Prosecutors want jurors to hear the 911 call made by Patrick Clancy after he returned home and discovered his three children dead, according to a pretrial filing in the upcoming murder case against his former wife, Lindsay Clancy.
Clancy is accused of killing the couple’s three young children at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023 before attempting suicide. Her trial is scheduled to begin in July.
Father Discovered Children While Speaking With 911
According to prosecutors, Patrick called emergency services after finding Lindsay injured outside the family’s home.
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While still connected to the 911 dispatcher, he reportedly asked Lindsay where the children were. He then entered the house and discovered Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 7-month-old Callan.
Prosecutors say Patrick called out for responding officers after realizing what had happened.
The filing states that he could be heard saying, “She killed the kids.”
The children were allegedly found with exercise bands around their necks. Prosecutors say Patrick removed the bands as he discovered each child.
Prosecutors Say the Call Could Help Establish Intent
The prosecution argues that details captured during the emergency call could be relevant to determining exactly how the killings occurred.
In their motion, prosecutors point to the fact that Patrick was reportedly able to remove the bands quickly. They argue that this detail could help jurors evaluate whether the bands had simply been positioned around the children’s necks or whether they had been repeatedly pulled tight.
Prosecutors say the evidence could therefore support their argument that the killings were deliberate and demonstrate what they characterize as “extreme atrocity and cruelty.”
The request to play the recording is part of the prosecution’s effort to establish Clancy’s state of mind and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Clancy Faces Three Murder Charges
Clancy has been charged with murdering her three children and has pleaded not guilty.
Authorities allege that she fatally strangled the children before cutting her wrists and jumping from a second-floor window.
The fall left Clancy seriously injured.
Her defense team has indicated that it intends to pursue an insanity defense, arguing that her mental health played a significant role in the tragedy.
Postpartum Mental Health Expected to Be Central
Clancy’s mental health is expected to be a major issue during the trial.
Her attorney has previously said that she experienced severe postpartum depression and struggled psychologically in the months before the deaths.
According to the source material, Clancy had been prescribed more than a dozen medications during that period.
The prosecution and defense are therefore expected to offer sharply different interpretations of her mental state and whether she should be held legally responsible for the deaths.
If the court permits the recording to be played for jurors, Patrick’s call could become one of the most emotionally significant pieces of evidence presented during the proceedings, offering jurors an immediate account of the moment he discovered that his children were dead.
