A Massachusetts mom allegedly strangled and attempted to kill her two young children before attempting to kill herself in a tragically botched murder-suicide attempt.
Lindsay Clancy, 32, of Plymouth, was charged with two counts of homicide and three counts of strangulation for killing her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, according to District Attorney Tim Cruz.
Clancy is recovering at a Boston hospital but has been taken into police custody.
Cruz said police responded to Clancy’s home in Duxbury, about 35 miles southeast of Boston, after her husband called 911 around 6 p.m. to report that she had jumped from a window of the house.
“Emergency personnel subsequently located three children under the age of five at the home unconscious with obvious signs of severe trauma,” Cruz said.
Cora, 5, and Dawson, 3, were rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead.
A 7-month-old boy is still fighting for his life, officials said. He was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital and remains under treatment.
Clancy appears to have strangled her child, Cruz said, although the medical examiner will release an official cause of death in the coming days.
Clancy was treated at the scene and taken to a nearby hospital.
“This is an unimaginable, senseless tragedy and the investigation is ongoing,” Cruz said.
Investigators are considering the possibility that Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the alleged murder-suicide attempt, sources told CBS Boston.
She works as a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and is currently on leave.
Lindsay Clancy is a former nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and is currently on leave.
The 3-year-old son was also pronounced dead at the hospital.
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Lindsay Clancy is currently recovering at a Boston hospital but is in police custody.
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The children’s great-grandmother, Rita Musgrove, told NBC Boston that nothing seemed out of the ordinary when she spoke with the children’s mother last week.
“It’s a very shocking thing, it’s heartbreaking,” she said as she left flowers at the memorial outside the family’s home.
The children’s aunt, Donna Jesse, added: “They are very beautiful children. Well cared for – they are beautiful and that’s all. They have a wonderful life.”
The tragedy has shaken the entire community, especially first responders who were confronted by the horrific scene.
During Wednesday’s news conference, officers were seen in tears, and the Massachusetts Police Association reminded its members that resources are available to handle the case.
“I want to further commend the professionalism and work of the Duxbury paramedics and the Massachusetts State Police,” Cruz said. “I’m sure many of them will not forget what they saw last night.”