Lindsay Clancy cries as pathologist testifies in triple murder trial

Lindsay Clancy, 35, broke down in a Plymouth, Massachusetts, courtroom on August 12 as a forensic pathologist described the fatal injuries suffered by her three children, whom she is accused of murdering. The children were Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Clancy is charged with three counts of murder for their deaths on January 24, 2023.

Prosecutors say Clancy acted intentionally when she strangled the children. Her defence argues she was in a psychotic episode caused by postpartum mental illness and is not criminally responsible. Her estranged husband, Patrick Clancy, testified that she was a dedicated mother who struggled with separation from the children. Clancy was left partially paralysed after she attempted suicide by jumping from a second-storey window on the day of the killings.

Online conspiracy theories, shared by internet personality John DePetro, have blamed Patrick Clancy's current wife, Dr Rachel Danis, for the murders. Hindustan Times reports these theories have no backing from authorities, who say only Clancy remains on trial. Patrick Clancy married Danis in April 2026, after moving to New York in 2023 and beginning a relationship with her in 2024. If convicted, Clancy faces life without parole. A verdict of not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility would commit her to a state mental health facility.