Lindsay Clancy had a combination of six psychiatric medications in her system following the deaths of her three children, according to testimony from a toxicologist. The dosages of these drugs were not considered fatal or toxic, expert witness Dr. Justin Brower testified Wednesday in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Brower, who works at NMS Labs, stated that Lamictol, Remeron, and Trazodone were found in Clancy's blood at therapeutic levels, indicating standard prescribed amounts. While Seroquel was present at double the regular dosage, Brower characterized it as not being in a toxic or lethal concentration. A separate toxicology report indicated that Ativan and Valium were found at slightly below prescribed ranges.
Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, had these six medications prescribed by four doctors, nurse practitioners, and one hospital. These prescriptions were part of her treatment over a four-month period for severe postpartum issues, including insomnia and anxiety, which caused intolerable side effects. In total, Clancy received over 30 prescriptions for 13 different drugs between September 15, 2022, and January 2023 as healthcare providers worked to find an effective dosage and combination.
Prosecutors have alleged that Clancy intentionally planned the killings because she was tired of caring for her children. However, Clancy's lawyer intends to pursue a defense of not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was experiencing auditory hallucinations, partly due to her medication regimen.
In the months leading up to the incident on January 24, 2023, Clancy had been hospitalized twice for suicidal thoughts. She had also disclosed thoughts of harming her children to her then-husband, Patrick Clancy, and her mother. Her personal journals revealed intense inner turmoil and dark thoughts, including desires to die while sleep-training her youngest child and a wish for a mental respite from caregiving duties.
Following the deaths of her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, whom she strangled with exercise bands, Clancy attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window. She is now a paraplegic.
Both Lindsay Clancy and her ex-husband Patrick Clancy have filed separate lawsuits against the doctors involved in her treatment, alleging misdiagnosis and overmedication.