A hospital chaplain who claimed to have visited Lindsay Clancy over 200 times testified about the Massachusetts mom's emotional state and one of the first things she said about her slain kids.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleLindsay Clancy's first words to a hospital chaplain have drawn attention during her trial for the murder of her three children in January 2023. Sheila Cavanaugh, a board-certified chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, testified Thursday that Clancy told her she was "so glad" her children were safe, days after their deaths.
Clancy is accused of killing her children at their family home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on January 24, 2023. She then jumped from a second-story window in what prosecutors say was an attempt to take her own life.
Taking the stand on August 20, 2026, Sheila Cavanaugh said she first met Clancy while she was intubated and unable to speak after her suicide attempt. Their first meaningful conversation happened several days later, after Clancy had been extubated. Recalling that meeting, the chaplain described the mother as having a "very neutral" emotional state and a "flat affect."
Cavanaugh said she vividly remembered the first thing Lindsay said to her as they prayed together. "We had been praying together...she said to me as I held her hand to comfort her, 'I am so glad my children are safe.'" She responded by assuring Clancy that her children were "safe in heaven with God."
The chaplain also testified that Lindsay had spoken to her about persistently hearing a male voice in her head, the same voice that allegedly asked her to kill the kids. Cavanaugh recalled her saying that the voice told her that if she did not follow its command, neither she nor her children would be safe. She told jurors:
"The voice, according to Lindsay, told her that if she did not follow the command, neither she nor her children would be safe. She alluded to the fact that it was a male voice, and it was persistent."
Cavanaugh’s relationship with Clancy continued long after her initial hospitalization. She testified that she met with Clancy about 14 times at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She later continued visiting her after Clancy was transferred to rehabilitation and eventually to Tewksbury State Hospital, where Clancy has remained in state custody. She estimated that she has met with Lindsay approximately 200 times.
The testimony is significant to the defense's argument that Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis when the killings occurred. However, during cross-examination, prosecutors highlighted a gap in the chaplain's records: her written notes reportedly made no mention of Clancy telling her about the alleged voice.
Earlier in the trial, forensic psychologist Paul Zeizel also testified about Clancy’s account of hearing a male voice. He said she told him the voice ordered her to kill her children and then herself. He also told jurors that Clancy has not reported hearing voices since the day of the killings in 2023.
Lindsay Clancy's trial has drawn strong public attention, especially from mothers reacting to the postpartum psychosis claim. The case has raised difficult questions about mental illness and care for new mothers. On Thursday, supporters gathered outside the courthouse, many wearing pink. Some traveled more than six hours to attend, and one called the case "the most tragic thing I've ever seen." Most said Lindsay shouldn't be held criminally responsible.
Lindsay, a 36-year-old mother and former nurse, is facing three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, has publicly forgiven her, citing her mental health.
What are your thoughts on Lindsay Clancy's triple murder trial so far?
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