Susan Clancy, the former mother-in-law of Lindsay Clancy, testified Tuesday in Lindsay’s murder trial, describing her former daughter-in-law’s struggles with postpartum mental health issues in the months before the deaths of her three children.

Susan, a former labour and delivery nurse, told jurors that Lindsay contacted her in November 2022 and said she “felt unwell”. She subsequently helped Lindsay access treatment through the Perinatal Behavioral Health Program at South Shore Health.

Susan Clancy describes Lindsay’s mental health struggles

Susan testified that Lindsay was experiencing insomnia, loss of appetite, anxiety and sadness.

“She was begging for help,” Susan said, adding that Lindsay was struggling and that the family was “very concerned”.

Lindsay, who had welcomed her youngest son, Callan, in May 2022, received treatment through the programme for several weeks.

During testimony, prosecutor Buckingham asked Susan whether she knew Lindsay had told her therapist that she did not feel close to Susan and her husband, Christopher Clancy.

Susan said she was unaware of those comments.

She was also asked whether she knew Lindsay had told her therapist that she did not allow Susan and Christopher to supervise her children.

“I didn’t know any of that,” Susan said.

Susan says she had a good relationship with Lindsay

Despite those claims, Susan told the court that she and Lindsay had “a very good relationship”.

“She was very nurturing, very loving. She was a wonderful mom,” Susan testified.

Her testimony forms part of the defence case as Lindsay’s attorneys argue that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis when she strangled her three children and later attempted to take her own life.

Lindsay Clancy murder trial

Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder over the deaths of her children — 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and infant Callan — at the family’s home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on January 24, 2023.

Defence attorney Kevin Reddington has argued that Lindsay was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings.

The defence began presenting its case this week, with Lindsay’s mother and sister among the witnesses called to testify.