Lindsay Clancy, a former nurse accused of murdering her three young children, was turned away twice by a suicide crisis hotline in the month leading up to the January 2023 deaths, jurors heard Wednesday.
Clancy, 36, faces charges of murder in connection with the deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home. She has admitted to killing the children but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, citing postpartum psychosis. She is also suing her former healthcare providers for alleged malpractice and negligence.
According to her attorney, Kevin Reddington, Clancy contacted the crisis hotline ASPIRE twice in December 2022. Mental health counselor Latiesha Dukes testified that Clancy was told there was nothing the hotline could do for her on both occasions because she did not express explicit plans to act on her suicidal thoughts.
During proceedings at Plymouth County Superior Court, Clancy became visibly distressed as medical examiners detailed the injuries inflicted on her children. At one point, she cried out, stating, “I can't do this.”
Clancy reportedly strangled her children with exercise bands and then attempted to end her own life. The attempt left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
Those in need of support can contact the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. by calling or texting 988, or via online chat at 988lifeline.org.