The murder case against Lindsay Clancy took a closer look at her digital activity Thursday, as prosecutors and the defense offered sharply different interpretations of the same records. Prosecutors say searches, messages, notes, and location data show that Clancy planned the deaths of her three children.

Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued that the records instead reflect a mother struggling with severe mental health problems.

What Prosecutors Presented

Clancy, 36, is charged with murder in the deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Her defense has acknowledged that she strangled the children with exercise bands at the family’s home. However, Reddington maintains that Clancy was experiencing postpartum psychosis and was not criminally responsible for her actions.

Instagram | cbseveningnews | Clancy faces murder charges after her defense admitted she strangled her three young children at home.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Kyle Pavao testified about activity on a Microsoft Surface Pro used at the Clancy home. At 9:40 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2022, the device accessed a website called “suicide methods” after a search for singer Tom Hall, who died by suicide in 2021.

Reddington questioned the significance of that evidence. He asked Pavao, “That’s it?” before pressing him about whether the search was the reason he had appeared in court to testify.

The defense also established that the Surface Pro belonged to Clancy’s husband, Patrick Clancy. At the time of the search, Lindsay Clancy was at a doctor’s appointment for Dawson.

Searches and Phone Notes

Trooper Timothy Chiappini, who examined data extracted from Clancy’s cellphone, testified that she searched “can you treat a sociopath” three days before her children died.

Prosecutors also presented personal notes stored on her phone. One entry, created Oct. 25, 2022, and modified Nov. 3, described sadness, depression, and difficulty feeling connected to Callan after she stopped breastfeeding.

Clancy wrote that she felt she had begun resenting her older children because they prevented her from treating Callan like her first baby. She also wrote that she wanted to feel love and connection with all three children.

Another note, created Dec. 22 and modified Jan. 23, the day before the deaths, said, “Medication stole my motherhood and my life…prescription medication stole me from my own body.”

Defense Points to Other Searches

Instagram | cbseveningnews | Clancy's online history is split between prosecution evidence of intent and defense proof of psychosis.

The defense argued that prosecutors were focusing on selected digital records while leaving out searches that could support the mental-health argument.

Among those records were searches for “hallucinations” on Jan. 19 and “intrusive” on Jan. 20. Other searches appeared ordinary, including “premade goodie bags” on Dec. 31 and “best kids movies.”

Prosecutors also highlighted an Apple Maps search made before the children were killed. The search calculated the travel distance and time between the Clancy home, a restaurant, and CVS. Clancy had sent Patrick to pick up dinner and stop at CVS, which prosecutors cited as evidence that she was thinking clearly and had formed an intent to kill.

Reddington pointed to other activity from Jan. 24. Clancy had taken a photo of Cora and Dawson with a snowman they made that day. Patrick responded, “You’re a good mama.”

What Happens Next

The competing views of Clancy’s digital records are central to the case. Prosecutors say her searches and planning activity show intent. However, the defense argues that the wider record points to psychological distress. They also say it includes symptoms consistent with postpartum psychosis.

Meanwhile, court proceedings will be dark Friday. Testimony is scheduled to resume Monday morning. The next phase is expected to focus on Clancy’s mental state and her actions before the deaths. In addition, the court is expected to hear more testimony about the digital evidence.

Overall, digital evidence has become a key part of both sides’ arguments in Lindsay Clancy’s case. This evidence includes searches, phone notes, location records, photographs, and messages. However, prosecutors and defense attorneys interpret these records in very different ways.

Ultimately, the jury will have to weigh the digital evidence along with witness testimony and the other facts presented during the trial.