Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy who is accused of strangling their three children in Massachusetts in January 2023, has spoken publicly about forgiving her.
In an interview with CBS, Patrick said he believed it was his ex-wife’s mental illness that caused the deaths of their children. Lindsay Clancy has not disputed that she killed them. Her defence argued she should not be held legally responsible because she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis at the time. This is a rare condition involving mania, depression, or both.
A judge declared a mistrial earlier this month after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict on murder charges.
“I saw headlines that said ‘Killer Mom’, ‘Baby Murderer’, ‘Monster’,” Patrick told CBS. “And none of them were accurate. I believe it was her mental illness that caused that. And I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn’t get there, I would be eaten up inside forever.”
He also reflected on his own role in the period leading up to the killings, saying he did not know how to manage a postpartum illness.
“I think mental illness has this ability to be tragically deceptive. I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time. And I live with the outcome. I live with it every day.”
Patrick admitted to having suicidal thoughts in the weeks after the deaths.
“I didn’t think I would live to see my 35th birthday. And I was completely fine with it,” he said.
The scrutiny he faced during the trial became its own ordeal. Online speculation accused him of complicity in the murders. Tabloids photographed him with his new wife, Rachel Danis. He described the online attacks as “deeply harmful to the legacy of my children”. Also tagging it as a distraction from what he called the real issue: perinatal mental health.
Patrick has since moved from Duxbury to New York City seeking anonymity. He is now building a new family with Danis and says he looks forward to telling future children about their siblings.
“I can’t wait to tell them about their brothers and sister,” he said.
Solomon Buchi Slams Lindsay Clancy Defenders Over Children’s Deaths
Supermodel Cindy Crawford’s Son Dies at 27
