Lindsay Clancy wrote in her journal two months earlier than killing her three younger youngsters that she was “so determined to get a psychological break from taking good care of everybody,” jurors discovered at her homicide trial Monday.
The 35-year-old Boston-area mother documented having “horrible insomnia and nervousness” and being wracked with guilt over her option to cease breastfeeding her 8-month-old son and sleep practice him in journal entries earlier than the homicide.
On Nov. 18, 2023, two months earlier than she strangled her youngsters with elastic exercise bands, she wrote: “It’s like I’m so determined to get a psychological break from taking good care of everybody that my thoughts is making an attempt to make one thing bodily flawed with me.”
“I need assist. I wish to be properly,” Clancy additionally wrote within the journal, which had entries starting Oct. 13, 2022 and ending Jan. 18, 2023.
The excerpts had been learn to the jury throughout the testimony of Massachusetts State Trooper Cory Melo who was the ultimate witness Monday afternoon following whirlwind testimony from 12 docs, cops and nurses who took the stand earlier within the day.
Melo collected the diary and different journals and proof from Clancy’s Duxbury, Mass. house.
Clancy, a former labor and supply nurse, killed her youngsters Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan on Jan. 24, 2023, earlier than she tried to kill herself.
Clancy is arguing that she was struggling postpartum psychosis and that she did all the pieces doable to get assist earlier than she killed her youngsters — however she misdiagnosed and overmedicated.
Her attorneys need her acquitted of homicide.
Earlier within the day, the jurors heard from psychiatrists who noticed Clancy throughout her month-long keep at Brigham and Ladies’s Hospital in Boston recovering from her suicide try, which paralyzed her.
The psychiatrists testified she was cooperative, and didn’t seem like affected by suicidal or homicidal ideas.
Forensic psychiatrist Jhilam Biswas noticed Clancy as soon as on Jan. 26, 2023 when she was sedated and intubated with a respiratory tube simply earlier than Clancy was scheduled to have again surgical procedure.
When Biswas requested about Clancy’s temper she wrote again: “Horrified.”
“Is my physique damaged? Are my legs straight?” Clancy additionally wrote to Biswas.
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague requested Biswas about the truth that Clancy had requested if she had an legal professional and the truth that Biswas didn’t be aware seeing any indicators of psychosis in Clancy.
Prosecutors try to show she was chilly and calculating simply days after finishing up the murders, reasonably than affected by a psychological break.
Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, requested Biswas to verify that she solely noticed Clancy one time and it was just for 20 to half-hour to evaluate if she was a danger of suicide earlier than she went into surgical procedure.
Reddington additionally requested Biswas if it was doable for Clancy to have appeared regular whereas affected by psychosis.
“For some folks, they’ll have moments of readability, completely. And for some, it may be extra steady. It actually depends upon the affected person and their sickness,” Biswas mentioned.
One other psychiatrist, Sejal Shah, who noticed Clancy a number of occasions over the course of a month, mentioned she didn’t report suicidal or homicidal ideas and mentioned she was cooperative and searching ahead to being transferred to a rehab facility.
Reddington additionally pressed Shah about the truth that somebody can appear regular and nonetheless be experiencing postpartum psychosis.
“Individuals can talk and plan and act on plans even when they’re in the midst of a psychosis, proper?” Reddington requested.
“Sure,” Shah responded.
“You don’t should be drooling and stumbling and unable to stroll and discuss to be in a psychosis?” the protection legal professional requested.
“No,” the psychiatrist affirmed.
Shah additionally testified that Clancy requested for her well being proxy to be modified from her husband, Patrick Clancy, to her mother and father, which she was allowed to do a day after she was out of a post-sedation delirium.
Clancy requested to signal a DNR, or a “do no resuscitate” type, which she was not allowed to do on the time since she had simply tried to kill herself, Shah defined.
The primary two witnesses of the day had been docs who advised the jury about their determined makes an attempt to save lots of child Callan. The second physician, David Casavant, testified in regards to the choice to take the toddler off life help three days after Clancy strangled him.
Callan had regained a heartbeat however he wasn’t respiratory on his personal and he was mind lifeless, Casavant — an ICU physician at Boston Youngsters’s Hospital — testified.
However after intensive mind exams, that had been repeated a second time 24 hours later, Casavant and neurologists consulted with Patrick and everybody agreed to take the toddler off of a ventilator on Jan. 27.
Clancy could possibly be seen dabbing her eyes with a tissue after Casavant completed testifying.
Clancy despatched Patrick out to run two errands and killed her youngsters earlier than reducing her wrists and neck and throwing herself out of the second-story window of her bed room.
She shattered her backbone, changing into paraplegic and has been showing in courtroom in a wheelchair.
The primary week of trial final week noticed Clancy sob in courtroom throughout gutting proof, together with an anguished 911 name that Patrick made when he discovered his lifeless youngsters and when prosecutors confirmed the jury the pajamas that the youngsters had been carrying on the time. The jury was additionally proven the elastic bands used to kill the youngsters.
Clancy additionally wept when docs final week testified about their failed makes an attempt to revive Cora and Dawson on the hospital.
And one veteran cop cried on the stand when he recounted discovering Dawson and the opposite youngsters lifeless within the basement of the Clancy house.
If you’re combating suicidal ideas or are experiencing a psychological well being disaster and dwell in New York Metropolis, you’ll be able to name 1-888-NYC-WELL without spending a dime and confidential disaster counseling. If you happen to dwell outdoors the 5 boroughs, you’ll be able to dial the 24/7 Nationwide Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
