Clancy’s defense argues she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis when she killed her children in 2023 and should not be criminally responsible
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NEED TO KNOW
- A psychiatrist testified in court that Lindsay Clancy showed no signs of psychosis during her five-day voluntary stay at an in-patient mental health facility in January 2023
- Clancy’s defense argues she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis when she killed her children and should not be held criminally responsible
- Clancy is charged with murder in the strangulation deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan
A psychiatrist explained in court why she did not diagnose Lindsay Clancy with postpartum psychosis in the weeks leading up to the deaths of her three children.
During the ninth day of Clancy’s trial on Friday, Aug. 7, Dr. Alia Goodheart testified about her treatment of Clancy during a voluntary five-day stay at McLean Hospital, an inpatient mental health facility in Belmont, Mass., where Clancy was brought by ambulance on Jan. 1, 2023.
Prosecutors have charged Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, with murder in the deaths of her three young children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan — on Jan. 24, 2023. That day, she also cut her wrists and jumped from a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt that has left her paralyzed.
Clancy does not deny killing her children, but her defense argues that she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis and is not criminally responsible for their deaths.
Goodheart testified that she considered Clancy to be a “low-risk” patient when she was admitted. Clancy told her she was experiencing insomnia and numbness, which she attributed to possible side effects from her prescribed medication. She also reported having suicidal thoughts but Goodheart said her patient did not have a plan to act on them.
“I had no reason to believe she was not a reliable reporter,” Goodheart testified.
Goodheart’s initial diagnosis was “major depressive disorder, severe without psychotic features,” she told the court. As the days passed, Goodheart said Clancy reported sleeping well and appeared to be improving. She also described Clancy as cooperative, noting that a plan was in place to gradually lower her medication dosage.
It was ultimately determined that Clancy could be discharged on Jan. 5, 2023, as long as she attended a psychiatric follow-up appointment the next day. “I did not have any concerns about her safety or a risk for anybody else,” Goodheart testified. She also said that Clancy showed no signs of psychosis during her treatment and had no prior diagnosis of the condition.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Kevin Reddington questioned Goodheart about Clancy’s prior treatment records and medication she was taking. Goodheart said Clancy was not asked to sign a release for her records and that an initial blood test did not identify which medications were in her system.
“Psychiatry is not based on blood tests, it’s based on the patient who is sitting in front of you,” Goodheart testified.
Credit: Facebook; Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool
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According to reports, Goodheart is also among the medical providers named in Lindsay’s civil lawsuit, which alleges they failed to properly diagnose, treat and monitor her apparent condition. The suit also claims Lindsay heard voices telling her to harm her children and herself.
In a separate lawsuit, Lindsay’s ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, alleges she was prescribed several medications in the months before the killings, including eight over a three-week period from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5, 2022.
Patrick Clancy was among the first witnesses to testify during the trial and has publicly said he has forgiven Lindsay.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
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