Patrick Clancy forgives Lindsay Clancy and blames mental illness for killings
Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, says he forgives her and defends her over the killing of their three children, blaming mental illness after a jury could not reach a verdict.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, has said he forgives her and defended her over the killing of their three children. He said he did the best he could as she struggled with mental illness. In a US TV interview, he said he believed mental illness caused the deaths. 'I believe that it was her mental illness that caused that,' he said. He added that forgiveness was necessary for him: 'I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn't get there, I would be eaten up inside forever.'
Lindsay Clancy is accused of murdering the three children. The two older children died in January 2023. Patrick Clancy described holding the youngest, baby Callan, as he died: 'I got to hold him, I got to lay down next to him and he died in my arms.' Lindsay Clancy is now paralysed from the waist down. Her defence team says she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings.
She went on trial in Massachusetts in July. The case ended without a verdict when the jury could not agree. Prosecutors have not said whether they will seek a retrial over the children's deaths. Lindsay Clancy remains in a mental health facility near Duxbury. A playground now stands in the children's memory in their home town.
The case has gripped and divided America, and divisions have played out online. Public discussion has included speculation about Patrick Clancy and his new wife. In comments carried in the coverage, she said: 'It's deeply harmful to the legacy of my children. It is a huge distraction from what really matters here, which is perinatal mental health, and it's done real harm.' She added: 'I can't bring his kids back, but if I can honour them and allow Pat to grieve, but also just continue to honour them in the present, I guess that's all I can do.'
Patrick Clancy and his new wife are now starting their own family. She said: 'You have different relationships with your kids, but they're all your kids, and I can't wait to tell them about their brothers and sister.'
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Clancy defended Lindsay Clancy, saying she was not a monster and that speculation about him harmed their children's legacy, and testified about her downward spiral before the killings. | ||
| The jury failed to reach a verdict after five days of deliberations. | ||
| Lindsay Clancy's defence team argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 led on Patrick Clancy's forgiveness and defence of Lindsay Clancy, framing the case around mental illness and the human cost. Its report carried emotional testimony about baby Callan dying in his father's arms and stressed that a jury could not reach a verdict. It also highlighted online speculation, perinatal mental health and the fact that prosecutors have not said whether they will seek a retrial.
- “I believe that it was her mental illness that caused that.”
- “I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn't get there, I would be eaten up inside forever.”
- “I got to hold him, I got to lay down next to him and he died in my arms.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.