Patrick Clancy Reveals Why He Forgave Wife Who Killed Their Three Children

Patrick Clancy has opened up about the decision to forgive his former wife, Lindsay Clancy, despite the fact that she has never asked him to forgive her for the deaths of their three children.

Patrick discussed the painful decision during an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, his first televised interview since Lindsay’s trial ended without a verdict.

The couple’s children, Cora, Dawson and eight-month-old Callan, died after Lindsay attacked them at their home in Massachusetts on January 24, 2023.

Patrick said he did not see Lindsay simply as a “Killer Mom,” “Baby Murderer” or “Monster”, descriptions he said had appeared in media reports following the tragedy.

“None of ’em were accurate,” he said, explaining that he believed “it was her mental illness that caused that.”

When correspondent Ross Douthat asked whether Lindsay had ever sought his forgiveness, Patrick gave a brief response.

“No. But I gave it to her,” he said.

Patrick explained that forgiveness was also part of his attempt to survive the emotional aftermath of losing his children.

“I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn’t get there, I would be eaten up inside forever,” he said.

He recalled the events of January 24, 2023, saying he arrived home to find Lindsay in the backyard after she had jumped from an upstairs window.

He then discovered the children in the basement. Cora and Dawson died at the scene, while Callan was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital.

According to Patrick, Callan remained alive for four more days, allowing him to spend additional time with his son before his death.

“I got to hold him. I got to lay down next to him. And he died in my arms,” Patrick said.

He said he spent those final days writing tributes to his children while holding Callan’s hand.

“I’m so grateful for those four days that I had with him. And I’m so grateful he hung on,” he said.

Patrick also recalled asking Lindsay whether she remembered what happened to the children. According to ABC News, he said she told him the incident felt “like a dream”, with her memory of it resembling the way someone might remember a dream after waking.

The tragedy also left Patrick struggling with his own mental health. He revealed that at one point, he did not expect to live long enough to reach his 35th birthday.

“There was a time where I didn’t think I would live to see my 35th birthday,” he said. “And I was completely fine with it.”

He later turned to survivors and specialists in perinatal mental health for support and to better understand what had happened.

Patrick also addressed speculation about the case that spread across social media, including conspiracy theories alleging that he had a role in his children’s deaths.

“It’s deeply harmful to the legacy of my children,” he said. “It is a huge distraction from what really matters here, which is perinatal mental health.”

Lindsay’s trial ended in a mistrial on September 4 after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether she was criminally responsible for the deaths.

Her defence argued that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis when she attacked the children and should therefore not be held criminally responsible. Prosecutors challenged that position.

A decision on a possible retrial is expected from the court.

For Patrick, however, his focus remains on his children and how he has chosen to deal with their deaths.

Asked again if Lindsay had ever requested his forgiveness, he repeated: “No. But I gave it to her.”

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