Hung Jury: The Lindsey Clancy Case

Part One of Multi-Part series

On January 24, 2023, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, labor-and-delivery nurse Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and eight-month-old Callan—then jumped from a second-story window. She survived, paralyzed. Her husband, Patrick, came home from errands she had sent him on and found the house silent. Clancy has never denied killing her children.

The fight in court was over why. Her defense said she was in the grip of postpartum psychosis: delusions, a voice telling her she had no choice, and a mind so broken she could not form criminal intent. Prosecutors said the day was planned. She had taken the kids to the doctor, played with them in the snow, gotten her husband out of the house, and—they argued—knew exactly what she was doing. The 2026 trial in Plymouth lasted weeks. Patrick Clancy, who had once asked the public to see “the real Lindsay,” took the stand for the state. Jurors heard the 911 call, hospital statements, medication history, and dueling psychiatric experts. After seven days of deliberations they could not agree. Eleven jurors were prepared to find her not criminally responsible. One holdout, Michael Desronvil, said he had no doubt she acted deliberately. The judge declared a mistrial.

Content warning: This episode discusses the deaths of young children, suicide attempt, and severe mental illness. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Timestamps:
04:31 Lindsay’s Early Life
10:41 Patrick Enters the Story
15:51 Marriage and First Baby
18:39 Motherhood and Family Life
23:33 Cora Becomes Big Sister
36:32 Callan Arrives
39:26 The Family Home
43:39 Daycare Adjustments
47:12 Lindsay’s Struggles
49:42 A Darker Turn

Unspeakable on Patreon!
CLICK HERE: