‘She killed the kids!’: Extremely emotional 911 call played during second day of Lindsay Clancy trial
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PLYMOUTH, Mass. — It was an emotional day in court for those attending Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial, as a recording of the 911 call made by her husband as he found his three small children strangled to death was played for the jury.
Clancy, 35, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder for killing her children — 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan — in January 2023. She claims postpartum psychosis brought on by a litany of medications she was prescribed is to blame, and argues she should not be held criminally liable for the killings.
Wednesday’s court proceedings began with Patrick Clancy, Lindsay’s former husband and father of her children, resuming his testimony from Monday. Patrick was asked about the errands he ran that night, picking up medication from a local CVS pharmacy and grabbing takeout for dinner. Surveillance footage was played in court, showing Patrick at both locations.
Patrick testified that when he returned home, the house was unusually quiet. He said he called out for his children and for Lindsay, but received no response.
When he went upstairs to look for them, he said he found his bedroom door locked. He then described the grizzly sight he was met with when he opened the door.
“(The blood) was everywhere,” Patrick said. “It looked like it was sprayed, almost like with a hose.”
The window was open, Patrick said, and he ran downstairs and outside to the backyard. He found Lindsay lying face up beneath the window, he said.
Patrick testified that Lindsay had “deep cuts on her wrists and she had a red line across her neck.” He said he wasn’t sure what the red line was at first, but soon realized she had cut her neck.
When he asked Lindsay what happened, he said told him she had tried to kill herself. He asked her where the kids were and said she told him they were in the basement.
Patrick told the court it took a few minutes to call 911 because of issues with his phone, but the call eventually went through.
Patrick was then excused from the courtroom as prosecutor Jennifer Sprague introduced the 911 call and the clothing his children were wearing when they were killed, as well as the exercise bands they were killed with, into evidence.
The 911 call
Judge William F. Sullivan previously ruled that the recording of Patrick’s 911 call would not be shared with media outside the courtroom. But Courtroom Insider producer Grace Wong was in the courtroom on Wednesday and listened to the call. Below is a rough transcript of what was said:
- 911 Dispatcher: Explain how she tried to commit suicide. (multiple voices are heard) Where is she now? Stay awake. How old is she?
- Patrick Clancy: 31-33.
- Dispatcher: Is she awake?
- Patrick: Yes.
- Dispatcher: Is she breathing?
- Patrick: Yeah. Lindsay, what did you do to your neck? She’s talking.
- Dispatcher: When did this happen?
- Patrick: In the last half hour.
- Dispatcher: How far did she fall?
- Patrick: 20 feet. (multiple voices are heard)
- Dispatcher: Is she responding normally?
- Patrick: A little bit. Wake up!
- Dispatcher: What part of the body was injured?
- Patrick: Her neck. … She’s breathing. Lindsay, look at me! Look at me!
- Dispatcher: Are there weapons?
- Patrick: I don’t see any. Where are the kids? (multiple voices are heard)
- Dispatch: Do not move her.
- Patrick: Open your eyes. Can someone – OK, Lindsay, look at me. Open your eyes.
- Dispatcher: I’m going to tell you how to stop the bleeding.
- Patrick: It’s not bleeding … open wounds. She’s in the backyard.
- Dispatcher: Is there something on her neck? A knife or something? Can you put pressure on it?
- Patrick: No. (multiple voices are heard)
- Patrick: Lindsay, wake up. (moaning is heard)
- Dispatcher: Put pressure on the cut.
- Patrick: Lindsay, look at me. Say my name. She’s conscious.
- Dispatcher: Don’t move her. Tell her to be still. (Whimpering is heard in the background, as well as sirens in the distance.)
- Dispatcher: I’m going to stay on the line with you. Is there a fence?
- Patrick: Right here, right here! … I need you to stay, and I’ll go check on my kids.
- Patrick: Hello? (footsteps are heard) Guys? Guys? Oh, no! (yelling is heard) Oh, no! (more yelling) Wake up! (Patrick is heard screaming).
- Dispatcher: What is he screaming about?
- Patrick: (Crying, screaming and gasping) OH, MY GOD! (more screaming)
- Dispatcher: Hello? What’s going on?
- Patrick: Basement! Basement! OH, MY GOD!
- Dispatcher: Hello? hello?
- Patrick: (Screaming. Screaming, Screaming.) AHHHHH, SHE KILLED THE KIDS!!! OH, MY GOD! (Screaming. Screaming. Screaming. Screaming.)
- Dispatcher: “Oh, s***.”
As the audio played, Lindsay Clancy sobbed audibly from her seat at the defense table. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, held Lindsay’s hand and attempted to comfort her as she cried.
Once the call concluded, Judge Sullivan called for a break to allow everyone in the courtroom to gather themselves.
Defense cross-examines Patrick Clancy
When the court resumed, prosecutors called an employee of the CVS pharmacy Patrick went to on Jan. 23 and an employee of the restaurant where Patrick picked up food to testify. Both employees confirmed that they spoke to Lindsay on the phone and saw Patrick pick up her requests.
Redding then called Patrick back in for questioning. Patrick answered questions about Lindsay’s job as a labor and delivery nurse and spoke of how much she loved it. But he said his wife was anxious about returning to work because she struggled with being away from her children.
Patrick was then asked about Lindsay’s relationship with the children. He said she was described as a dedicated mother who cared for her children and celebrated their accomplishments by posting momentos — such as artwork and stickers — of them throughout the home. Patrick said Lindsay never expressed any resentment toward the children.
The defense moved on to question Patrick about Lindsay’s mental decline in 2022. Her diary notes were discussed, including one in which Lindsay wrote that she had “Horrible Thoughts.” He also testified that Lindsay told her parents she was having horrible thoughts.
Testimony ended for the day with the defense pointing out that Patrick had left the children in Lindsay’s care multiple times without incident, including for a two-day work trip in November 2022, when she was in the midst of her mental decline.
Testimony is scheduled to resume on Thursday at 9 a.m. Then on Friday, the jury is expected to take a “field trip” to the house where the crime occurred.
LIVE UPDATES | Lindsay Clancy breaks down sobbing as distraught 911 call is played on Day 2 of trial
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