Antidepressant dose for child killer Lindsay Clancy was increased one day before murders

Dr. Jennifer Tufts, who treated Clancy and prescribed several medications in the four months leading up to the killings, returned to Plymouth County Superior Court in Massachusetts on Monday for a lengthy cross-examination by defense attorney Kevin Reddington.

Jurors heard that Tufts continued prescribing medications even as Clancy reported that some of the drugs were making her feel more depressed and increasing her emotional numbness.

According to court reporting from the New York Post, Tufts prescribed Amitriptyline to Clancy eight days before the January 24, 2023, killings. During their final Zoom appointment on January 23, Tufts increased the dosage.

Reddington questioned Tufts about the decision and asked whether she believed the dosage pushed Clancy over the edge, to which Tufts said she did not believe it did.

“Why would prescribe Zoloft to a young woman who is postpartum, who is telling you she has anxiety and telling you she can’t sleep? She has all of these symptoms and you prescribe a medication with a side effect of trouble sleeping?” Reddington asked Tufts.

“Individuals have very varied responses to medications,” Tufts replied. “Some have no side effects, some have one or two. It’s impossible to predict.”

“Zoloft is a top-choice, a first-line medication for people with anxiety,” the psychiatrist continued.

Prosecutors allege that the next night, Clancy strangled her three children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, with exercise bands in the basement of the family’s home. She then cut her wrists and neck before jumping from a second-floor window.

Clancy has since pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Her defense argues that she was suffering from severe postpartum depression and psychosis alongside being heavily overmedicated. Attorneys for her have argued that she was prescribed 13 different medications by multiple providers who failed to communicate with one another.

Tufts prescribed Zoloft during Clancy’s first appointment and continued adjusting her medications as Clancy reported side effects including insomnia, mental fog and fear of being left alone.

Jurors also heard testimony from psychiatric nurse practitioner Julie Paul, who briefly treated Clancy in November 2022.

Testimony later continued with Rebecca Jollotta, the nurse practitioner who took over Clancy’s care. According to reporting from Day 11 of the trial, Jollotta described frequent medication changes and messages from Clancy through the patient portal.

In those messages, Clancy described intrusive thoughts, numbness and feeling like she was “going to die and I don’t care.”

Jollotta then testified that Clancy appeared to have linear thinking during their appointments and denied experiencing psychosis or having plans to harm herself or her children.

If convicted, Clancy will face a lifetime behind bars. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, she would be committed to a psychiatric hospital.

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