Lindsay Clancy’s defense has given more details about what she says happened before she killed her three children in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in January 2023. Her lawyers say she was suffering from postpartum mental illness and heard a male voice ordering her to kill the children and herself. The voice told her, “this is your last chance. Kill the children so you can kill yourself.” Clancy then strangled Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, while saying, “go to God, baby,” her defense says. She later tried to kill herself and survived with paralysis.
What did the ‘male voice’ allegedly tell Lindsay Clancy?
The claim about the voice is central to Lindsay Clancy’s defense. Her lawyers say she was in a severe mental health crisis when her husband, Patrick Clancy, left the family home to pick up food and medication on January 24, 2023.
According to the defense, the voice ordered Clancy to kill the children and then herself. Thought Catalog reported these details from the defense account.
Prosecutors reject that explanation. They say Clancy planned the killings and acted “intentionally, rationally and swiftly.”
What Lindsay Clancy’s diary revealed about her mental state?
The jury has heard about Clancy’s mental health in the months before the deaths. Her diary entries described how hard she found caring for her three children.
{{/usCountry}}The jury has heard about Clancy’s mental health in the months before the deaths. Her diary entries described how hard she found caring for her three children.
{{/usCountry}}“I’m completely overwhelmed trying to take care of the kids. I feel like I’m drowning every day,” she wrote. Another entry said, “I feel disconnected from myself, time, reality.”
Psychiatrists also testified about anxiety, depression, sleep problems and medication changes. Dr. Jennifer Tufts said Clancy felt anxious and overwhelmed but did not show signs of psychosis during their sessions.
Lindsay Clancy trial: Prosecutors challenge her mental state
Prosecutors have pointed to evidence they say shows Clancy was functioning normally shortly before the killings. Patrick Clancy testified that she took Cora to a doctor, played with the children and seemed to be having “one of her best days” before he left.
The jury also heard that Clancy met with Tufts one day before the killings. Tufts testified that Clancy was more anxious but denied suicidal or homicidal thoughts. She said nothing during the session suggested Clancy was a danger to herself or others.
After the killings, two forensic psychiatrists testified that Clancy appeared clear-headed and organized during hospital evaluations. Boston.com reported that the defense’s account of the voice and “Go to God, baby” statement was also detailed in Clancy’s January 2026 malpractice lawsuit.
Her defense says severe postpartum illness drove her actions, while prosecutors argue the evidence points to deliberate killings.