Patrick Clancy speaks out for first time on children's killings

Patrick Clancy has spoken publicly for the first time about the 2023 killings of his three children, allegedly strangled by his then-wife Lindsay Clancy. In an interview aired Sunday, he addressed online criticism and conspiracy theories from supporters of Lindsay Clancy who claim he failed to adequately care for her.

Responding to criticism

Clancy said false claims circulating online have harmed his children's legacy and distracted from what he considers the real issue: perinatal mental health. He described the online reaction as painful, saying it has made public life difficult and that repeated falsehoods risk being believed by some.

Massachusetts prosecutors are set to decide this month whether to retry Lindsay Clancy for strangling five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson and eight-month-old Callan at the family home. A judge declared a mistrial on 4 September after jurors deadlocked, with eleven of twelve favoring a finding that Lindsay Clancy was not criminally responsible due to postpartum psychosis, while one juror sided with prosecutors.

How the illness progressed

Clancy said he first noticed his ex-wife struggling with sleep deprivation and anxiety in fall 2022, months after their youngest son Callan was born. Her condition worsened in December, leading to a stay at McLean psychiatric hospital over New Year's. The children were killed 17 days after her release. Clancy recalled hoping Callan would survive after regaining a heartbeat, but the infant later died in the hospital.

Clancy attributes the killings to his ex-wife's mental illness and says he has forgiven her, rejecting media portrayals of her as a "killer mom." Both former spouses have filed separate lawsuits against doctors and the hospital involved in her care. After the tragedy, Clancy moved to New York City, where he met his second wife, Rachel Danis, who joined him for the interview.