Patrick Clancy's Reddit Posts Reveal Desperation Over Wife's Mental State Before Children's Deaths

Patrick Clancy turned to Reddit in the years before his wife, Lindsay Clancy, strangled their three young children, seeking answers about her deteriorating mental health, according to a report.

In deleted posts on his Reddit account, active between 2017 and 2025, Patrick detailed his growing desperation over Lindsay's struggles, particularly after the birth of their youngest child, Callan. He described how she began experiencing manic episodes after being prescribed Zoloft for anxiety related to returning to work.

One post from December 7, 2022, shared on the 'Ask Docs' subreddit, stated that Lindsay developed severe insomnia after starting Zoloft, sometimes going 48 hours without sleep. Despite this, Patrick noted she didn't feel tired but recognized the need for more rest. During this period, she reportedly lost 15 pounds in two weeks. Patrick questioned the initial need for Zoloft, noting it was his idea, while her psychiatrist suggested bipolar disorder symptoms.

Another post from December 9, 2022, revealed Patrick's concern that Lindsay was having thoughts of harming others, including loved ones. He inquired on Reddit whether others had experienced similar thoughts related to medication and if they had come close to acting on them.

Patrick also expressed regret over Lindsay's medication regimen. Following Zoloft, she was prescribed Ativan, other benzodiazepines, sleeping pills for insomnia, and Prozac for anxiety. In a December 6, 2022, post on 'Ask Psychiatry,' Patrick described Lindsay's anxiety as mild before these prescriptions, highlighting that she was eating well, sleeping, socializing, and dancing at a wedding.

He noted that similar difficulties had occurred after the birth of their older children but were more manageable with therapy and coping skills. He suggested that more personal time for Lindsay could have resolved her overwhelm with the children, questioning if therapy would be more beneficial than medication.

By December 15, Patrick posted that Lindsay, who he described as severely depressed and numb, had been admitted to the hospital. Testimony from her trial indicated she checked into Massachusetts General Hospital's emergency room, and later McLean Hospital, as a postpartum treatment center had turned her away.

The day before the children's deaths, January 23, 2023, Patrick posted in a technology subreddit about developing an app for real estate open houses. He testified that Lindsay appeared in good spirits after her hospital release and that he suspected nothing amiss on January 24, 2023.

On January 24, 2023, Patrick was sent out on errands by Lindsay. While he was gone, she strangled their children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, in the basement of their Duxbury home. Afterward, Lindsay reportedly cut her wrists and throat and jumped from a second-story window. Patrick discovered her outside and then found his children inside the home.

Lindsay has not denied killing the children but pleaded not guilty by reason of severe postpartum psychosis. A mistrial was declared earlier this month after the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on her criminal responsibility.

Prosecutors have not yet announced whether she will be retried. Lindsay Clancy remains under psychiatric care at Tewksbury State Hospital. Both Patrick and Lindsay Clancy have filed lawsuits against healthcare providers, alleging that medical errors contributed to the children's deaths.