Patricia Heaton’s Cryptic ‘Psychopaths’ Post Appears to Slam Lindsay Clancy Supporters

Patricia Heaton is stirring up a debate online — and it looks like Lindsay Clancy‘s supporters may be the target.

In a post shared to X on Tuesday, August 25, the 68-year-old former star of The Middle wrote, “Please flood my timeline with photos of you loving on your kids to counteract the psychopaths on here. I’ll start:” along with two photos of her own family. Heaton is married to British actor and producer David Hunt. The couple share four sons: Samuel, 32, John, 31, Joseph, 29, and Daniel, 27.

The Everybody Loves Raymond alum didn’t name anyone directly in her post, but it quickly drew interpretations that Heaton was taking a swipe at people who have publicly rallied behind Lindsay, 36, who is currently on trial for killing her three children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, who she shared with ex-husband Patrick Clancy.

Heaton found support in the comments section. “Love this. I’ve been calling for this too but lack the reach. Not to imply that she was insane, but more to the people supporting her, I think people should post the loving photos with a caption that reads ‘This is ‘sane, Lindsay,” one commenter wrote. Another X user shared what appeared to be an AI generated photo of Clancy’s three children depicted as angels, with the words, “I stand with THEM.”

As Globe previously reported, Lindsay’s supporters have been showing up in person as well as online — a group wearing matching pink T-shirts gathered outside the Massachusetts courthouse last Thursday, with one organizer telling reporters the gesture was about solidarity, not making light of the case.

Lindsay is standing trial for the January 2023 killings of Cora, Dawson, and Callan at the family’s Duxbury, Massachusetts, home. She has pleaded not guilty, and her defense team has argued she was suffering from severe, undiagnosed postpartum psychosis at the time. If convicted of first-degree murder, Lindsay faces life in prison without parole. If she is found not guilty because of her mental state, she would instead be sent to a state psychiatric hospital.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.