Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband Patrick describes moment he found his children dead

Warning: This article contains discussion of child death and suicide, which some readers may find distressing.

Patrick Clancy has told a court and jury about the horrifying moment he found his three young children dead in a basement.

His ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, is on trial accused of strangling their children, before trying to take her own life.

Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan were all strangled to death with exercise bands, before Lindsay cut her own throat and wrists and fell from a second-floor window of their home in Massachusetts.

Patrick had been out picking up a takeaway for the family, as well as medication for Cora, after Lindsay asked him to go out.

He returned home to a quiet house, and went upstairs to look for his family, where he found the main bedroom covered with blood and the window open.

Patrick Clancy revealed how he discovered the children dead in the basement (Plymouth Superior Court)

After running downstairs to help his then-wife, he called 911, a recording of which was played in court earlier this week, resulting in Lindsay visibly sobbing.

Lindsay told him the children were in the basement, but did not say what she had done.

The dispatcher heard him discover the children, and screaming in horror at what he found: “She killed the kids!”

'I knew he was gone'

Patrick, who has since divorced Lindsay and remarried, has now told the court how he found them, saying on the witness stand: “I saw Cora, she had a band around her neck.”

He rushed to help her, as she was lying face down and he untied the band.

His youngest, baby Callan, was also face down on the ground with an exercise band around his throat. After removing his band too, he went in search of Dawson.

The prosecution alleges Lindsay Clancy came up with an excuse to get Patrick out of the house so she could kill their children (Plymouth Superior Court)

“I looked in the bathroom, and on the other side of the couch, and then I went to the other side of the basement, and he was in my office,” he told the court.

Dawson also had an exercise band around his neck, with the devastated father testifying: “I knew he was gone."

He returned to Cora and tried to perform CPR before first responders arrived.

Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney, Shanan Buckingham, alleged in court: "One by one, [Lindsay] grabbed exercise bands around each one of the kids’ necks and pulled until their little bodies were limp and lifeless."

An argument of post-partum psychosis in Lindsay's defence

However, Lindsay's defence attorneys argue that she was suffering from post-partum psychosis at the time, while the prosecution insists she 'acted intentionally' and is criminally responsible for their deaths.

Lindsay was seen visibly sobbing in court as the 911 audio call was played (CourtTV)

Due to this, Lindsay pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges.

On Monday, her lawyers told the court that Lindsay had been hearing voices which were telling her: “This is your last chance. Kill the children so you can kill yourself."

The case continues.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line at 116 123, or contact Harmless by visiting their website at https://harmless.org.uk.

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5 pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58, and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.