‘Shock and pain:’ Husband of Duxbury mother charged in children’s deaths gives statement (2024)

DUXBURY, Mass. — The husband of Lindsay Clancy, a Duxbury mother charged in the deaths of her children, is asking people to forgive her.

“I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have. The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone - me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients,” Patrick Clancy wrote in a statement that was posted Saturday to a GoFundMe page that is taking donations for the family. “The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace.”

Lindsay Clancy, 32, has been charged with two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation or suffocation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to the arrest warrant. Emergency crews responding to a 911 call found her three young children unconscious and suffering from trauma in the family’s home on Tuesday night.

Her two eldest children, 5-year-old Cora Clancy and 3-year-old Dawson Clancy, were pronounced dead at a hospital soon after being found at the home. The district attorney’s office announced Friday that the couple’s third child, 8-month-old Callan Clancy, has also died.

Lindsay Clancy is under police custody in a Boston hospital. In his statement Saturday, her husband shared loving memories of his family and three children.

“My family was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “I took so much pride in being Lindsay’s husband and a dad to Cora, Dawson, and Callan. I always reminded myself that each day with them was a new gift.”

“Callan usually woke up first and would rest his head on my shoulder for a few minutes as he adjusted to morning,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “Dawson typically sang or spoke his thoughts out loud for a while before we’d go get him. Cora was a big girl and would simply walk downstairs. I can still vividly picture her coming into the living room each morning with her hair in a mess, smile on her face.”

The family “always started our days together, reading books, cuddling up on the couch, and playing with magnet tiles. I loved taking them places, whether it was scooting at Chandler elementary, vacation, skiing, out on the boat, or to Duxbury Beach, one of our favorite places on earth. They gave me purpose and I never took it for granted. There is now a massive void where that purpose once was,” Patrick Clancy wrote.

‘Shock and pain:’ Husband of Duxbury mother charged in children’s deaths gives statement

Police responded to 47 Summer St. around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after Patrick Clancy arrived home and called 911 to report his wife’s attempted suicide. Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said Lindsay Clancy had jumped out of a second-story window.

On Saturday, Patrick Clancy shared personal details about his children, and how they brightened up his days.

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3rd Child Dies Days After Duxbury Killings, Prosecutors Say

His eldest, 5-year-old Cora, “had an infectious laugh and was stunningly beautiful. She was the cautious one, but it was really because she was so caring. She used to say she wanted to be a doctor and a mama when she grew up and she would practice by giving Callan check ups,” Patrick Clancy wrote.

His middle child, 3-year-old Dawson, “had beautiful, bold, brown eyes that beamed with friendship. He was naturally humorous and generous beyond the norm of a typical toddler, always willing to share his toys with others. For all the love he received, he always gave back more,” Patrick Clancy wrote.

And the baby, 8-month-old Callan, “was our easy going child. I always said it was because he was the third child - he had to adapt and he did easily. He was born with hardly any fuss and was by far our best sleeper. He was just an incredibly happy and vibrant baby, constantly smiling,” Patrick Clancy wrote.

“Callan died with enormous courage despite being so little. Maybe it was his way of demonstrating what I need to do to press forward. I’ll always try to draw inspiration from him,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “He’ll always be my little hero.”

Patrick Clancy also shared intimate details about his wife and their relationship, including how it was “love at first sight” when they first met.

“I want to share some thoughts about Lindsay. She’s recently been portrayed largely by people who have never met her and never knew who the real Lindsay was,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “Our marriage was wonderful and diametrically grew stronger as her condition rapidly worsened. I took as much pride in being her husband as I did in being a father and felt persistently lucky to have her in my life. I still remember the very moment I first laid eyes on her and can recall how overcome I was with the kind of love at first sight you only see in movies. It really didn’t take long before I was certain I wanted to marry her.”

“We said “I love you” to each other multiple times daily, as if it were a reflex. We habitually started every morning with a passionate hug, yielding a sigh of relief like we had each received the perfect medicine,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “If too much time passed with out a hug, she’d look at me and ask, “did you forget?” We mutually understood the reality that people can have bad days, but we stuck to the rule that when one of us got lost, the other was always there to bring them home, always. She loved being a nurse, but nothing matched her intense love for our kids and dedication to being a mother. It was all she ever wanted. Her passion taught me how to be a better father.”

The grieving father also thanked the Duxbury community, first responders, religious leaders and healthcare workers who have helped him and his family in recent days.

“I promise I’ll put all my energy into healing and rediscovering my purpose,” Patrick Clancy wrote. “I owe that to all of you, Duxbury fire and police, our compassionate healthcare workers, our local faith leaders, the Microsoft community, and especially Cora, Dawson, and Callan. I don’t know how or when I’ll be able to do it, but your love and generosity will help me get started. I know that love always wins.”

“Thank you all for your love and support,” Patrick Clancy wrote. ”The warmth I’ve received from the community is palpable and your generosity gives me hope that I can focus on some sort of healing. I’ve seen all of your messages and contributions, including some from people I haven’t seen in over a decade and many I’ve never met. I see and appreciate everyone of you.”

While an autopsy will determine the exact cause and manner of their deaths, Cruz, the district attorney, said earlier this week that “Preliminarily, it appears the children were strangled.”

Massachusetts General Hospital confirmed that Lindsay Clancy is an employee there. The hospital released a statement on Wednesday that said: “We are shocked and saddened to learn of this unthinkable tragedy. We extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected by these devastating events.”

Cruz called the incident “an unimaginable senseless tragedy” and noted that it didn’t happen randomly. He also acknowledged the emergency crews who first witnessed the tragic scene when they responded to the home.

“I’m sure many of them will not forget what they saw last evening,” Cruz said Wednesday.

Hundreds attended Thursday night’s emotional candlelight vigil in Duxbury at the Holy Family Church addressing mental health.

Lindsay Clancy is expected to be arraigned after she is released from the hospital.

State troopers assigned to Cruz’s office are assisting Duxbury police with the murder investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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