Lindsay Clancy broke down in tears in court when autopsy photos were shown of her youngest child, 8-month-old son Callan, which revealed the infant’s injuries that he sustained while she strangled him.
Clancy, 35, has not denied killing her three kids – Callan, daughter Cora, 5, and son Dawson, 3, – at their home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on January 24, 2023.
During the trial on Thursday, August 6, photos of Callan’s autopsy was shown to the courtroom.
Massachusetts medical examiner Dr. Kimberley Springer testified that Clancy was seen crying as she viewed the autopsy photos, according to a video shared by CBS News. Springer pointed out “abrasions” and “some needle marks” from “therapeutic procedures.” Meanwhile, some jurors were also visibly emotional as Springer testified about the children’s injuries.
Also during the August 6 hearing, Clancy’s friend, Amy Bevins, testified that the defendant texted her in January 2023 that she was taking a medication that caused her to have some “dark thoughts,” according to CBS News. Clancy also allegedly told Bevins that she was tapering off the medication and was trying new ones in an attempt to get rid of the side effects.
Bevins, who has been friends with the defendant for 29 years, said she visited Clancy at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in March 2023 after the children were killed.
“We made small talk. We played Uno. It was a pretty basic visit,” Bevins said of the visit.
Bevins recalled Clancy asking about life updates, while she also said they discussed hobbies Clancy was doing at the hospital.
Additionally, Bevins said that they did not discuss the murders during the visit because Clancy’s sister told her to not bring it up. Bevins said Clancy did not mention her own children and that she remained “neutral” during the visit.
Another friend that testified was Bethany DeCollibus, who said she noticed Clancy becoming more tired following Callan’s birthday. She added that Clancy was a loving mother and that she never heard her discuss suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
Despite admitting to the killings, Clancy pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charges she is facing. Her defense has argued throughout the trial that she was not criminally responsible for the murders because she was overmedicated and experiencing extreme postpartum psychosis.
Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that Clancy knew what she was doing when she killed her children. The prosecutors also pointed out she attempted to die by suicide when she jumped out of the second story of her home shortly after the killings.
If Clancy is found guilty, she could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, she could be sent to a state mental health facility in Massachusetts if she is found not criminally responsible.
If you or someone you know is pregnant or just had a baby and is in crisis, help is available. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
