Lindsay Clancy’s Trial Highlights Postpartum Psychosis Defense

A psychologist testified recently that Lindsay Clancy, on trial for murder, claimed to have heard a “male voice” instructing her to kill her children. This was revealed during her murder trial.

Lindsay Clancy, aged 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan. All were under six years old when found strangled in their Duxbury home in 2023. The prosecution has concluded its case, and her defense team argues she suffered from postpartum psychosis during the incident.

Dr. Paul Zeizel, a clinical and forensic psychologist, provided testimony that after the tragic events, Clancy informed her then-husband, Patrick, of hearing a voice commanding her actions. “She loved him very much,” Zeizel stated, noting her limited emotional expression.

“She said a male voice told her she had no choice but to kill her children and then herself,” Zeizel explained.

Lindsay Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, questioned whether she was honest about her condition.

Zeizel confirmed, “She was not faking. There was no evidence of any deceit. She appeared as an honest individual.” He had spoken with Clancy at the hospital following the incident, arranged by a court order secured by Reddington.

Reddington asked why Zeizel permitted Clancy to use his phone. “I let her call her husband out of human compassion,” Zeizel responded.

Susan Clancy, Lindsay’s mother-in-law, also testified. She expressed concerns about Lindsay’s mental health during the 2022 holiday season, yet described her as a “wonderful mother.”

“Lindsay was struggling. We were all very concerned,” Susan shared. “She was very nurturing, very loving.”

“She was begging for help,” Susan Clancy added, emphasizing the family’s distress during that period.

The defense continues its efforts to demonstrate that Lindsay Clancy suffered from severe postpartum psychosis during the tragic deaths of her children.