A friend says that the Massachusetts mom who is accused of strangling her two young children and trying to kill her baby did the shocking attempted murder-suicide while her husband went out for a short time to pick up a take-out order.
Lindsay Clancy, 32, was on leave from her job as a labour and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was trying to get help by going to “a very intensive five-day-a-week programme for PPD,” a friend of the couple told local radio host John DePetro.
The friend told DePetro that Patrick, her husband, worked from home instead of going to work so that he could try to help her every day. DePetro said that Patrick left their Duxbury home on Tuesday to get some food. When he came back, he found a terrible scene.
“In the 25 minutes it took him to pick up takeout, the unthinkable happened”
– the radio presenter wrote on Twitter.
“Curious to hear a statement from the individuals treating her and what was missed. Sounds like she was in a desperate situation”
– he added.
Lindsay is said to have killed her 5-year-old daughter Cora and 3-year-old son Dawson on Tuesday. She also tried to kill her 8-month-old son Calen and then tried to kill herself.
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People from the Duxbury area gathered at Holy Family Church on Thursday night to pray for Lindsay’s family and learned about her intense therapy. The Patriot Ledger said that Rev. Robert J. Deehan said that the tragedy “devastated and broke the hearts” of the community.
“All of us here in Duxbury are beyond devastated and heartbroken at the news of what happened to this young family”
– he said, MassLive reported.
“Before these tragic events, they were a happy, loving couple and family.”
He told Lindsay that he was praying for her and said that she had “overwhelming mental illness.” Rev. Bill Williams asked that Patrick be comforted and consoled, and he prayed for the people who came to help at the terrible scene.
“Go forth into a dark world with a light”
– he said, according to the Patriot Ledger.
Debbie Heath, the mother of a firefighter who went to the Clancy home, said it was nice to see the community come together.
“It’s still bothering him today,”
– she told the Boston Globe.
“When it’s quiet, that’s when you start. You’re alone with your thoughts. He’s had little breakdowns here and there, but hopefully every day it’ll get a little bit better. But he’s just trying to keep busy right now.”
Before the vigil, Fire Chief Robert G. Reardon said in a statement that the Clancy family and first responders were in his “thoughts and prayers.” Deehan said that the Clancys’ only surviving child is still in very bad shape at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Officials say that the mother of three is in the hospital under police guard and is being charged with two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation or suffocation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Renae McLaughlin, a nurse who helps new moms after giving birth, told the Patriot Ledger after the service that postpartum depression and psychosis are “real” and can happen to new moms.
“They’re overwhelmed,” she said, adding that even though maternity wards keep an eye on mothers’ mental health, it can be hard to notice some cases at first.
