As the Lindsay Clancy murder trial moved into its defense phase in mid-August 2026, the defendant’s mother took the stand and offered detailed testimony about her daughter’s worsening mental state in the months before the deaths of her three children. Paula Musgrove told the jury that roughly one month prior to the January 24, 2023, incident, Lindsay confided that she had been having thoughts of harming the children.

Musgrove recalled that one evening in early to mid-December 2022, while she, Lindsay, and Lindsay’s then-husband Patrick were in the kitchen of the Duxbury home, Lindsay appeared unusually nervous. She said she needed to tell them something and then disclosed that she had thoughts of harming Cora, Dawson, and Callan. Patrick asked whether she felt unable to be alone with the children. Lindsay answered that she did not. When asked by the prosecutor whether she had considered having her daughter committed at that time, Musgrove said no. She also stated she was not worried about the children’s safety because she was frequently present in the household.

Musgrove described a clear downward spiral that began in the fall of 2022. On October 20, Lindsay sent her a text message asking her to come stay, writing that she felt “really sick,” was suffering from severe insomnia, and believed medication prescribed for anxiety was making her condition worse. She said she was scared and did not want to be alone. Musgrove drove from Connecticut to Mᴀssachusetts that same day and began a pattern of extended stays. She later told the court she traveled back and forth so often she could barely keep track of the visits. When she was not physically there, she checked in daily by text, asking about Lindsay’s sleep, mood, and response to her medications.

By January 2023, Musgrove observed that her daughter had lost a significant amount of weight and had become increasingly anxious and paranoid about matters that did not seem logical. Lindsay repeatedly told her that the thoughts and feelings were not her own and that the medication was “destroying her mind.” She expressed a desire to feel better and enjoy her children again. At times Lindsay was so fearful of being alone that she asked her mother to sleep in the same bed with her. Musgrove also drove Lindsay to pick up the older children from school because Lindsay no longer felt comfortable driving.

Despite these struggles, Musgrove portrayed Lindsay as a loving and dedicated mother who had always wanted a large family and who took joy in caring for her children. She said becoming a mother was the best thing that had ever happened to Lindsay and that she “would do anything for her children.” Musgrove became emotional when speaking about her grandchildren, telling the jury she loved them with all her heart.

The testimony came immediately after prosecutors rested their case following weeks of evidence that included medical examiners, investigators, and mental-health records. Clancy’s defense team is seeking a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis made worse by a large number of psychiatric medications prescribed in the months leading up to the events. Clancy has admitted to causing the children’s deaths but maintains she was not criminally responsible due to her mental state at the time.

As of mid-August 2026, the trial continues in Plymouth Superior Court with the defense presenting witnesses to support its position on Clancy’s mental health. A GoFundMe campaign set up for Musgrove and her husband has raised substantial funds to help cover the costs of their repeated travel and support during the lengthy proceedings.

Sources: https://nypost.com/2026/08/17/us-news/lindsay-clancys-stricken-mom-testifies-about-disturbing-moment-daughter-confessed-her-darkest-inner-thoughts/