Mother ‘very invested’ in Lindsay Clancy murder trial charged with killing 2-year-old son
An Illinois mother who prosecutors say was 'very invested' in the highly publicised Lindsay Clancy murder trial has been charged with killing her two-year-old son.
Clancy, 36, killed her three children, Callan, eight months, Cora, five, and Dawson, three, on 24 January 2023, but denies murder, with her defence arguing she can't be held criminally responsible for their deaths as she was allegedly suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time.
The prosecution, however, argued the former labour and delivery nurse acted 'intentionally, rationally and swiftly'. Last week, the trial ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Corie Walsh, 40, had allegedly been closely following the Clancy trial, with prosecutors saying she had been texting her friends about the case just a matter of hours before her child, Barrett, was found dead in the basement of the family’s Chicago home in Frankfort last Tuesday (1 September) by a neighbour.
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After finding the toddler, the neighbour performed CPR while calling 911 shortly before 4.00pm.
The two-year-old was subsequently taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to an autopsy by the Will County Coroner’s Office, the child died from asphyxia caused by ligature compression of the neck.
Walsh was later found in another part of the residence with self-inflicted injuries, authorities say.
According to prosecutors, Walsh later told police that she killed her son as she believed he was the 'devil' and the 'anti-Christ', with her attorney, Andrea Lyon, telling reporters that she had been experiencing a psychotic episode at the time.
"This is a tragedy for the Walsh family, all of whom are mourning the loss of this child," Lyon told CNN on Friday (4 September).
"It is also a tragedy in that [Corie] herself was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time this happened. It is our hope that through a thorough presentation and investigation of the facts, that all of us will come to see this heartbreak for what it is."
According to the Will County Sheriff's Office, Walsh is now being held at the Will County Adult Detention Facility as she awaits a detention hearing on Tuesday (8 September).
It is important to note that Illinois authorities have not alleged that Clancy’s trial played a role in the killing of Walsh’s son.
Tyla has reached out to the Will County Coroner’s Office and Will County State’s Attorney for comment.
Rhiannon Ingle