Lindsay Clancy may testify she warned doctors about fears of harming kids, Patrick’s lawyer claims

NORFOLK, MASSACHUSETTS: Lindsay Clancy could testify that she warned her mental health providers about fears of harming her children, Patrick Clancy’s lawyer has told a court.

The claim came during a hearing on Wednesday, October 28, as Patrick fought to prevent his $1 million wrongful death lawsuit against the professionals who treated his ex-wife from being dismissed.

Patrick filed the lawsuit in January 2026 on behalf of himself and the estates of their three children, Cora, Dawson and Callan. He alleges that failures in Lindsay’s psychiatric care contributed to their deaths in January 2023.

Lindsay Clancy may testify about warnings to doctors

Patrick’s attorney, Howard Cooper, told a Norfolk Superior Court judge that the case should not be dismissed before Lindsay has had the opportunity to testify.

“You know who hasn’t testified yet, Your Honor? Lindsay Clancy,” Cooper said.

Lindsay, 36, did not testify during her criminal trial, and no police interview with her has been publicly released. If she testifies in the civil case, it could offer the public a direct account of what she allegedly told her treatment providers before the killings.

Cooper said his team believes Lindsay will testify once the legal issues surrounding her Fifth Amendment rights are resolved.

“We have alleged in good faith in this case, and I said this previously, that we believe that Lindsay Clancy, once her Fifth Amendment issues are resolved, one way or the other, will testify that she told these defendants explicitly that she had homicidal ideation, that she was worried about something awful happening to her kids,” he told the court.

“Can’t imagine a more explicit threat,” Cooper added.

However, answering questions about her mental health, treatment, medications or the children's deaths could potentially expose Lindsay to criminal consequences. The issue could be addressed if her criminal case con

Patrick Clancy's lawsuit alleges psychiatric care failures

Cooper argued that dismissing the case before further evidence could be presented would be “completely inappropriate.”

He said the lawsuit contained at least eight allegations that the defendants’ treatment fell below the required standard of care.

The lawyer also referred to treatment notes that he said described Lindsay as suspicious of others, afraid something bad would happen and scared to be left alone.

The records reportedly also referred to intrusive thoughts and fears about harm coming to her children. Cooper said the notes had already been used during her criminal trial.

The lawsuit names psychiatrist Dr Jennifer Tufts, psychiatric nurse practitioner Rebecca Jollotta, Aster Mental Health and South Shore Health System.

It accuses them of failing to properly monitor, coordinate and manage Lindsay’s care as her mental health deteriorated.

The complaint also alleges that her providers prescribed a range of powerful medications, relied heavily on video appointments and sometimes conducted appointments lasting as little as 17 minutes.

Cooper argued that the alleged failures were a “substantial cause” of Lindsay killing the children.

Mental health providers seek dismissal of $1 million lawsuit

Attorney Timothy Sweetland, who represents Jollotta and South Shore Health, argued that Massachusetts law bars this type of claim brought on behalf of third parties.

“It’s our position that the claims in this case are barred,” Sweetland told the judge.

He said the law provides only two narrow exceptions under which a mental health professional could be held liable.

According to Sweetland, one did not apply because Lindsay had no history of violence. The remaining question was whether she had made an explicit threat and had both the intent and ability to carry it out.

Sweetland argued that the statements cited by Patrick’s legal team did not meet that standard. He said it was “impossible to glean” from the language that Lindsay was actually going to harm her children.

He also argued that moving forward with the case would allow the court to hear the full picture of Lindsay’s treatment and the steps her providers took to help her.

Cooper disagreed with the defense’s interpretation of the law, saying, “Defendants seem to think that you need to have a date, time, place and manner at which that threats going to be delivered. That’s not what the statute says.”

Judge Michael Doolin did not immediately rule on the defendants’ motions to dismiss. At the end of the hearing, he told the attorneys, “Very well argued by all three of you,” adding, “I think you did an excellent job.”

Lindsay Clancy murder trial ends in mistrial

Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan were strangled with exercise bands at the family’s home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on January 24, 2023.

Lindsay later faced trial over their deaths. Her lawyers argued that she was not criminally responsible because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.

During the trial, clinical and forensic psychologist Dr Paul Zeizel and hospital chaplain Sheila Cavanaugh testified about Lindsay describing a male voice that told her to kill the children.

Zeizel said Lindsay described the voice as telling her she had no choice, while Cavanaugh testified that Lindsay said the voice was persistent and warned that neither she nor her children would be safe if she disobeyed it.

After the killings, Lindsay cut her wrists and neck before jumping about 20 feet from a second-floor window, suffering severe spinal injuries that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

She remains in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital, where she is receiving psychiatric care.

The criminal trial ended in a mistrial in September after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The panel was reportedly split 11 to one in favor of finding Lindsay not criminally responsible.