On Tuesday, prosecutors focused on *faith-related* questions during the trial of Lindsay Clancy, whose stepmother, a Catholic, was asked if she understood that murder is a capital offense. This was part of the effort to demonstrate that Clancy was aware of her actions when she killed her three children, contradicting the defense’s claim that she was suffering from puerperal psychosis.
Lindsay Clancy, 36, faces three charges of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children—Cora, Dawson, and Callan—all under the age of 6. Their bodies were discovered in their Duxbury home in 2023. The prosecution concluded its case on Monday morning.
During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Shanann Buckingham queried Susan Clancy about whether she was aware that murder is considered a “mortal sin.” However, Susan did not respond to the inquiry, prompting Judge William Sullivan to intervene and strike the statement from the record.
Susan Clancy expressed to the jurors that, although she believed Lindsay was a devoted mother, she had growing worries about Lindsay’s mental health during the holiday season of 2022.
“Lindsay was really struggling. Everyone was concerned,” Susan said. “She was caring, loving, and an amazing mother.” Her mental state, according to Susan, deteriorated significantly starting in November 2022.
“She called me that month, saying she wasn’t feeling well. I think she was often anxious and dealing with insomnia. She lost her appetite and was frequently sad,” Susan shared. “She needed help.”
Additionally, Lindsay’s mother, Paula Musgrove, indicated during her testimony that Lindsay reached out for support through a text message on October 20, 2022. The message revealed Lindsay’s distress: “Mom, can you come up and stay with me for a minute? I’m really sick. Something’s wrong. I’ve had bad insomnia all night. I don’t know how to get through the day… I’m really scared and I don’t want to be alone.”
Despite these concerns, Musgrove stated that she never felt the children were in danger. The defense plans to continue presenting its case on Wednesday, aiming to convince jurors that Lindsay was experiencing severe postpartum psychosis during the tragic events.
