Psychiatrist Who Saw Lindsay Clancy Day Before Killings Testifies In Murder Trial

Psychiatrist Jennifer Tufts testified today that Lindsay Clancy gave no indication of suicidal or homicidal thoughts the day before she killed her three young children after a treatment session for postpartum depression issues. Tufts was on the witness stand for nearly three hours today (Friday, August 7, day 9) and will return on Monday for cross-examination. She last saw Clancy on Jan. 23, 2023. Clancy killed her children the next day. 00:24 "Did you learn during that appointment that Ms. Clancy had just been discharged from McLean Hospital?" "Yes." "And what, if anything, did Ms. Clancy tell you about her current mental state and what had happened between your last appointment on December 16, and and now this appointment on January 6?" "So she was continuing to feel depressed and attributing it to the Seroquel that she had been taking. So the idea was was going to McLean so that she could be safely taken off of the Seroquel." 01:09 "And so on January 6, did she tell you what she was prescribed at that time?" "Yes." "And what was that?" "Trazadone, 100 milligrams. Ativan, one milligram, and melatonin, five milligrams." "And are these all low doses of these medications?" "Yes." 01:27 "Did you ask her if she had current suicidal ideation?" "Yes." "And what did she say?" "No." "Did you ask her if she had homicidal ideation?" "Yes." "And what was her response?" "No." "Did you observe any signs or symptoms of psychosis in her presentation, answers or behavior?" "No." 01:56 "So the only side effect she felt was that potentially when the Ativan would wear off, she would take it at night, and then in the morning it would wear off, and she would feel more anxious after it wore off. And in terms of the trazodone, did she say she had any side effects from the trazodone? No. And melatonin. What is melatonin? Melatonin is a chemical that the brain makes that tells us it's time to go to sleep. It's associated with the circadian rhythm. It's it's not a prescription. Actually, it's a medicine that you can pick up in over the counter at the pharmacy." 02:40 "What was the what was her mood according to Ms. Clancy on that date?" "She was feeling numb." 03:57 "Yes. So the plan on that day was to increase the trazodone to 150 milligrams. She had previously taken that dose and tolerated it well, and she had just come off of the the Seroquel at Mass General, or sorry, at McLean. So we were still in the in the phase where we were monitoring to see if if the depression might get better off of that medicine." 05:36 "Is there something you can do if you have a patient who you think is at risk of harming themselves or others?" "Yes." "And what is that?" "I could issue a section 12, which would mandate that they be brought to a hospital for treatment, or at least for evaluation, and then possible treatment." "I did not." "Did you ask her about whether she was having side effects from these medications, the trazodone, and the Ativan and the melatonin?" "Yes." "What was her response?" "So the only side effect she felt was that potentially when the Ativan would wear off, she would take it at night, and then in the morning it would wear off, and she would feel more anxious after it wore off. And in terms of the trazodone, did she say she had any side effects from the trazodone?" "No." 06:30 Jan. 9, 2023 appointment "And what was discussed at that appointment?" "So she said that the trazone increase was helpful. She was still getting that rebound anxiety the day after she took the Ativan. The mood was okay, but she was feeling like she was still flat. She wasn't able to cry, but she said she was able to laugh a little bit and hadn't been having recent thoughts of suicidal ideation." 07:02 "Had not been?" "Had not been." "And did you also ask her if she had any homicidal ideation?" "Yes." "And what was her response?" "No." "Did you notice any signs or symptoms of psychosis?" 07:27 "So at this point, she had been off of the seroquel for a couple weeks, and she wasn't getting better. So I thought that suggested the seroquel might not have been what was causing depression, and and it was depression. So that was what we needed to treat." "And what were your suggestions for treatment of the depression?" "We considered some different options. We didn't pick a medicine on that date, but we considered amitriptyline and Wellbutrin." 16:27 "What what was the conversation or interaction with her that day on the 23rd?" "So she said she was doing all right, a little more anxious, and the anxiety was described as the feeling of her heart racing. She had decreased appetite as well. She was on only two milligrams of Valium at this point, and feeling more anxious in the morning." 20:03 "At any point in time, did she tell you she was planning to kill herself?" "No." "Did at any point in time on the 23rd, did she say she was planning to kill her children?" "No, absolutely not."