Taking the witness stand at Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial forced Patrick Clancy to revisit the most traumatic experience of his life.
In July, he described the events of Jan. 24, 2023, when he discovered his children, Cora, 5, and Dawson, 3, dead inside their home. Lindsay was found outside, bleeding after jumping from a second-story window. Their 8-month-old son, Callan, died four days later at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“Testifying is very difficult,” Patrick said during a Sept. 20 interview with 60 Minutes. He recalled taking a break before prosecutors played the 911 call, which he knew would be “just horrific.” In a back room, he said, he experienced a severe traumatic panic attack.
“My heart was pounding,” Patrick recalled. An ambulance was brought for him, and medical staff offered medication. He declined, telling them, “I don’t want it, because I want to go back and I want to finish this so I can be done with this.” He returned to the courtroom and completed his testimony.
During the interview, which also included his wife, Rachel Danis, Patrick revealed that he experienced suicidal thoughts after the deaths of his children.
“There was a time where I didn’t think I would live to see my 35th birthday,” said Patrick, now 36. “And I was completely fine with it.”
Although Rachel did not testify, Patrick spent two days on the stand discussing Lindsay’s mental health, their former marriage and what happened on the day their three children died.
The trial also fueled a wave of conspiracy theories across social media.
Patrick told 60 Minutes that the online rumors were “deeply harmful to the legacy of my children.” He said they distract from the central issue of perinatal mental health and have caused “real harm to real people,” including himself.
“It’s painful to see,” he continued. The speculation, he said, has made it harder for him to appear in public. He also worries that people exposed to “lie after lie after lie” may eventually accept those claims as true.
What Happened in Lindsay Clancy’s Murder Trial?
Lindsay’s trial concluded after more than a month of testimony and seven days of deliberations. The 12 jurors ultimately could not reach a unanimous verdict.
Lindsay faced three counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors argued that she intentionally killed Cora, Dawson and Callan on Jan. 24, 2023, before trying to take her own life.
Her defense team acknowledged that she killed the children but argued that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and had been overmedicated. As a result, they maintained, she was not criminally responsible for her actions.
How Did Patrick Clancy Meet Rachel Danis?
Several months after the children’s deaths and Lindsay’s arrest, Patrick left Massachusetts for New York City. That spring, he was jogging in Manhattan when he met Rachel. Their chance meeting developed into a relationship and eventually a marriage.
With the trial bringing renewed attention to their relationship, Rachel has pushed back against online criticism of her marriage to Patrick.
“I don’t understand how the story has been so twisted,” she said in a 60 Minutes teaser. Rachel described Patrick as “the most selfless father and supportive partner,” adding, “I was just a girl that met a guy running in Central Park on a really cold Saturday, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”