Home - CBSNews.com
· collected 2026-08-21 · by Matt Schooley, Aaron Parseghian
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.
The judge and attorneys worked through procedural matters Thursday after a short morning of witness testimony.
asserted
judge → work → testimony
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
.Judge Sullivan told jurors at the start of the day that Thursday was expected to be shorter.
asserted
Thursday → plead → day
One defense witness was on the stand before Sullivan sent the jury of 12 women and six men home just after 10:30 a.m.
The judge thanked jurors for their patience, saying Friday "will be a longer day than today.
asserted
Friday → send → today
With the jury gone, Sullivan and the attorneys then went through logistics before court ended for the day just before noon.
asserted
court → go → noon
Sullivan said that closing arguments will likely be Monday or Tuesday, depending on how long the final four witnesses are on the stand.
asserted
witnesses → say → stand
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington is nearing the end of his case.
asserted
Reddington → near → case
He anticipates calling Dr. Phillip Resnick as his final witness via Zoom on Friday.
asserted
He → call → Friday
Then the prosecution is expected to call three rebuttal witnesses.
asserted
prosecution → expect → witnesses
Resnick was a key witness in the trial of Andrea Yates, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity after killing her five children in her Texas home in 2001.
asserted
who → find → 2001
Resnick testified that Yates suffered from severe postpartum psychosis.
asserted
Yates → testify → psychosis
Reddington has attempted to show that Clancy should not be held criminally responsible for the murders because she was overmedicated and suffering from
.
asserted
she → attempt → murders
Prosecutors Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham allege that Clancy before faking a suicide attempt.
asserted
Clancy → allege → attempt
to killing her children, but a psychologist testified for the defense that she heard a male ordering her to do it.
asserted
male → kill → it
Mass General Brigham chaplain testifies
Sheila Cavanaugh was called as the first and only witness of the day Thursday.
asserted
Cavanaugh → testify → day
She met with Clancy in the hospital starting the day after the murders.
asserted
She → meet → murders
Cavanaugh said Clancy was intubated after she was paralyzed jumping out of a window at her Duxbury home.
asserted
she → say → home
The chaplain later met with Clancy again on Jan. 31, 2023 when she was able to speak.
asserted
she → meet → Jan.
Cavanaugh said Clancy's emotional state was neutral.
asserted
state → say → ?
She said the first thing Clancy said was "I am so glad my children are safe."
asserted
children → say → ?
"I replied theologically to Lindsay.
asserted
I → reply → Lindsay
I said, 'Lindsay, your children are safe.
asserted
children → say → ?
And I held her hand throughout that conversation and we prayed for them," Cavanaugh testified.
asserted
Cavanaugh → hold → them
Reddington asked what other conversations with Clancy she recalled.
asserted
she → ask → Clancy
"She alluded to having heard a voice.
asserted
She → allude → voice
And the voice, according to Lindsay, told her that if she did not follow the command, neither she nor her children would be safe," Cavanaugh said.
uncertain
Cavanaugh → accord → command
"She alluded to the fact that it was a male voice, and it was persistent."
asserted
it → allude → fact
A previous witness for the defense testified earlier this week that Clancy said to him that a male voice in her head ordered her to kill her children.
asserted
voice → testify → children
On cross-examination, the prosecutor highlighted that Cavanaugh took detailed notes about her discussions with Clancy, but never wrote that Clancy had said she heard a voice in her head.
asserted
she → highlight → head
Judge questions jurors individually
asserted
Judge → question → jurors
Before court started for the day, attorneys met at sidebar with Judge Sullivan.
asserted
attorneys → start → Sullivan
Then, jurors were called in one at a time in the order they are seated in the jury box.
asserted
they → call → box
Each juror was asked questions, raising their right hand when doing so.
asserted
juror → ask → hand
It is not clear why jurors were questioned.
asserted
jurors → question → ?
Before the courthouse opened Thursday morning, a large crowd of women dressed in pink came out to support Lindsay Clancy.
asserted
crowd → open → Clancy
The women came from as far away as Florida, Tennessee and New York to call for improved postpartum healthcare for mothers and better mental health treatment.
asserted
women → come → mothers
"Since Lindsay wasn't helped on a mental health level, that in maybe some support today that she can see that women will stand with her, and we've got her and we will be her foundation for her," said Angel Kinsolving of Land O'Lakes, Florida.
asserted
Kinsolving → help → O'Lakes
"I hope that Lindsay knows that we're here for her," said Valery Rockwell, a mental health worker from Plymouth, Massachusetts.
asserted
Rockwell → hope → Plymouth
"I'm really upset about the mental health system and how we don't communicate with each other and how that really put her in danger and it's heartbreaking to see what she's suffering right now and so many women in the world go through this.
asserted
women → communicate → this
"
"I'm here to support her as well as all the mental health system workers who don't know much about this and can help women in general," Rockwell told reporters.
asserted
Rockwell → support → reporters
Some waited to greet and take photos with defense attorney Kevin Reddington after court.
asserted
Some → wait → court
…and 13 more, not listed.
