Two weeks after a mistrial was declared in the case of Lindsay Clancy – the former Massachusetts labor and delivery nurse accused of killing her three children – her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy stepped in front of the camera for his first television interview. Sitting with his new wife, Dr. Rachel Denis the pair addressed the swirl of online speculation that has plagued their family since the tragedy.
What Patrick said on 60 Minutes
During the segment, Patrick explained that the endless conspiracy theories are “deeply harmful to the legacy of my children” and divert attention from the real issue: perinatal mental health. He added, “It’s done real harm to real people, myself included but also others.” Rachel, a reproductive specialist who married Patrick in Central Park last April, echoed his frustration, saying, “I don’t understand how the story has been so twisted.” She recalled learning of the deaths on their first coffee date and reiterated that while she can’t bring the children back, she will honor them and help Pat grieve.
The night of January 24, 2023
Patrick recounted the events of that night in Duxbury, Massachusetts. After running errands, he returned home to find Lindsay outside, bleeding after a failed suicide jump from a second-story window. When he asked where the children were, she told him they were in the basement. Upon entering, he discovered his five-year-old daughter Cora, three-year-old son Dawson, and eight-month-old infant Callan strangled with exercise bands. A nearby officer heard Patrick scream, “She killed the fucking kids!” The two older children died at the scene; Callan was rescued, air-lifted to Boston Children’s Hospital and kept alive for four days before succumbing in Patrick’s arms.
Patrick said, “I really thought there was a chance that Callan would live,” and expressed gratitude for the brief time he could hold his son. He also noted that his own thoughts of suicide resurfaced after the loss, confessing that there was a period when he didn’t think he’d reach his 35th birthday.
Legal fallout and the mistrial
The prosecution presented Lindsay as a cold-blooded murderer, while her defense argued she suffered from severe, undiagnosed postpartum psychosis at the time. She pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, and the jury remained deadlocked, leading to a mistrial declared on September 4, 2023. Both Patrick and Lindsay have since filed lawsuits alleging medical malpractice against providers who treated her for postpartum depression.
In a candid moment, Patrick said he forgave Lindsay despite her not asking for it, describing headlines like “Killer Mom” and “Baby Murderer” as inaccurate. He believes her mental illness drove the tragedy and that forgiveness spared him from being “eaten up inside forever.”
Looking forward: advocacy and a new beginning
Since the murders, Patrick has turned his grief into advocacy. He met with psychiatrists specializing in postpartum health and has become a vocal supporter of better screening and treatment for perinatal disorders. He also keeps mementos of Cora, Dawson, and Callan in his Manhattan apartment, a space he chose for anonymity after moving from Boston.
On May 26, 2023 – what would have been Callan’s first birthday – Patrick lit a candle at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, crying on Fifth Avenue as he said, “I thought, ‘This is where I need to be. I can grieve.’” He and Rachel, who married in April, are now expecting a baby together. When asked how he will speak about the lost siblings, Patrick replied, “Every parent can agree, you have different relationships with your kids, but they’re all your kids. I can’t wait to tell them about their brothers and sister.”
Patrick’s story, woven with loss, legal turmoil, and a renewed purpose, underscores the urgency of addressing postpartum mental health before more families endure similar heartbreak.
