basement.”

Prosecutors continued:

“He [Patrick] removed the bands and begged them to breathe.”

It was eventually revealed by the prosecutors that the 32-year-old Massachusetts mum was having “suicidal ideations in December of 2022 and on one occasion had thoughts of harming her children.” This was when she admitted herself to McClean Hospital and was allegedly discharged on January 5.

Prosecutors added that medical professionals at the facility did not see her as a danger to anybody. Addressing her mental state, her husband Patrick said:

“She was smiling and happy, and there was no indication that she was going to harm the kids.”

Reddington continues to prove his stance that Lindsay Clancy was a loving mother and that overmedication ruined her life. He said:

“She always wanted to have kids, always wanted to have babies. She’s a nurse. She wanted to be a midwife because she wanted to help other women in having babies.”

During the trial, prosecutors tried to prove that Lindsay Clancy was not suffering from mental illness when she strangled her children on January 24, 2023. However, Clancy’s attorney continued to claim that the incident wasn’t planned.