What the Lindsay Clancy Case Teaches Us About Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis affects one to two moms out of 1,000 births, but many reproductive psychiatrists believe that is an underestimate because the symptoms are easy to miss, and the doctors who most often see new moms are not trained to recognize them. (Kelly Heigert/KQED)
Airdate: Friday, September 18, 2026 at 10am
In the Massachusetts trial of Lindsay Clancy, one detail was not disputed in court: Clancy admitted to killing her three young children before attempting suicide in January 2023. But over the multi-week trial, Clancy’s defense argued she could not be held criminally responsible by reason of insanity, attributing her actions to postpartum psychosis. This case left a jury split and the public divided as it highlights major questions about insanity pleas, mental health care and similar cases involving postpartum psychosis. We’ll explore the complicated issue, and look at how it plays out here in California.
Guests:
- April Dembosky, health correspondent, KQED News
- Dr. Nirmaljit Dhami, perinatal psychiatrist, El Camino Hospital, medical director of the Inpatient Perinatal Psychiatry Unit
- Michelle Oberman, Professor of Law, Santa Clara University School of Law, Author of Mothers Who Kill Their Children