Why The Lindsay Clancy Case Is Going To Have Difficulty Finding Experts On Homicidal Postpartum Depression

February 19, 2023  | Valerie Hayes  | Health & Wellness, Thoughts & Ideas, Valerie Hayes, View All Articles & Photos

I just read an article, which I will post in a link at the end of this blog post. It is an expert psychiatric assessment on the reviews and overview of women who kill their children. Apparently maternal homicide is more common in the US than any other country, however they did do a study on this topic covering thirty-nine different countries. In each case the study group was very small. 

Sadly child homicide is listed in the top three or four causes of death for children. The term for it is filicide, and for newborns or infants, is called infanticide. Although a high percentage of women experience postpartum depression, very few take it to the extreme of actually harming or murdering their child, or all of their children.

However, something not addressed in the article is the fact that throughout history, there have been times of increased child homicides, some of them religious or occult in nature. In other cases, it was due to extreme hardship, in particular famine. The Bible has quite a few references to infant and child homicide, along with descriptions of some of the depravity leading up to it. Some of the atrocities cited are absolutely horrific. 

Another topic not covered in the article is the use of, or overuse of psychoactive medications. I suppose the field of psychiatry would not be prone to taking any responsibility for the possibility that the very medications they prescribe might be contributing factors. Therefore, all expert psychiatric testimony might also carry an element of self protection, denial, and conflict of interest. However when you look at the background, and evidence from some of these famous cases, the mother was prescribed a range of potent psychotropic medications prior to the murders.

In other literature there are numerous articles written about suicidal and homicidal ideation for a percentage of those who take SSRI’s as it is a commonly prescribed antidepressant. In addition, antipsychotic medication played a role in the death of the Andrea Yates five children, because she was taking the drug Haldol, which was a potent and commonly prescribed antipsychotic used during that time frame, and has since been pulled from the market. There is a long list of reasons, and adverse reactions to demonstrate why it was finally removed as a general treatment for psychosis. As it is with so many other harmful medications, it took years before Haldol was finally taken out of general use, in order to protect the public. 

In the case of Lindsay Clancy, she was prescribed a chemical soup of psychiatric medications, thirteen in total, but was apparently taking around four medications at the time of the murders. It is difficult to understand why a nurse would be willing to take so many potent medications, when she is caring for small children. One would presume she would know about the many severe side effects associated with such drugs, to include unpredictable reactions, confused thoughts, and irreversible, life altering movement disorders.

People immediately jump on the band wagon about mental illness, postpartum depression, and the lack of resources, lack of help, etc. In this case, it has been reported that Lindsay Clancy was going to an outpatient clinic five days a week. She was frequenting doctors so often, she had a long list of medications prescribed to her over a short time frame. Most people would not even see that many for one patient in a forensic psychiatric facility. Why was she so obsessive about seeking more medications, when she was functioning, going places, interacting with others, driving, etc.? How can anyone expect to feel wonderful every minute of every day?

It seemed she was totally obsessed with how she was feeling, as opposed to caring for a family. What mother does not experience fatigue, bad days, and resentment toward her spouse and child care at times? What is most abnormal, is the homicidal ideation, not the fact a person experiences depression or anxiety. 

Historically, countless women have gone through far worse, and would never give a thought to killing their children. Women have lived through domestic violence, poverty, addictions, severe depression, severe illnesses, war, multiple births, washing clothes by hand or wringer washing machines, doing chores on a farm right after giving birth, living in forty below weather with only wood and coal to heat their homes, no running water, and so on. For the vast majority, killing their children is not even considered to be an option. In fact, most woman would die in order to save their children. 

It is true that many women experience postpartum depression. But it is also true that most of those who do experience it, would never harm their child. To use this one very atypical case to make any kind of blanket judgements, or excuses for such an act of violence and premeditated murder, is a stretch we probably do not want to make. Lindsay Clancy in my opinion, had far more going on in her personality, and beliefs than what met the eye. 

Her husband was working from home. She had family support, medical insurance, an education, and she kept detailed records of every nuance of her mental health, her anxiety, her thoughts, not wanting to go back to work, etc. Was this more about narcissism than anything else? Or was she setting the stage for a plan she already had in the back of her mind? Did she resent having to provide for, and care for the demands of small children? If life revolved around her, it might explain why she could not tolerate the attention given to her own children. 

Sadly, there are certain traits or cases of narcissism where a mother believes the children are an extension of herself. She also might believe that since she gave them life, it is within her power to take away their lives.

Also it is interesting to note, her husband worked from a basement office in their home. She killed the children in the basement, and recently I read the little boy was found in his office. What was she trying to convey?

It is also disturbing to consider her choice of ligature. Did the children interfere with her time for exercise? Did they rob her of a perfect body? People are inclined to delve into the psyche of such an atrocity. Why exercise bands as opposed to some other type of ligature? These are a few more questions to be contemplated, because this woman did seem to know what she was doing. Resentment could very well be at the root of it all.

In recent years, the treatments for depression and psychiatric disorders has had more mind altering medications added to the chemical soup, to include ketamine and psilocybin. Nothing like introducing drugs that cause psychosis, hallucinations, and dissociative reactions, all under the guise of helping people. If they were not crazy to begin with, there is a cocktail of drugs to help them on their way. Once a person starts down this path, they may, or may not come back with all their faculties intact. 

Using hallucinogens in psychiatric experiments is nothing new, because there are shady stories involving LSD, the CIA, and murders, using excessive amounts of LSD, often without the patient’s consent or awareness, going back to the sixties and seventies. Obviously I am digressing a fair bit from the professional article I just read. But as an RN, over the years, I must have handed out a million pills, and witnessed the side effects of those medications as well. 

Historically, when there has been a rise in fascism, often psychiatry is at the forefront of torture and murder. First through poisoning with drugs, then the person becomes delusional and psychotic, and the next thing you know they are gone. Or they develop such severe movement disorders, they must be hospitalized, which places them at the mercy of more drugs, and even worse reactions.

I remember one psych patient who was in her late forties at the time I knew her. The psych nurse who ran a small facility to care for chronically ill psych patients told me she knew this woman years prior to all the treatment, when she was a normal person. She said she had been very intelligent, socially outgoing, articulate, and had been a school teacher. Over just a few years after she sought treatment, she had received so many medications and ECT treatments, she was no longer functional. She could hardly speak, could not take care of herself, and was an empty shell of her former self. What caused her to embark on such a journey? Apparently she sought treatment for a mild depression following the birth of her last child.

When a person is started on such medications, no one other than those close to them knows what they were like before they started taking the medications. The health care system assumes there must have been a legitimate and serious mental health disorder for a person to be prescribed antipsychotics. But it is not always the case, and there is no real documented baseline to go by. The psychiatrist is the one who prescribes the medications, and oversees the patient. People in the system seldom question his/her authority, and one thing to be aware of, psychiatrists are hooked on prescribing drugs. They often prescribe antipsychotics when there is absolutely no evidence or history of psychosis. Mind altering medications are designed to take control away from the patient, and hand it over to a “doctor” who often does not have the best interests of the patient in mind. Some do – but the profession itself is rife with abuse. 

Once it has been established the person is mentally ill and under psychiatric care, it is easy to explain away why they jumped out of a window, committed suicide, or simply disappeared. Psychiatry also has a dark history of torture and experiments with people’s minds. In addition to the overuse of unproven drugs, other so-called therapies have included sleep deprivation, insulin shock, electric shock, nitrous oxide, and cryotherapy. All people should proceed with extreme caution, when navigating this highly questionable mind blowing industry.

Psychiatry as a specialty did not come into existence until the 1800’s, and initially was concerned primarily with those who were obviously very sick. At one time, people who had gone mad were locked away out of sight in deplorable conditions, and in some cases, they were even chained to trees. The early studies of mental health revolved around those who were manic, psychotic, brain injured, and considered to be complete lunatics. Until the 1800’s it was assumed people who were insane were possessed by demons. 

The treatments in psychiatry for the population in general, have only been recently studied, and developed in the past hundred years or so. The bottom line is that human psychology, and the behavioural results of abnormal psychology, are poorly understood to this day. The same goes for all the medication used to treat the errant brain. 

What makes people tick to make them sick? No doubt it is based on a galaxy of crossed motives, combined with genetics, neurochemistry, external influences, circumstances, stressors, resentments, manipulations, emotional instability, other over riding illnesses, spiritual beliefs, lack of self-awareness, intrinsic personality disorders, hormonal imbalances, poor diet, drugs, poor coping mechanisms, lack of exercise, lack of support systems, poor internal boundaries, poor impulse control, degree of self-centredness, the early development or lack of conscience, and family of origin experiences. 

Can the things contributing to mental illness be overcome? Why not? As long as we have functioning brains, we can evaluate and make lifestyle changes to improve our stability and cognition. Diet and exercise make a huge difference. A commitment to maintaining self-control and stability, means you will not become insane. Above all, don’t seek a quick fix with pills. We should be able to trust our minds. One of the verses in the Bible I have found to be a great comfort:

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.”

Now that I am older and wiser, I will take the Bible verses to heart over a pill any day. I do believe we are spiritual beings, and we need faith to help us overcome fear, anger and hopelessness more than we need to be medicated.

It is true, there are certain violent, psychotic and unstable people, who will become very dangerous if they do not take their medications. These are people who have to be institutionalized, and monitored closely, because they have no control over violent impulses. In all cases, they will also have had trouble with the law, a history of assaults, and a variety of other criminal behaviours. 

Generally people who have depression or anxiety, do not fit into the same category as the out of control violent offenders. In fact, statistics show that more than 50% of all people will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their life. Fortunately they do not all become homicidal maniacs. Of the 50% who are never diagnosed, there is no doubt they too, had to cope with anxiety, depression, addiction, or some other mental health disorder at some point. Struggles are a part of life. It does not mean we are all crazy, and in need of potent drugs. 

The biggest question we should ask ourselves, is why the struggles and challenges we face throughout our lives are being diagnosed as mental illness? Just a few years ago, in depression screening, if a person was still grieving a loss such as the death of a spouse a year later, the person would be diagnosed and treated for depression, usually with SSRI antidepressants. Now the time frame for those who are grieving to be diagnosed with depression is just two weeks. It’s taking away the natural progression, and adjustments that are required in order to adapt to a loss. When people are grieving they are vulnerable, which makes them easy to exploit. 

The DSM manual is referred to as a diagnostic bible for mental health disorders. Over the past fifty years the number of mental health disorders listed in the book has grown from forty or so, to several hundred. And it continues to evolve and grow exponentially. If you look at how they go about adding the various disorders, as well as who is behind it all, you would give your head a shake. It all sounds so academically uppity, but there is a motive to their madness orientation, and it is spelled medication. 

One of the major pharmaceutical companies, when promoting drugs specifically for women, told the ghost writers and researchers “to dumb it down” for their target market. Nice eh? Now I see there are articles in the media claiming women are the fasted growing population with Alzheimers. Could it be because women live longer? Could it be because they want to promote HRT, or hormonal replacement drugs? What woman in her right mind, would not be incentivized to keep her mind?

Working in the health care field has made me cynical, and skeptical, with regards to the profit motives, in over medicating people. Over the years, I also noticed how much the drug companies minimize side effects. They would send drug reps to give the educational lectures for nurses.

We were then given post-basic educational credits for the drug company indoctrination. We used to just look at each other, and roll our eyes.  I am more inclined to trust nature versus “her-ture” or “her-cure” carefully dumbed down for women.

We have already given them far too much business. The DSM and pharmaceutical influences, are turning mental health into a medicalized metaphor of fast fashion. How much of this diagnostic mania is “headed” for the landfills? At least with cheap clothes, they can be discarded more easily, than we can detoxify our minds, and bodies of weird drugs that no one fully understands. Even the brilliant corporate bigwigs and psychiatrists admit they don’t know how most of the psychoactive medications work, but they will smugly add “we just know they do work.” Oh really? How profound.  

To top it off the entire scope of diagnostics around mental health has no measuring stick, no real diagnostic criteria, no blood work, no ultrasound, or X-rays. They can do CT scans and MRI’s to determine if there is an organic brain disorder, or tumours. But as far as generalized anxiety and depression, it’s all based on perception. One must also differentiate whether or not it is the patient’s perception, or the doctor’s perception. There are many incentives to medicate people. 

The article states that the percentage of men who kill their children is roughly equal to that of women. It also describes the high risk period in the immediate postnatal period of time, as having certain defining factors. Those high risk factors include unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, lack of support, lack of education, lack of a stable home environment, addiction, past trauma, etc.

In some countries if children are killed by the mother within the first year after birth, it is automatically considered to be a mental health issue, as opposed to a criminal act. It seems pretty clear that any mother who would kill her children is mentally ill. But the cause and the motives remain unclear, especially in cases where the mother is educated, supported, and living an outwardly normal life.

The case of Lindsay Clancy is probably one of the most perplexing cases of all, as it was clearly a premeditated act. If a sleep deprived, depressed mother throws her colicky baby against a wall at 3 am – it would be understood as an impulsive act. If a mentally ill woman gets to the stage where she is hearing voices, rambling on an on about UFOs or demons, and is increasingly erratic, dishevelled, and unable to care for herself or anyone else, it is also pretty obvious that she cannot take on any added responsibility.

But with Lindsay Clancy, she was driving, going to appointments, talking normally, sending photos of building snowmen, etc. without any cause for alarm. Unlike most severely mentally ill people, she was able to dress herself and the children, and carry out activities of daily living.

In addition, she was able to calculate the timelines to carry out the murders to the minute. She sent her husband on an errand, and checked the length of time on an Internet map to find out how long it would take to complete those errands. She had it figured out well in advance. Murder begins in the heart, then the thoughts, then the planning, then the action. It is interesting to note that many murderers, to include depressed and homicidal mothers, will create a detailed to do list, which is often located by police when doing the investigation.

Some of those lists are chilling, like all the purchases they need to make are put onto a shopping list. Things like shovel, gloves, tarp, bleach, and other cleaning supplies. You would think when it comes to the actual planning, most people would come to their senses. But the evidence ends up proving otherwise.

In many cases the delusions, or self deception surrounding murder, revolves around mercy killing, sending the person to heaven, doing the world and God a favour, etc. Such is the capacity for denial and self deception. It also explains why so many refuse to take responsibility for their crimes, firmly believing they had no other choice, or that it was done through a fault not attributed to themselves. A lack of remorse is a dire indication of psychopathy and evil. 

In one comment section on the Lindsay Clancy case, a person claiming to be a healthcare professional, said it was not Lindsay who carried out the murders, but rather it was the psychosis that carried out the murders. Apparently she had nothing to do with it. How people come up with such skewed logic is beyond me. I don’t believe she should be automatically hanged by public opinion. Nor do I believe she should be automatically exonerated. Hopefully, the judicial system is intact enough to present the evidence, along with balanced legal arguments. 

From what is known already, Lindsay Clancy also created a to do list. It has been reported she calculated the timelines through Internet map checks, and sent her husband to a takeout place, further away than the normal takeout places they would use to get food. She also asked him to stop at a drug store to buy a children’s laxative, which is really strange, considering what her plans were. It shows she was putting on an act of normalcy, added to the errand, to stall the husband, in order to give herself enough time to carry out the murders. Apparently she also acted cheerful, and normal on that particular day, so there was no cause for alarm.

Her husband claimed she had been having a “good day, one of her better days.” Incredible really. Much more so, than if she had been acting strangely. She very capably hid her true motives and plans from all those around her. No doubt it will be a bone to chew on for the prosecution, and a difficult scenario to defend. They can hardly claim she was deranged, and sick beyond comprehension. 

Andrea Yates also had a to do list, in that she waited until her husband was gone for an hour or so. She also had only a brief window of time, because her mother or mother-in-law was due to arrive to help care for the children, knowing Andrea was in a state of depression and mental instability.

Andrea Yates, like Lindsay Clancy, used that very brief window of time, when alone with the children, to carry out a calculated and premeditated to do list. Yates filled the bath tub with water, locked up the dog, and systematically drowned five children, one after the other. Following that, she laid them out, and posed them, with the baby in the crook of the arm of her big brother. Then she sat down and calmly made some phone calls. 

Lindsay Clancy also executed a homicidal to do list, which begs the question whether or not these women had more in common with the general homicidal population, as opposed to the issue of postpartum depression. Of course, this is pure speculation on my part. People simply do not want to believe mothers can be murderers. But murder is something people in the general population can carry out, and mothers are part of the general population. 

In my opinion what is most alarming is the outpouring of support for Lindsay Clancy, claiming what a wonderful perfect mother she was. Perhaps the issue of perfectionism, and the illusion of perfectionism versus reality needs to be explored more. If young women grow up with the idea of getting married and living happily ever after, with a white picket fence, and a romantic vision of a perfect life, perhaps they become quite disillusioned over time.

Given what she did, is it really in her best interests to have all her friends and co-workers write hundreds of letters claiming she was the perfect mother, and a wonderful caring nurse? Then how does anyone reconcile what she did, while still giving an outward appearance of being normal? Perhaps these claims prove she was adept at hiding her true self, and the rage within her? Perhaps it proves she was a master manipulator?

It just seems odd to watch a case unfold where a mother murders all three of her children, and clearly planned to do so, followed by a million dollars in donations to the husband. Even though those funds supposedly cannot be used for her legal fees, the couple is still married, and she would be entitled to half the assets.

There is a fine line between compassion and leniency to include financial gain. It is not a good sign to see society demonstrate such an outpouring of support to bury three children, as a result of homicide, without consequences, combined with a significant financial gain.

The very sympathetic lawyer claimed she was suffering severe postpartum depression, and tried to join her children in death. If that were the case, she would be dead. She knew how to make sure the children had zero chance of survival, and she did not make a lethal attempt on her own life. Would she have jumped from a fifteenth story window? A second story window onto the grass below, is not likely to be fatal. Some things are quite obvious. In addition, during all the fund raising, and initial outpouring of sympathy, there were claims she was paralyzed. Those claims have already turned out to be false. Apparently she is now moving her legs, and is clearly not paralyzed. 

Diane Downs drove to a remote location, and shot her three children. She then shot herself in the arm, and drove very slowly to the hospital. When she got there she claimed a bushy haired man had shot them. The children’s injuries were fatal, or critically life threatening, while hers was quite minor.

Darlie Routier viciously stabbed her two young boys to death, and then cut herself. She was out of the hospital, and doing a macabre birthday party, singing, laughing, chewing gum, and casting silly string on the gravesites, just a week later. Clearly her injuries were not the least bit life threatening. Some people claim her injuries could have been fatal, just like Lindsay Clancy’s injuries could have been fatal. But they were not fatal, and what they could have been does not count. It is pure conjecture to say what they could have been. 

When we say to ourselves, something is wrong with this picture, there is perhaps no greater contradictions of motherly love than what we see in the Lindsay Clancy case, especially when combined with public perception. Another shocking element is when it was reported her first question after being taken to the hospital was “do I need an attorney?”

Wouldn’t you think she would be overwhelmed with grief and remorse, and unconsolable, if she did what she did in a moment of psychotic madness? Besides that, no one strangles three people in a moment. How did she know for certain all the children were dead? Wouldn’t you think that might have been her first question? After all, the youngest one was transferred to hospital, and did not die until three days later. If what the news reports have said is true, concern for those children did not even cross her mind. Her first concern was for herself, which speaks volumes. 

There was no outpouring of public support for other notorious child murderers, even though there might have been sympathy for a mental illness that would lead to such atrocities. The motives of Diane Downs, and Susan Smith became apparent with the investigation, as both were having affairs, and wanting their freedom. The motives of Andrea Yates appeared to be religious delusions.

The outpouring of support for Lindsay Clancy, in my opinion, it is far too early in the investigation to draw definitive conclusions, and overlook other possible motives. The couple’s financial records may come to light, as well as whether or not there had been any extramarital affairs, or a rocky relationship with her spouse. Many child homicides are based on revenge toward the other parent.

As far as what kind of expert psychiatric testimony might be brought forward in the Lindsay Clancy case, the article by some of the experts in the field, serves to highlight how little is known about postpartum depression and filicide. The entire goal of understanding something as disturbing as child homicide, is or should be, to find ways to prevent it.

In my opinion, in cases of mental instability or failure to cope, the mother should be relieved of caregiving duties for a period of time. If she is still functional, she should go swimming three or four times a week, or get other forms of fresh air and exercise, as well as a nutrient rich diet. She should also have hobbies, and outside interests that help validate her as a human being, as opposed to being delegated to housework, cooking, and caregiving as the primary basis of her self identity. For some women, being stuck at home with children feels like a trap, unless there are other outlets to help balance the demands of caregiving.

The other thing about “getting help” as so many people seem to focus on, revolves around seeing doctors and psychiatrists, which means being prescribed potent and often addictive medications that further mess with the brain, and hormonal system.

Benzodiazepines, first in the genre of Valium aka “mother’s little helpers” a phrase coined by the Rolling Stones in the sixties, created a plethora of addicted and zombie like mothers. They then had the complex, and additional task of dealing with a raging addiction. Now the same class of drugs is re-labelled as Xanax, Clonazepam, and Ativan, among others. But the effects are the same. 

In order to avoid such tragedies, perhaps we need to rethink what help for mental illness really means. It could very well be out of our range to understand what is in the heart and mind of another individual. But rather than view help as being a wholly psychiatric issue, perhaps it should be more grassroots.

Real help might mean family members taking over child care, cleaning, laundry, making meals, offering financial supports, and helping husbands to be more aware of what needs to be done around the house. It might mean finding ways to increase positive social interactions with other adults.

One of the sad realities is that the world is full of flawed and character disordered individuals. In fact, there is no such thing as a perfect mother, even though some are more saintly than others. At present, we do not have the answers. However we all should find ways to take care of our own mental health, and maintain self-control regardless of the circumstances we are in. After all if a person cannot control themselves, who can?

The Lindsay Clancy case was by definition a mass murder, which involves the killing of two or more victims within a short time frame. The leniency or support for the killer should not be automatic, and we should not lose sight of the innocent victims. In addition, the attention, outpouring of support, money, and sympathy, might create copycat crimes, or a justification for other desperate mothers to do the same.

Societal laws and attitudes should protect children above all else. Let’s hope we don’t lose sight of that, regardless of the outcome of this particular case. Below is the link providing some insight into the psychiatry, and defence that might be mounted to reduce the consequences of the crimes.

https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.9.1578

Copyright Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West (2023). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Terrible Case Of Nurse Lindsay Clancy Who Murdered Her Three Young Children

February 11, 2023  | Valerie Hayes  | Health & Wellness, Thoughts & Ideas, Valerie Hayes, View All Articles & Photos

This horrific case holds many similarities to the Andrea Yates murders of her five young children in 2001. Both of these murderous mothers were nurses, both were married, and living with their families in modest, normal looking homes at the time of their horrific crimes.

Both of them killed by obliterating the airways, or ability to breathe, in one case through drowning, and in the other case through ligature strangulation, or asphyxiation. Most nurses know the ABC priorities for survival, with A standing for airway, which makes these cases that much more disturbing. They went for the surest, and most expedient way to cause death, by systematically taking away the airways of their victims.

All nurses, and first responders, are first and foremost taught how to assess, manage and above all – protect the airways of patients. These women who were also nurses, intentionally set out to do just the opposite, to their very own children, not as a matter of neglect, but with the intent to obstruct the airways, with a premeditated plan in order to kill them.

Few things could be more incomprehensible in scope, intent, and absolute, definitive life ending cruelty. They took the God given breath of life, right out of the epitome of trust, and innocence, as is known to all human beings. Once the deed is done, there is no turning back. They knew it too. There can be no denying the fact they knew it was an irreversible act, regardless of their mental state at the time.

Andrea Yates had worked as an RN at MD Anderson, a cancer research centre in Houston Texas, and Lindsay Clancy was a labour and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Both killed all of their children, and both were in their thirties when they committed the crimes.

Both of these women, were mothers with husbands who claimed to love and support them. Neither one of them were abused or battered by their spouses. They were not unstable, immature teenage single mothers addicted to meth or opiates. They did not appear to have unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. They were professionals living superficially ordinary lives, which many people might have envied.

In both cases, a defence of postpartum depression, and psychosis, is what laid the groundwork for the defence. In the case of Andrea Yates, her condition was more overtly psychotic, in that she was steeped in religious delusions, and believed she, and the children were being affected by demons. As a contributing factor, she and her husband were following the cultish beliefs of street preacher Michael Woroniecki, who was known for certain outrageous, attention seeking tactics.

The preacher in the Andrea Yates case was arrested on multiple occasions in the US, due to the extremism, and sometimes outlandish methods of outreach he was known for. At one point, he travelled to Morocco where his street preaching incited a riot, and once again he was arrested, and then promptly deported. It turned out the Yates couple at one point, bought a converted bus from this preacher, which they lived in prior to moving into a house in Houston, Texas. Andrea was left in a confined space to care for the children, as well as to home school them, without proper cooking and washing facilities.

Because it is still early in the Lindsay Clancy case, less is known about their family history, religious beliefs, and family dynamics. What has been reported, is that the husband was working from a home office in the basement. There was also a go fund me page set up after the murders with a goal of reaching $750,000.00, and following that it was increased to a million.

It does seem a bit sketchy to raise such hefty funds, because the burial of three children would not cost much, and apparently the go fund me money cannot go toward a legal defence. No doubt the details of the family finances will surface as the investigation progresses.

The husband also made social media pleas to forgive his wife, shortly after the murders. This could simply be a response to the tragedy on his part, but forgiveness is a process, and for something so horrific, would most likely take a very long time. In the case of Andrea Yates, the husband supported her in the initial aftermath, but soon filed for divorce. He remarried, had another child, and then the second wife filed for divorce.

Apparently Lindsay was on maternity leave at the time of the murders. Between October and January, it was reported she had been prescribed thirteen different psychiatric medications. At the time of the murders in late January, she was supposedly taking three to four medications, specifically benzodiazepines and SSRI’s, as well as sleeping pills or an antipsychotic medication. In several of the reports, it refers to the amount she was taking at the time of the murders, as “only three or four prescription medications” trying to downplay it. A prescription for benzos or even just one potent antipsychotic drug is excessive for a young mother with small children, so it is crazy to claim three or four psychoactive prescription drugs is of little consequence.

The fact she was prescribed thirteen different drugs, means she was drug seeking, and not willing to wait, or try other wellness oriented type treatments. The only other situation in which so many drugs would be prescribed over such a short period of time, is if the person is in the hospital, and cannot be controlled – like completely and totally off the deep end, screaming incoherently, not sleeping or eating, or settling down at all. Otherwise, even if a person is very psychotic, the doctor will prescribe a drug, and then monitor the effects for a period of at least two or three weeks before making changes.

Obtaining prescriptions for thirteen different medications, means she was repeatedly going to the doctor. Was she drug seeking? Or could she have been setting up an insanity defence? As a nurse, she would know there are limits to what one can take, how many, and the fact that most medications take time to work, or create a blood level. So the excessive doctor’s visits and drug seeking also raises red flags.

It has also been reported she was making numerous Facebook posts about all the medications, and attempts to seek treatments. Was she trying to set up a scenario for long term disability so she did not have to return to work? It seems odd to post such personal mental health details on Facebook, but then again, we live in a tell all world these days. Even so, it could come back to haunt her, as it might be interpreted as setting the stage, or as attempts to manipulate impressions or outcomes.

In the case of Andrea Yates, she was prescribed Haldol, a potent antipsychotic, which is also very sedating. For many reasons it has since been discontinued, and pulled from the shelves. Andrea Yates was outwardly sicker than Lindsay Clancy, in that she had frequent delusions, suicide attempts, and psychotic episodes. However both of them were coherent and somewhat logical. I have seen and listened to mentally ill patients who can hardly string sentences together, and if they can, they make no sense at all. They will constantly talk about, or refer to things no one else can see, and often the hallucinations are vivid, detailed, and grandiose.

Neither one of these women were openly psychotic. When Andrea Yates killed all five of her children, she did have the presence of mind to lock up the family dog, as well as to call the police after the fact, and calmly tell them to come to the residence. She also called her husband, and told him to come home. She knew what she had done, and like Lindsay Clancy, she did it during a brief timeframe of being alone with the children. Therefore, in both cases, they knew what they were doing was wrong, and there was a clear plan to hide the crimes while they carried them out. They were calculating, with clarity of thought processes, advanced planning, and premeditation in what they did. They were not incoherent, or babbling about being chased by crimson coloured flying demons.

In the case of Lindsay Clancy, she was behaving normal, and was able to drive, run errands, take her children to appointments etc. which is quite amazing, given the sedating effects of benzodiazepines. In my opinion, both of these cases prove that doctors, specifically psychiatrists, are ordering potent drugs without giving consideration to the care of small children, or the safety of driving.

Just as a person with epilepsy who has seizures, will lose a driver’s license for a period of time, so too should those who are prescribed antipsychotics, and sedative drugs, especially given the fact they are also mentally unstable, and presumedly unpredictable. Even a prescription for many of the SSRI’s can lead to erratic behaviours and suicidal ideation, therefore they should not be prescribed with such brazen indifference to the reactions, or drug interactions that might occur. In addition to the driving considerations, the children’s services should be notified, as one would reasonably presume – if a person is psychotic or suicidal, they cannot possibly look after young children.

The other thing to consider in all cases, is there is a family dynamic involved, which is a contributing factor, and is often overlooked or downplayed. In the case of Andrea Yates, her husband appeared to be insane as well, and was chatty, and very inappropriate following the murders. Although he was a professional engineer working for NASA, he had the family living in a converted school bus for part of the time. He was also a religious extremist, and thought it was just fine to keep having babies, in spite of his wife’s deteriorating mental health, and inability to cope.

Perhaps one of the truisms we can take away from such tragedies, is rather than view children as extensions of, or as possessions of their parents, they are in fact God’s children first and foremost, and His creation, and are known to God before they are even conceived.

The Bible does say God gives us breath, which is the spirit of life. He breathes life into us at birth, which makes taking breath away, an incredible violation of God’s gift of life. All of creation comes from, and belongs to God. Without God there would not be any life at all. So to treat children as an extension of self is narcissism, and is not in the best interest of the child.

It is also true that many people who develop psychosis or delusions will become immersed in religious interpretations, often based on cultish religious leaders, or misinterpretations of what they read in the Bible. They tend to focus on demons, hell, punishment and drum up a rescue of sorts, or at least will make claims to be saving the children from hell, or demonic possession, etc.

The Bible and the promises contained within the gospel, never advises people to be violent, or to kill or harm another person, much less a child. All instructions given in the Bible revolve around love, forgiveness, perseverance, hope, salvation, and repentance. Anyone who enters into a cycle of torment and punishment based on religious beliefs, is delusional and psychotic. In many cases cultish type delusions are the most dangerous of all, because a person can genuinely believe they are hearing voices or instructions from God, when they are actually experiencing auditory hallucinations.

All deviations from the truth of the gospel such as with cult religions, narcissistic religious leaders, control freaks who use the Bible as a deceptive form of authority, and those who lose touch with reality, and enter a supernatural world, are probably the most dangerous forms of mental illness. Throughout history there have been many cult leaders who coerced large groups of people into committing mass murders, and mass suicides, to include sacrificing innocent children. The Bible describes the fruits of the spirit as being: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faith, gentleness and self-control. Therefore any beliefs involving religious deviations from the truths in the Bible, are based on false, and deceptive religions and cults. 

None of the beliefs, no matter how far fetched, or how psychotic and delusional they are, should absolve any person of the responsibility of committing violent crimes against innocent people. It is not the psychosis that commits the crime. It is people who carry out the criminal acts, and if they carry out crimes of violence and murder, they must be held accountable, with a priority to protect others from any further harm. Pity for psychosis lacks an appropriate, and just empathy for the victims. It is misplaced, and provides an excuse for violent crimes without accountability. The vast majority of people who are mentally ill and suffer from delusions and psychosis, do not commit violent crimes.

In my opinion, we cannot give ourselves over to evil, commit horrific crimes, and then blame it on psychosis. Self control cannot be the responsibility of someone other than self. Every adult learns about self control as they mature, and if no one developed self control, the world would be in a perpetual state of anarchy, chaos, disorder and violence. Innocent people need to be protected from unbridled out of control violence, regardless of the underlying reasons for the violence.

I believe people with serious mental health disorders should receive treatment, but if they commit violent crimes, they must also be held accountable for those crimes, and face the same length of incarceration as a non-psychotic person would face. Otherwise there is not much incentive to maintain self control, and to overcome the negatives in our lives.

One of the glaring contradictions in all of this, is that when a father murders his young children, it is seen as an act of rage, domestic violence, and revenge. He is almost always viewed as a monster. Very little sympathy is extended toward fathers who kill. But in the case of horrific child murders involving mothers attacking, and annihilating their young children, there is much more compassion, and an outpouring of sympathy.

I am much more skeptical of all people who intentionally harm young children. Although I realize both parents can face extenuating circumstances, and debilitating mental illnesses, we should never lose sight of the victims, and how truly helpless children are, if an adult caregiver decides to harm them.

In both the Andrea Yates and the Lindsay Clancy cases, in spite of all the talk of having suicidal ideation, neither one of them took their own life. Both were kinder to themselves, and gave their own lives a fighting chance, compared to what they gave to their children. Yates did nothing to herself at all, even though she thought she was demon possessed too. She sat down and waited for the police to arrive instead of taking things a step further and ending her own life.

After murdering all three children, Lindsay went upstairs and made a half hearted attempt to cut herself, without damaging any major arteries, even though she had a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. She could have put a rope around her neck and hung herself, cutting off her airway as she had just done to her children. But she did not cut off her own air supply.

Instead she jumped from a second story window. Most people would know, they are likely to survive such a fall, even if they do get  injured. In spite of the fact there are reports she is paralyzed, it may not be permanent, and she could be pretending to have no feeling in her legs. I know it sounds harsh to say she might be faking paralysis, but it is quite possible, in order to gain sympathy.

It is not always possible to determine if there is irreversible damage to the spinal cord, especially with lower back injuries. Many people with lower back injuries have been told they will never walk again, only to get up and walk out of the hospital just days or weeks later. She also asked almost immediately if she needed an attorney, which is a clear indication, she is invested in her own well being, and already intends to try and reduce any consequences she might be facing. Does she have remorse? It is almost unfathomable to be lacking remorse in such a situation, but who knows? Time will tell I suppose.

I think the end results with both of these nurses actions, speaks to homicidal rage, as opposed to being suicidal. But it does bring to focus the fact that suicidal ideation, and homicidal actions, can be closely related. If a person loses value for his or her own life, the people around them are at risk as well.

Perhaps the most shocking commonality between these two women, was the inclination to keep having more children, in spite of the fact they seemed to realize they were mentally ill. In spite of the fact they were both educated as nurses, and knew how to prevent conception. In spite of the fact they already had a healthy family, and could have stopped at having one or two children, if they found the demands of raising young children to be overwhelming.

Both of them continued to have more children, and continued to express the desire to have even more. Lindsay was making comments about getting pregnant again, even when she was still on maternity leave, and in the midst of her downward spiral into murdering all of her children.

And surprisingly, the husbands in both cases also seemed to think this was all okay, even though their wives were showing signs of faltering mental health, and a complete failure to cope. It seems there was a lack of realistic expectations, and self awareness. Clearly, logic was not in the equation for some reason. Perhaps it is due to an over romanticized vision of extending oneself by having more children, or pride in the concept of fertility. That’s just a guess, because it is hard to conceive of any other reasons.

I think in all cases of murder, there is a motive, and also a degree of insanity, whether it is due to drugs, personality disorders, evil inclinations, unbridled rage, or a predisposition to mental illness. When a parent murders a child, I believe there is often a complex family dynamic involving resentment and revenge.

Years ago, I recall reading about a case where a father, and mother were separated, and in a heated custody battle. When the father had the children one weekend, he called his ex-wife, and forced her to listen to him shoot the children, as she screamed for them to run. Also, many embittered custody battles have contributed to spousal murders, and murder for hire, involving both men and women as perpetrators of such crimes.

In fact, many cases of spousal and child murders are related to family breakdown and custody battles, therefore the revenge motive is likely a root cause in child murders. If there is to be a better understanding, and a way to prevent such tragedies, there are certain things to consider. The courts are often viewed as unfair toward the fathers. Men with more money and influence, can often wield power over the woman. These things lay the groundwork for bitter battles, where both might lose sight of the best interest of the children.

Parental separation, dysfunction, and conflict creates a battleground with innocent victims. In the case of Lindsay Clancy and Andrea Yates, the medication they were prescribed did not protect the children, did not cure their illnesses, and quite possibly contributed to the tragedies.

All cases of severe postpartum depression where potent medications are prescribed should have proper follow up, and arrangements made for the care of the children. There should also be an in-depth family assessment, because it does appear to be worsened by a complex relationship dynamic, unreasonable expectations, and simmering resentments.

The extended family should never be shut out of a family, as they are the most likely ones to offer loving, and practical interventions that might help the family through a crisis. If there is abuse or shunning toward one member of the family, there is a risk for others in the family to be abused or mistreated as well. If those with the most power, abuse power over the weaker members of the family, it creates an unhealthy dynamic that can be manifested for several generations. Deception, greed, and abuse of power are the silent killers of the family.

The issue of postpartum depression is one most women can relate to, at least to some extent. There are many hormonal changes, a lack of sleep, and often overwhelming responsibilities that young women must face. It is exacerbated if there is a lack of family support, single parenting, drug and alcohol abuse, inadequate resources, financial stressors, excessive workload, and a lack of positive social interactions.

We all do crazy things throughout our lifetimes, but some things are over the top. Another example of extremism, although it may seem less notorious, is the case of the famous British woman mountaineer Alison Hargreaves. She embarked on a dangerous and rigorous climb of the north face of Mt. Eiger when she was six months pregnant. Some people would consider that to be quite a feat. Others would consider it to be insane and reckless endangerment, even though it is considered to be an accomplishment. Ultimately the effects on her children turned out to be devastating, with long term consequences.

Following the climb while pregnant, when her children were still very young, she did a successful solo hike of Mt. Everest without a sherpa, and without supplemental oxygen. However in 1995, while hiking with a group on the formidable K2 mountain, she succumbed to the elements in a storm, when her children were just four and six years old.

The tragedy did not stop there. Her son Tom Ballard, who she was pregnant with on the Mt. Eiger climb, grew up to follow in his mother’s footsteps as a fearless climber. He was just six years old when his mother died, and he too died climbing, just twenty four years later.

Although these family tragedies seem far removed from each other, they do illustrate how selfish ambition, and a variety of unknown stressors, can lead up to extreme losses. In the case of the British climber and mother, Alison Hargreaves, the family was faced with many financial pressures, and a foreclosure on their home. Her role as a professional climber, made her the sole breadwinner, and ended up being a contributing factor in the risks she took.

When faced with criticism, many people chimed in with opinions about men going on high risk climbs, without as much derision toward them for leaving young children behind. They gave accolades and encouragement to women climbers, in a quest to be more equal in the mountaineering challenges.

In all cases, the choices adults make, whether male or female, and the family dynamics created by those choices, can have an insurmountable effect on the children.

Under the surface of all the foggy and errant vision, causing people to lose the path, they are often due to selfish or ill-conceived pursuits, or anger, or the attempt to prove something. Then out of the blue, there is a storm, a loss of control, or a moment of madness, leading to a most regrettable outcome.

In some cases, there is no turning back. In the case of Lindsay Clancy and Andrea Yates, they set up scenarios they can never go back on, or find relief from. They can never recover. They cannot bring those lives back. They cannot change what they did.

They did plan it, and embark on an irreversible plot, for reasons we may never know. In the case of Lindsay, she may look back on her youth, her suburban life with three beautiful children, a career, and a husband, and wonder why on earth she did what she did.

Whatever her regrets, and whether or not she is destined to a life in a wheelchair, or a life sentence in jail, what could ever make her take such a course? It does not appear she met the criteria for being legally insane. Yet, whatever her motives were, there is no more solid ground under her feet, no more snowmen to build, and no more normal life to lead. If normal was hard to cope with, what is in store for her now? Life as she knew it is gone forever, buried under an avalanche of rage, that came tumbling down off an icy ridge.

Our pursuits and decisions in life are so often tied to things without merit, that could give way to catastrophic outcomes. At the end of each day, or better yet, at the beginning of each day, we would be wise to give thanks, to count our blessings, and to carefully consider the path we are on. Because certain wrong turns, can never be remedied.

Some falls go into a cavernous abyss, with no bottom, and no end in sight – leaving nothing but a gaping question mark as to why, and what could have been done to prevent it?

Copyright Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West (2023). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.