A Massachusetts mother accused of killing her children last month was reportedly taking numerous prescription drugs while trying to get help for "horrific" side effects, her lawyer says.
As previously reported, Lindsay Clancy, 32, is facing two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation or suffocation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, in connection with the deaths of her three young children.
Clancy Attempted Suicide After Killing Children
On Jan. 24, medics were called to the family's Duxbury residence off Summer Street after the defendant's husband, Patrick, arrived home and found the children unconscious. The two oldest kids, 5-year-old Cora Clancy and 3-year-old Dawson Clancy, were later declared dead at a hospital.
A day later, the couple's third and youngest child, 8-month-old Callan Clancy, also passed away. The defendant jumped out of a second-story window in a reported attempted suicide after the attack, but survived.
Clancy's Lawyer Says She Had 'Homicidal and Suicidal Thoughts' Due to Side Effects from Meds
The Boston Globe reported that Clancy's defense lawyer, Kevin J. Reddington, said although Clancy didn't misuse her medication, the extensive side effects caused her to have both homicidal and suicidal thoughts.
"One of the major issues here is the horrific overmedication of drugs that caused homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation," Reddington said Thursday evening. "They [Lindsay and her husband Patrick] went to doctors repeatedly saying 'Please help us.' This was turning her into a zombie ...the medications that were prescribed were over the top, absolutely over the top."
"It's overmedication, absolutely overmedication — possibly with a component of post-partum depression," he added. According to The Boston Globe, the defendant had been taking the following prescribed medications, in part, when the killings occurred:
- Ambien
- Klonopin
- Valium
- Prozac
- Lamictil
- Ativan
- Remeron
- Seroquel
- Zoloft
Clancy is currently recovering at Boston hospital after the suicide attempt and is unable to walk, Reddington said.
"She can't get out of bed. She can't walk. I don't know what the medical prognosis is regarding that, but right now she cannot walk" he said. "She's not in good physical shape. She's not in good emotional shape."
Meanwhile, investigators are exploring whether Lindsay Clancy was dealing with postpartum psychosis at the time of the slayings, WBZ-TV reports. She reportedly worked as a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital at the time of the incident but was on leave.
Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz obtained warrants last month for Clancy's arrest; she's expected to come to court and face charges as soon as she is able to do so.
