A mother accused of murdering her three young children has requested an ambulance to transport her to and from court, citing paralysis from a suicide attempt. Lindsay Clancy, 35, made the request during a hearing on Wednesday, as reported by Law & Crime.
Defence and Prosecution Clash Over Transport Needs
Defence Attorney Kevin Reddington argued that Clancy, now a wheelchair user, requires an emergency vehicle for the journey. He disputed a state report suggesting she could manage her own care and transport. "How the hell does she come up with telling you that she's able to ambulate, and self-transfer... when you have this letter that tells you the condition that this woman is in?" Reddington asked the court. He emphasised she cannot use a standard handicapped bathroom stall and would need a nurse, not just a sheriff's deputy.
The state had opposed the request, contending Clancy could look after herself based on a health services administrator's evaluation. However, the sheriff's office later stated they could provide an ambulance if necessary, though it would involve contracting a private company at significant extra cost and logistical complexity.
Background of the Tragic Case
Clancy is charged with the murders of her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – in January 2023 at the family's home in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege she strangled them in the basement. Her husband discovered her with self-inflicted neck and wrist wounds after she had jumped from a second-story window, an act which left her paralysed.
Since her arrest, Clancy has been held at Tewksbury State Hospital, a mental health facility. Her lawyer is expected to mount an insanity defence, arguing she was suffering from severe postpartum depression following the birth of her youngest child. "This was a situation that was clearly the product of mental illness," Reddington has previously stated.
The prosecution counters that mental health professionals had previously evaluated Clancy and found she did not have postpartum depression. They also claim she researched ways to kill on her phone before the murders and suggest her suicide attempt may have been staged.
Court Defers Decision on Ambulance Request
During the hearing, Reddington later modified his request, clarifying that a van capable of transporting her wheelchair would be "sufficient," noting Tewksbury Hospital uses such vehicles for her medical appointments.
Superior Court Judge William F. Sullivan opted not to rule immediately, seeking more information. "I certainly think that that may be something that the defendant may want to go forward on. So, I'm not gonna deny that motion at this time," he said. The issue will be revisited on January 27. Clancy's trial is scheduled to begin on July 20.
Lindsay Clancy has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, three counts of strangulation, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
