The husband of a 32-year-old woman accused of killing their three young children and attempting to take her own is asking the public to forgive his wife.
In an emotional note shared on a GoFundMe started to help him recover he remembered his late children and forgave his wife, whom he said suffered from an unnamed condition that “rapidly worsened.”
“I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have,” he wrote. “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.”
Police arrived at the family’s home in Duxbury, Massachusetts on January 24 after receiving a call from a male resident that a woman, Lindsay Clancy, had jumped out of a window.
When authorities arrived they found Lindsay and the couple’s three children – Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months – unconscious. At the time authorities believed the children had been strangled.
Cora and Dawson were rushed to a nearby hospital where they died that night. Their younger brother Callan was flown to a hospital where he lived for several more days before succumbing to his injuries.
Lindsay was also transported to the hospital where she was placed in custody and will be charged with three counts of murder, three counts of strangulation, and three counts of assault and battery with a weapon once she is discharged.
On Saturday Patrick shared a heartfelt note regarding the horrific events.
“Thank you all for your love and support. The warmth I’ve received from the community is palpable and your generosity gives me hope that I can focus on some sort of healing,” he wrote.
“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 added that images of his children bombard him in his dreams, and he’s “completely lost without them.”
“My family was the best thing that ever happened to me. I took so much pride in being Lindsay’s husband and a dad to Cora, Dawson, and Callan. I always reminded myself that each day with them was a new gift.”
Patrick wrote about each of his children, describing Cora as someone with an “infectious laugh” who was “stunningly beautiful.” His son Dawson’s “best quality was his pure kindness,” and his youngest, Callan, always knew how to make him feel better.
“Perhaps that’s why he held on a little longer – to spare me whatever pain he could. As excruciating as it was, I was fortunate and grateful to feel his warmth until his very last moment.”
The father of three also wrote about his relationship with Lindsay, calling their marriage “wonderful” and said that while her condition worsened they “diametrically grew stronger.”
“We said ‘I love you’ to each other multiple times daily, as if it were a reflex.”
“She loved being a nurse, but nothing matched her intense love for our kids and dedication to being a mother. It was all she ever wanted. Her passion taught me how to be a better father.”
Mothers need more compassion
While her husband didn’t give a name to the “condition” Lindsay may have been dealing with, experts suggest it’s possible she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.
“Postpartum psychosis is real and may not manifest for weeks or months after the family brings home a baby,” Abbie Goldberg, clinical psychologist and psychology professor at Clark University told CT Insider. “It is essential that we as a society become more knowledgeable about these conditions and signs that someone may be suffering.”
Postpartum depression is believed to affect 10 to 20 percent of mothers while postpartum psychosis is extremely rare and affects 0.01 to 0.02 percent of mothers.
“People don’t recognize this as a medical emergency,” Goldberg said. “If someone is having thoughts of harming themselves or their child, it should be taken very seriously.”
If you or someone you know feels depressed, there is help. Reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
