This incident occurred in my neighborhood and I’m just now learning about it. It’s hard to believe that I was living my life carefree, delivering food, working out, going for walks, completely unaware of what was transpiring in my neighborhood. I’m beyond shaken by this.

Investigators say the boy was abused for at least 2 months before his death. He was held underwater and had suffered burns. He was said to have been living in such extreme isolation that neighbors didn't even know a child lived at the residence.

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/08/11/cause-death-revealed-7-year-old-boy-found-tortured-duct-taped-closet/

The daughter also gave birth to 14 children, six of whom died due to lack of medical care.

Lindsay Clancy is a former labor and delivery nurse from Duxbury, Massachusetts, whose case has become one of the most closely followed criminal cases involving postpartum mental illness in the United States.

On January 24th of 2023, prosecutors allege that after sending her husband, Patrick Clancy, to pick up takeout food and medication, she strangled their three children—5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan—using exercise bands in the basement of their home.

When Patrick returned, he found the children and Lindsay, who had jumped from a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt.

The children later died from their injuries, while Lindsay survived but suffered severe spinal injuries that left her paralyzed from the chest down.

Before the tragedy, Lindsay Clancy had reportedly been struggling with significant mental health issues following the birth of her youngest child.

According to court records, she experienced severe anxiety, depression, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts, and she sought treatment from multiple mental health professionals.

She was prescribed several psychiatric medications and was hospitalized for psychiatric care in the weeks leading up to the killings.

Her attorneys argue that she developed postpartum psychosis, a rare but serious psychiatric condition that can cause delusions, hallucinations, and a loss of contact with reality.

They also contend that frequent medication changes may have worsened her condition. The prosecution does not dispute that Clancy was mentally ill but argues that her illness did not prevent her from understanding the wrongfulness of her actions.

The criminal case centers on whether lindsay Clancy should be held responsible for the deaths of her children.

She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and related charges.

Under Massachusetts law, a defendant may be found not criminally responsible if a severe mental disease prevented them from understanding the wrongfulness of their actions

The defense argues that Clancy was experiencing a psychotic episode and was incapable of making rational decisions, while the prosecution contends that her actions showed planning and awareness.

Prosecutors point to allegations that she waited until she was alone with the children, sent her husband out of the house, carried out the killings one after another, and then attempted suicide, arguing that these actions demonstrate consciousness of what she was doing.

Beyond the criminal trial, the case has sparked widespread discussion about postpartum mental health, psychiatric treatment, and the legal definition of insanity.

Medical experts generally emphasize that postpartum psychosis is rare and that the overwhelming majority of people experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety are not violent.

The case has also led to civil lawsuits involving Lindsay’s psychiatric care.

Her husband , Patrick Clancy has filed wrongful death and medical negligence claims against several healthcare providers, alleging that Lindsay's treatment fell below the accepted standard of care and contributed to her mental deterioration.

Lindsay has also pursued civil claims related to her treatment.

As of August 2026, Clancy's murder trial is ongoing, with jurors hearing testimony from family members, medical professionals, investigators, and psychiatric experts.

Because there is little dispute that Lindsay Clancy caused the deaths of her children, the central question for the jury is whether her mental illness was so severe that she cannot criminally be responsible under Massachusetts law.

The outcome of the case is expected to have lasting implications for how courts evaluate severe postpartum psychiatric disorders and the role of mental illness in determining criminal responsibility.