Lindsay Clancy's ex-mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, testified that she was 'begging for help' before the deaths of her three children amid her worsening mental health.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleLindsay Clancy's former mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, appeared on the stand for her first testimony regarding the killing of her three grandchildren, allegedly at the hands of Lindsay. Susan offered emotional details about the helpless mother's deteriorating mental health in the months before the deaths of her three children, telling jurors that Lindsay was “begging for help” and appeared increasingly frightened and unwell.
Patrick Clancy's mother, Susan, took the stand Tuesday, August 17, 2026, as Clancy’s defense began presenting its case in the Massachusetts murder trial. She described her former daughter-in-law as a loving and nurturing mother whose mental health began to deteriorate after the birth of Callan in May 2022. According to reports, Susan testified:
"She had insomnia. She was losing her appetite. She was very anxious and sad."
When asked by the defense whether Lindsay had been interested in getting better and seeing doctors, Susan responded, "Very much so," adding that she was "begging for help."
Lindsay, a 36-year-old mother and former nurse, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the January 2023 deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Unlike most cases, the defense does not dispute that Lindsay killed the children. Instead, veteran attorney Kevin Reddington argues that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible for the deaths.
The court also heard about messages exchanged between Lindsay and Susan during the months before the killings. In one November 2022 text, Lindsay reportedly told Susan she was "not okay" and "terrified" about taking medication that night. She said Lindsay had also told her about becoming increasingly dependent on benzodiazepines because she struggled to fall or stay asleep without them.
The testimony echoed concerns previously raised by Lindsay's mother, Paula Musgrove, who testified on Monday that her daughter's mental state had changed dramatically. Paula said Lindsay "always wanted to be a mother, have many children, and I felt it was the best thing that ever happened to her."
Musgrove recalled Lindsay telling her that she had thoughts of harming her children. Lindsay's sister, Allison Ozga, also testified that Lindsay had described experiencing suicidal thoughts every day for about a month. She added that a month before the killings, Lindsay told her family that "she had thoughts of harming the children."
The court was presented with deeply personal entries from her private journal that painted a troubling picture of her deteriorating mental state in the months leading up to the January 2023 killings. One of her November 18, 2022 entries read, "I am so desperate for a mental break from taking care of everyone, that my mind is trying to find something physically wrong with me." Other entries described crushing guilt for not being able to breastfeed, acute anxiety about her infant son’s sleep schedule, constant brain fog, and an inability to think straight.
Clancy wrote, "I have crazy brain fog. I feel like I can't make a plan. I live moment to moment waiting for the next nap time. I'm terrified of Cal getting overtired now because I feel I can't help him." She also wrote that she wanted help and wanted to get better, with one journal entry stating, "I want help. I want to be well."
According to her attorneys, Clancy's writings support their argument that she was experiencing a severe psychiatric crisis fueled by postpartum psychosis, insomnia, anxiety, and a complicated mix of psychiatric medications. Prosecutors, however, maintain that Clancy carefully planned the killings and should be found criminally responsible.
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