DUXBURY, Massachusetts — Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy demonstrated “extreme atrocity and cruelty” when she allegedly strangled her three young children using common household exercise bands, prosecutors argued in court Thursday.

The horrific incident occurred on January 24, 2023, at the family’s home in Duxbury. Clancy, a former nurse, is accused of killing her children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan — before attempting suicide by jumping from a second-story window.

Prosecutors highlighted evidence from the crime scene, noting that husband Patrick Clancy found the children in the basement with exercise bands around their necks. He was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when he made the devastating discovery, reportedly crying out, “She killed the kids!” as police arrived.

By the time first responders reached the basement, the bands had been removed and were lying next to each child. Patrick was able to quickly remove them, according to court filings. Prosecutors argued this timeline disproves any suggestion that the bands were simply tied in knots and left in place. Instead, they claim the evidence points to Clancy manually pulling the bands tightly around each child’s neck until they died — demonstrating the “deliberateness of her acts and the extreme atrocity and cruelty.”

The couple’s lawsuits against Lindsay’s doctors allege failures in diagnosing and treating her severe postpartum mental health issues. Her defense team does not dispute that she carried out the killings but plans to argue she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated at the time. Clancy intends to seek a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity at her upcoming July trial.

This tragic case has drawn national attention as it highlights the devastating impacts of untreated postpartum mental illness. The family’s pain remains profound, with Patrick Clancy having publicly expressed heartbreak over the loss of his children.