Massachusetts mom Lindsay Clancy will face murder charges from her hospital bed Tuesday in the alleged strangulation of her three young children.
The labor and delivery nurse, 32, will appear via Zoom in Plymouth District Court for arraignment on two counts of murder, and three counts each of strangulation and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, WCVB reported.
Clancy, who was on leave from her job at Massachusetts General Hospital, allegedly killed her daughter Cora, 5, son Dawson, 3, and her 7-month-old son Callan, who died later at a hospital.
Upgraded charges are expected after the death of the infant.
The mother has been hospitalized since she jumped out of a second-story window in the grisly attempted murder-suicide at her Duxbury home on Jan. 24, authorities said.
Clancy’s husband, Patrick, returned home from picking up food and called 911 after discovering her outside.
Cora and Dawson were pronounced dead at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth that night, while Callan died three days later at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Clancy, who had shared on social media about her struggles with anxiety as a mom, reportedly suffered from post-partum depression or post-partum psychosis.
Last week, her attorney Kevin Reddington said in court that she was overmedicated on 12 prescription medications at the time and plans to argue she lacks criminal responsibility.
“What these people went through since October is just hellish,” Reddington said Friday night on WBZ’s “Nightside.”
“The medications that were prescribed to her — SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the most common type of antidepressant), she was on Seroquel, she was on Sertraline, she was on Benzodiazepine,” he said, according to the outlet.
“And these drugs, over the course of that short period of time, just as her husband Pat so eloquently mentioned, turned her into a zombie. That’s what he said to her doctor,” Reddington said.
He said Clancy was overmedicated “up until the week before when her husband went to the doctor and asked her for help and said, ‘Please, you’re turning her into a zombie,’” WCVB reported.
The lawyer said Clancy should not be held responsible for the deaths and described her as “an incredible mother” who cared deeply for her kids.
“I have had so many people reach out to me that were nurses that worked with her at [Mass General Hospital], constantly referring to the fact that all she would do is talk about her kids,” said Reddington, who successfully argued for Clancy to receive a psychological evaluation in her hospital room.
The lawyer said Clancy has been under constant guard in the hospital and “has had literally no contact with anyone other than her prior attorney and her medical staff.”
He also disputed a previous statement from the Duxbury police chief, which said Clancy was recovering physically. Reddington called the statement a “blatant untruth” and said she is unable to move.
But an attorney for the DA’s office told WCVB that Clancy can move.
“She is not paralyzed. She can move her legs. She can move her arms. She has been writing and being able to verbally communicate,” the unnamed attorney said.
On Friday, a funeral was held for the three children at St. Mary of the Nativity in Scituate.
Patrick has expressed his support for his wife amid the tragedy — even saying he has forgiven her.
“A lot of people have said they can’t imagine and they’re right, there’s absolutely nothing that can prepare you. The shock and pain is excruciating and relentless,” he wrote.
“I’m constantly reminded of them and with the little sleep I get, I dream about them on repeat. Any parent knows, it’s impossible to understand how much you will love your kids until you have them. The same goes for understanding the devastation of losing them. Cora, Dawson, and Callan were the essence of my life and I’m completely lost without them,” Patrick continued.
“I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have. The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone — me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients. The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace,” he added.
