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The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy has been captivating the nation for several weeks now.
And as the defense makes its case, Clancy — who admitted to killing her three young children in 2023 — is receiving a surprising surge of support.
Hundreds of women gathered outside the Massachusetts courthouse where Clancy is on trial, many of them wearing pink and carrying signs with messages including “Believe,” “She Needed Help” and “Peace For Lindsay.”
The rally was the largest public show of support for Clancy since her murder trial began.
For many of those attending, however, the gathering was about more than Clancy herself. Supporters said they wanted to call attention to what they see as failures in the mental health system, particularly when women seek treatment for postpartum mental illness.
“Women are being dismissed, neglected and ignored when we speak up,” supporter April Vincent told the Associated Press. “We’re scared because nobody takes us seriously.”
Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, does not dispute that his client killed her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan.
Instead, he argues that she was suffering from severe mental illness, including postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder, and should not be held criminally responsible.
The defense has argued that Clancy repeatedly sought help before the January 2023 killings. She reportedly saw multiple mental health providers, took medication, called a suicide hotline, visited an emergency room, and admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital.
Prosecutors have presented a very different account.
They allege Clancy deliberately planned the killings and sent her husband out of the house shortly before the children died. They have also questioned the seriousness of Clancy’s subsequent suicide attempt and presented testimony that she did not always take her prescribed medication.
Outside the courthouse, supporters applauded Reddington when he appeared.
Organizer Renee Kimball urged the crowd to trust the defense attorney, telling them that Reddington “has Lindsay’s fight.”
The group later formed a circle, recited the Lord’s Prayer, and raised their arms to form hearts with their hands.
Inside the courtroom, hospital chaplain Sheila Cavanaugh provided emotional testimony about her more than 200 visits with Clancy following the killings.
Cavanaugh recalled that Clancy appeared emotionally flat after regaining consciousness and told her, “I’m so glad my children are safe.”
The chaplain also testified that Clancy described hearing a voice telling her that she and her children would not be safe unless she followed its commands.
Clancy has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
The case has thrust postpartum psychosis — a rare and severe condition — into the national spotlight.
And for the women supporting Clancy outside the courthouse, the trial has become a broader fight over whether women suffering from serious postpartum mental illness are being heard before it’s too late.
If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.