{
  "id": 2479552,
  "title": "US mum was 'begging for help' before killing children, family testifies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/us-mum-was-begging-for-help-before-killing-children-family-testifies",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T02:31:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-22/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-fourth-week/107058438"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In October 2022, Lindsay Clancy sent a message to her mother, pleading for assistance: \"Mom, will you please come up and stay with me for a bit? I'm really sick. Something is wrong.\" Lindsay, a former labor and delivery nurse and devoted mother to three young children, had been struggling with her mental health since the birth of her third son, Callan. Despite numerous attempts to seek help from medical professionals, she continued to express concerns about her well-being. By December, she had admitted to her mother and then-husband that she harbored thoughts of harming her children. A few weeks later, she carried out the murders of all three children and attempted suicide. On January 24, 2023, Clancy took her daughter, Cora, to a doctor's appointment and shared photos of her children throughout the day with her then-husband, Patrick Clancy. Upon his return home, he discovered Clancy lying paralyzed in their backyard. The two eldest children were found dead from strangulation in the family basement, while Callan, who was eight months old, died in the hospital a few days later. The current trial in Massachusetts examines whether Clancy killed her children. Her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, argues that she was a loving mother who succumbed to postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness resulting from the stress, sleep deprivation, and hormonal changes experienced after childbirth. Reddington claims Clancy repeatedly sought medical help and was prescribed several psychiatric medications that led to her mental deterioration. Family members testified during the defense phase that Clancy was anxious, paranoid, and suicidal. Her mother, Paula Musgrove, stated that she often stayed with her daughter from October to December 2022, noting that Clancy was afraid to sleep alone and believed the medications were impairing her mind. Her former mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, testified on Tuesday that Clancy had been \"begging for help\" in the months leading up to the killings. The jury was presented with texts from Clancy, expressing her fears of dependence on benzodiazepines and her inability to sleep without taking them. Earlier in the trial, it was revealed that Clancy had sought treatment for severe mental health issues, including admitting herself to a psychiatric hospital. However, witnesses also noted that Clancy often skipped her prescribed medications and expressed concerns about potential addiction. The defense argued that Clancy was over-medicated and that her care was inconsistent, with doctors failing to communicate effectively or share necessary information. They also presented evidence that she was discharged from one facility after just one day and denied higher-level care when she could not demonstrate a suicide plan. Prosecutors questioned the validity of Clancy's suicide attempt and presented texts and photos showing her engaging in normal activities on the day of the killings, including taking her children to the doctor and playing in the snow. Her doctors testified that they did not observe any signs of mania or psychosis, though Clancy frequently expressed suicidal thoughts. Clinical and forensic psychologist Paul Zeizel, who spent over 35 hours with Clancy during multiple visits and reviewed her medical records, found no evidence that she was fabricating or exaggerating her psychiatric symptoms. He testified that psychotic symptoms can come and go, and a person experiencing psychosis can still perform everyday activities like making phone calls or driving a car. However, prosecutors pointed out errors in Dr. Zeizel's report and questioned his objectivity, given his dual role as her treating doctor and defense advocate. Clancy has not testified and is not obligated to do so, but the jury has witnessed her emotional breakdowns during the proceedings, including when prosecutors displayed autopsy photos of the children. If convicted of murder, Clancy faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.",
  "summary": "Lindsay Clancy was known as a loving and dedicated mother. But her family says her mental health began to decline after the birth of her third child.",
  "key_points": [
    "Lindsay Clancy sent plea to mother in October 2022, asking for help",
    "Clancy expressed suicidal thoughts about harming children in December",
    "Defense argues Clancy suffered postpartum psychosis, not intentional murder"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The trial's focus on Lindsay Clancy's mental state and her repeated attempts to seek help shifts the narrative from a straightforward murder case to a nuanced exploration of postpartum psychosis and medical accountability.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}