PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial are set to return to Plymouth Superior Court on Friday morning, where they will weigh whether the former labor and delivery nurse should be held criminally accountable for the 2023 deaths of her three young children.
There is no dispute between prosecutors and the defense that Clancy killed the children. The central question is why — and whether she was legally responsible at the time. Her attorneys say she was suffering from postpartum psychosis, with defense lawyer Kevin Reddington arguing that “lousy medical care” worsened her condition. Prosecutors, however, told jurors the killings were calculated and insisted that the broader U.S. healthcare system is “not on trial here.”
Postpartum psychosis is rare, affecting an estimated 1 to 2 women per 1,000 births. Cleveland Clinic experts describe it as a psychiatric emergency that can distort a person’s grasp on reality. While it can occur after any birth, the risk is greater for people with certain mental health histories. Most mothers with the condition do not hurt their children, but in the most severe cases, experts say, they may become a danger to their children and to themselves.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a suicidal crisis, substance use crisis or another mental health emergency, call or text 988 to reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help is also available at 988lifeline.org or by calling 800-273-8255 [TALK].
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