Key facts
- Patrick Clancy has forgiven his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, for the 2023 strangulation deaths of their three children.
- Clancy stated his forgiveness stems from his belief that his ex-wife's actions were caused by postpartum psychosis.
- A mistrial was declared in Lindsay Clancy's case on September 4 after a jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.
- Eleven jurors reportedly favored acquittal, citing postpartum psychosis, while one juror sided with prosecutors.
- Patrick Clancy acknowledged he did not know how to manage postpartum illness when his ex-wife began struggling.
- He is seeking to shift public focus to perinatal mental health and away from online criticism he deems harmful.
Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, has spoken publicly for the first time about the 2023 killings of their three young children, stating he has forgiven his ex-wife. In an interview with CBS, Clancy attributed the deaths to Lindsay Clancy's struggle with postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness. He expressed that if he had not forgiven her, he would have been "eaten up inside forever."
Clancy addressed online criticism and conspiracy theories that have emerged, particularly those that he believes are "deeply harmful to the legacy of my children" and a "huge distraction from what really matters here, which is perinatal mental health." He described the speculation as "painful to see" and acknowledged that persistent falsehoods can lead people to believe them.
The interview follows a mistrial declared on September 4 in Lindsay Clancy's case. A jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, with 11 jurors reportedly favoring acquittal due to postpartum psychosis, while one juror sided with prosecutors. Massachusetts prosecutors are expected to decide this month whether to retry Lindsay Clancy for the strangulation deaths of Cora, five; Dawson, three; and Callan, eight months old.
Patrick Clancy recalled noticing his ex-wife's struggles with sleep deprivation and anxiety in late 2022, months after their youngest son's birth. He admitted to not understanding postpartum illness at the time and acknowledged that mental illness can be deceptive. Lindsay Clancy had been released from a psychiatric hospital 17 days before the children were allegedly killed.
Clancy has moved to New York City with his current wife, Rachel Danis, seeking anonymity and looking forward to telling his future children about their siblings. He also found support through experts at Postpartum Support International.