Patrick Clancy Testifies Ex-Wife Lindsay Had ‘Big Spiral’ Before Children’s Deaths

Patrick Clancy faced the courtroom Monday as the prosecution’s first witness in his ex-wife’s murder trial, describing the painful details of the months leading up to the deaths of their three children.

Lindsay Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, is charged with three counts of murder, three counts of strangulation and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in the January 2023 deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan after being found with exercise bands around their necks. While Cora and Dawson were found deceased, Callan fought for his life at Boston Children’s Hospital for three days before succumbing to his injuries, according to Boston.com.

Lindsay, 35, has pleaded not guilty, with her defense arguing she was not criminally responsible due to severe postpartum psychosis.

CNN reported on Monday, July 27, that Patrick, 38, testified that Lindsay’s mental health began to decline in December 2022 after she switched medications.

That same month, Lindsay told her father she wanted to die, Patrick testified at trial.

“That was really where her big spiral started,” he said. “It was very confusing because a minute later, she was making them lunch or playing with them or getting ready for bed or whatever it was.”

According to CNN, Patrick added, “She started to lose a lot of weight, she became really depressed and was having a hard time. She started to say she was suicidal.”

He also testified she told him she was having intrusive thoughts about the children.

“The way she was describing it was that something might happen to the kids,” he said.

Patrick said he was “exhausted” by year’s end and pushed for Lindsay to be admitted to McLean Hospital. She was discharged on January 5, 2023, two days before the killings, after asking to leave for their daughter’s birthday party.

Prosecutors sought to counter the overmedication defense, noting that most pill bottles collected during the investigation were nearly full.

“There were a lot of pills prescribed, but not a lot of pills taken, correct?” prosecutor Jennifer Sprague said, according to CBS.

As Globe previously reported, Patrick has moved on since the tragedy and has since remarried.

According to the New York Post, he is married to Dr. Rachel Danis, a reproductive endocrinologist.

This is a developing story.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach the toll-free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (dial 888-628-9454 for assistance in Spanish). You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor anytime by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.