Lindsay Clancy’s children’s wounds came into focus when a forensic pathologist testified during her triple murder trial about the traumatic injuries they suffered in their final moments. Lindsay was seen sobbing and inconsolable Wednesday afternoon, August 12, during that testimony.
The Massachusetts mother is facing three counts of murder in the killings of her children Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months. The proceedings are taking place in a Plymouth, Massachusetts, courtroom.
Lindsay Clancy’s children’s injuries
Lindsay’s two older children, Cora and Dawson, were rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. Her youngest child, Callan, spent several days in the hospital before succumbing to her injuries.
Deep Dive
What types of injuries did Lindsay Clancy's children suffer according to the autopsy reports?
How did Lindsay Clancy's neck injuries affect her ability to speak during her trial?
What role did Lindsay Clancy's mental health play in her defense during the murder trial?
Dr. Renee Stonebridge, a forensic pathologist with the state medical examiner’s office, delivered graphic testimony about the children’s autopsies. She described the Clancy children’s eye injuries, which she explained were consistent with asphyxia strangulation. Stonebridge, who examined Callan’s brain, explained that it takes roughly six-to-eight minutes for brain death to occur without proper oxygen flow.
State medical examiner Dr. Barbara Olson, who performed an autopsy on Cora, described the ligature marks and bruising on the child’s neck. She also described the hemorrhages to her eyes, face and lips.
{{/usCountry}}State medical examiner Dr. Barbara Olson, who performed an autopsy on Cora, described the ligature marks and bruising on the child’s neck. She also described the hemorrhages to her eyes, face and lips.
{{/usCountry}}Plymouth County Second Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague presented Cora’s autopsy photographs as Olson shared her findings. Olson noted that there were traumatic injuries on Cora’s neck, and fresh bruises on her right arm and legs.
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Olson, who also performed Dawson’s autopsy, explained that he had similar injuries to his sister, but appeared to have more hemorrhaging. She explained that this may have been caused by him struggling or a change in pressure to the neck.
According to prosecutors, Lindsay, 35, “acted intentionally, rationally and swiftly” when she fatally strangled her three children at their Duxbury home on January 24, 2023. Her defense attorneys, on the other hand, argued that she is not criminally responsible because she was in the midst of a psychotic episode that stemmed from postpartum mental illness.
Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. If convicted of murder, she faces life in prison without parole. In case she is found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.