Patrick Clancy Reveals Suicidal Thoughts After Ex-Wife Killed Children

Patrick Clancy has revealed he experienced suicidal thoughts in the aftermath of his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, killing their three young children. In his first public interview since the controversial mistrial in Lindsay Clancy's case, Patrick Clancy shared his profound heartbreak with 60 Minutes.

"There was no family routine, no bedtime stories, no purpose. Everything just came to a screeching halt," Patrick Clancy said, his voice filled with emotion. "And then there was a day where I, really without thinking, I drove by their school, and it was at the exact time that all of their friends were getting dropped off, and I just couldn't be there anymore."

The grieving father, 38, detailed how the immense pain led him to contemplate his own life. "There was a time where I didn't think I would live to see my 35th birthday, and I was completely fine with it," he shared.

Lindsay Clancy, a 36-year-old labor and delivery nurse, strangled their children Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months old, in January 2023. She then attempted to take her own life, surviving but sustaining injuries that left her paralyzed. The incident occurred in their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home after Patrick Clancy was sent out to pick up medicine and takeout food.

She was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Her defense argued she was suffering from severe postpartum depression and psychosis, pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. The six-week trial brought national attention to postpartum mental illness and criminal responsibility.

Ultimately, a mistrial was declared after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Reports emerged during deliberations that a single juror was holding out, creating a deadlock. Some jurors later spoke out, suggesting the holdout juror introduced reasonable doubt without applying it to the law, while the holdout juror's attorney stated his client believed Lindsay Clancy knew what she was doing.

Patrick Clancy recalled noticing a significant decline in his wife's mental health around the fall of 2022. "She went a few nights without sleeping," he said. "She came downstairs one morning and she said, ‘I didn't sleep at all last night.'" At the time, he admitted he was unaware of postpartum mental illness and now recognizes "things that I didn't see."

When asked if he felt he failed in any way, Patrick Clancy responded, "I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time, and I live with the outcome. I live with it every day, but I think I did the best I could."

During the trial, Patrick Clancy testified about the evening of the killings, describing his return home to a quiet house and discovering his wife injured in the backyard, unaware their children were deceased inside. His harrowing 911 call, which was heard only by those present in the courtroom, captured his panicked discovery of his children's bodies in the basement and his anguished screams.

Despite the tragedy, Patrick Clancy supported his ex-wife, testifying that she was a "very dedicated mother" whose mental health had deteriorated. He stated that the family felt failed by Lindsay Clancy's medical providers. He had not seen his ex-wife in the three and a half years since the children's deaths, with his testimony at her trial marking their first meeting since that day.

Following the killings, Patrick Clancy filed for divorce, sold the family home, and moved to New York City in May 2023. He remarried fertility specialist Dr. Rachel Danis in April. Dr. Danis, in the 60 Minutes interview, described meeting Patrick while running in Central Park and called him a "most selfless father and supportive partner."

Patrick Clancy had previously defended Lindsay Clancy in a 2024 interview with The New Yorker, stating, "I wasn't married to a monster - I was married to someone who got sick."

Amidst the intense public attention on the case and postpartum mental illness, Patrick Clancy faced baseless online conspiracy theories accusing him of involvement in his children's deaths. His attorney issued a warning against the spread of such falsehoods.

Lindsay Clancy's legal case remains in limbo, with Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz yet to announce whether his office will pursue a second trial. Her defense attorney has filed a motion to acquit her on all charges, arguing insufficient evidence presented by the state. A hearing on this motion is scheduled for September 29.