A mother from Massachusetts, accused of strangling her three children in a suicide attempt that left them paralyzed, is likely to try to take her own life again as her trial approaches this summer, according to her attorney.
Kevin Reddington, representing Lindsay Clancy, expressed concerns that the trial could prove to be a “logistical nightmare” given her paralysis from the waist down.
“She’s not a threat to others, but she’s a significant danger to herself,” he noted, mentioning that if she were to die by suicide during the proceedings, it should not be seen as his fault. “If that happens, it’s someone else’s responsibility,” he added, citing a report by Boston 25 News.
Reddington highlighted that Clancy has experienced “significant suicidal thoughts” while under constant observation at Tewkesbury State Hospital since her arrest.
Clancy appeared via video link in Plymouth County Superior Court, with her lawyer arguing against a state proposal for her to be transported in a sheriff’s van for the trial starting on July 20.
He criticized the sheriff’s office for minimizing Clancy’s mobility issues, stating that a medical evacuation would be necessary to transport her to and from court throughout the expected three to four weeks of the trial.
“This case is going to be extremely complicated,” Reddington remarked. “People like her, paralyzed and unable to move, require special accommodations.”
He also detailed the difficulties she faces, including needing to travel in a medical transport van, requiring assistance due to her condition, and not being able to use a disabled restroom.
“She requires additional medical supplies and needs a qualified nurse, not just someone from the sheriff’s office,” Reddington asserted.
He insisted that another hearing be scheduled to further discuss the logistics of her transportation.
Meanwhile, Jessica Kenney, representing the sheriff’s office, informed the judge that arranging an ambulance would strain the county’s budget. “We would have to hire a private ambulance service,” she explained, noting the financial implications.
Kenney further mentioned that scheduling ambulances could pose challenges due to their nature.
Reddington clarified that while an ambulance might not be strictly necessary, a van suitable for wheelchair users is essential.
Judge William F. Sullivan has set another hearing for January 27 to address these concerns.
Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder and strangulation charges related to the deaths of her five-year-old daughter Cora, three-year-old son Dawson, and seven-month-old baby Callan on January 24, 2023. Following the incident, she attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window of her home in Duxbury.
Her legal team plans to argue that she was experiencing severe postpartum depression and was on significant medication for her condition.
