Massachusetts Mom Accused of Killing 3 Children, 32, Seeks Insanity Defense
A Massachusetts labor and delivery nurse, Lindsay Clancy, who allegedly strangled and killed her three young children last year, is seeking to pursue a defense of insanity, according to court documents. Clancy was indicted on three counts of murder and strangulation charges in September 2023, after prosecutors say she used exercise bands to strangle her 5-year-old daughter, 3-year-old son, and 8-month-old baby, before attempting suicide at her Duxbury home.
Court documents provide a glimpse into the events leading up to the alleged crimes. In January 2023, Clancy told her husband, Patrick, that she was feeling “anxious” about returning to work at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was a labor and delivery nurse. She was prescribed multiple medications, including Zoloft, Valium, Trazodone, Ativan, Klonopin, Prozac, and Seroquel.
The documents also reveal that Clancy’s husband confided in a family friend about her mental health struggles and expressed concerns she was suffering withdrawal from an anxiety prescription a month earlier. On the morning of January 24, Clancy took her daughter to a pediatrician, called a local CVS store about a stool-softener prescription, and ordered dinner at the ThreeV restaurant in Plymouth.
Clancy’s husband, Patrick, found her on the ground with cuts to her wrists and neck and attempted to revive her before calling 911. The Plymouth District Court has unsealed 299 pages of search warrants, which were used to collect evidence, including exercise bands, medications, computers, phones, a belt, a bathrobe, and a silver knife.
The prosecution has requested a September 2025 trial date, while Clancy’s attorney, Kevin J. Reddington, has filed a notice of intent to present a defense of lack of criminal responsibility. The status of the case is pending the results of DNA testing and expert witness reports.