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· collected 2026-08-18 · by Aaron Parseghian, Matt Schooley
Lindsay Clancy's mother, Paula Musgrove, testified in court that her daughter had expressed thoughts of harming the children in October 2022. Musgrove described Clancy as a loving mother who was dedicated to her children, but noticed a change in her demeanor around mid-October 2022. Clancy reportedly told her parents that she was overmedicated and experiencing anxiety, insomnia, and scary feelings, which made her want to be alone. The prosecution's cross-examination of Musgrove revealed text messages between the two in January 2023, where Clancy claimed to be feeling better despite her mother's concerns.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Massachusetts mother, Lindsay Clancy, is on trial for allegedly murdering her three young children, Cora (5), Dawson (3), and Callan (8 months). Prosecutors claim that Clancy planned the murders and faked a suicide attempt afterwards. The defense, however, argues that Clancy should not be held criminally responsible due to her mental state at the time of the killings. They cite her diagnosis with bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis, which they say caused extreme mood swings, delusions, and confusion.
Clancy's mother, Paula Musgrove, testified that her daughter had expressed thoughts of harming the children and felt overwhelmed by medication for postpartum depression. A psychologist, Dr. Paul Zeizel, met with Clancy in the hospital after the killings and reported that she heard a male voice ordering her to kill her children.
The trial has seen 15 days of testimony so far, with the defense calling several witnesses, including Clancy's mother and a forensic psychologist. The prosecution has presented evidence that Clancy planned the murders and faked a suicide attempt. Closing arguments are expected early next week. If convicted, Clancy faces life in prison without parole.
Written for “Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Clancy's mother and sister, before court ended for the day
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court → end → day
Massachusetts resumed Monday in Plymouth Superior Court, with the prosecution resting its case.
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prosecution → resume → case
The defense began calling witnesses, includingPaula Musgrove, Clancy's mother, took the stand around 12:40 p.m. and completed her testimony just before 3 p.m.
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defense → begin → p.m.
He finished his testimony about the injuries Clancy suffered, and court ended for the day.
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court → finish → day
Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of her three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan, in their Duxbury home on Jan. 24, 2023.
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Clancy → plead → Jan.
The prosecution, led by Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham, alleges that Clancy planned the murders before faking a suicide attempt.
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Clancy → lead → attempt
Clancy
to killing her children.
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Clancy → kill → children
Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington argues she should not be held criminally responsible because she was overmedicated and suffering from
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she → argue → ?
, Judge William Sullivan told jurors it's possible the
on Monday and allow the defense to begin calling witnesses.
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defense → tell → witnesses
That happened around 11:15 a.m."She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children"
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she → happen → children
Musgrove first took the stand just before the lunch recess.
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Musgrove → take → recess
She described her daughter as a loving mother who was dedicated to her children.
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who → describe → children
Musgrove said that around the second week of October 2022, she noticed a change in Clancy's demeanor.
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she → say → demeanor
Reddington displayed text messages for the jury.
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Reddington → display → jury
"Mom will you please come up and stay with me for a bit.
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you → come → bit
I had horrible insomnia all night and I just don't know how I'm going to get through the day.
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I → have → day
I started taking the medicine my doctor prescribed for anxiety and I think it's made things worse.
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things → start → anxiety
It's just really scary and I don't want to be alone," Clancy wrote.
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Clancy → want → ?
Reddington's final question involved a conversation Musgrove had with Clancy and her husband at the time, Patrick.
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Musgrove → involve → time
"I remember her being very nervous.
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her → remember → ?
I remember her saying, 'I just have to tell you guys something.'
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I → remember → something
And then she told us," Musgrove said.
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Musgrove → tell → us
"She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children."
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she → tell → children
On cross-examination, Sprague asked Musgrove about the conversation.
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Sprague → ask → conversation
She asked if Musgrove had any concerns about the children's safety.
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Musgrove → ask → safety
"No, because I was there," Musgrove said.
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Musgrove → say → ?
Sprague asked if Musgrove had any thoughts about having Clancy committed to a mental health facility.
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Clancy → ask → facility
She said she did not.
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she → say → ?
On cross-examination, the prosecutor read several text messages between Musgrove and Clancy from January 2023, in the weeks leading up to the children's deaths.
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prosecutor → read → deaths
In several of the messages, Musgrove would ask how Clancy was feeling.
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Clancy → ask → messages
In the messages read by Sprague, Clancy answered several times that she was going "good" and feeling "a little bit" better.
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she → read → Sprague
On Jan. 22, 2023, Lindsay and Patrick Clancy took their two older children to a friend's party and Musgrove stayed at the Duxbury home with Callan, the youngest child.
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Musgrove → take → Callan
After the party, Musgrove wrote to her daughter, "Enjoyed seeing everybody this weekend.
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Musgrove → write → everybody
Nice to see you doing better."
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you → see → ?
She was asked about the message by Sprague.
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She → ask → Sprague
"The text from me was meant to encourage her, because I didn't think it did any good to discourage her.
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it → mean → her
So the text was meant not necessarily what I observed that weekend, but it was meant to encourage her because I was encouraging her to do things with the kids to kind of try to get back to normal.
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I → mean → kids
So it's not necessarily a representation of what I observed that weekend," Musgrove said.
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Musgrove → observe → what
Sprague asked Musgrove if she remembered her interview with police the day after the children were killed.
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children → ask → police
"I do not recall.
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I → recall → ?
…and 57 more, not listed.
