Like many people across the country Emily Thorndike was interested in Lindsay Clancyafter she was accused of killing her three children in January 2023.
While Clancy’s trial was broadcast live, Thorndike uploaded a video to TikTok to share her thoughts on the mother of three’s medical treatment. The video caught the attention of many people, including Clancy’s defense attorney. Kevin Reddingtonwho eventually tried to get Thorndike to testify in the case.
Although a judge ultimately ruled that Thorndike would not testify, she appeared in the Massachusetts courtroom on August 19, 2026 to discuss the case.
Us explains below who Thorndike is and how she became involved in the case.
Lindsay Clancy spoke for the first time during her trial after being accused of murdering her three children. Clancy, 35, spoke while answering questions from Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice William Sullivan on Tuesday, August 4, the sixth day of her trial. When asked whether she could clarify the facts, she replied (…)
Who is Emily Thorndike?
Thorndike was previously employed as a social worker at McLean Hospital, where Clancy was admitted for several days in December 2022 due to issues with her mental health. However, their paths never crossed as Thorndike left his job at the hospital in 2021.
What did Emily Thorndike say about Lindsay Clancy’s case on TikTok?
After seeing how the prosecution portrayed McLean Hospital, Thorndike was thrilled TikTok to share completely different observations from the seven years she worked at the hospital.
She began by explaining that prosecutors had questioned why Clancy didn’t “undergo more treatment” if she wanted to get better in the hospital.
Thorndike then thought about Clancy’s ex-husband Patrick Clancy‘s claims she did not see a doctor during her time in the hospital, stating that Lindsay likely only saw her assigned doctor once and was briefly seen by the weekend doctor for the remainder of her stay.
She also rejected prosecutors’ claims that Lindsay was offered individual therapy, saying she was likely offered “check-ins” by “unlicensed individuals” rather than actual therapy sessions.
After the video circulated online, Reddington hired a private investigator to contact Thorndike so she could testify.
Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy said she is ready to admit she murdered her three children in 2023 as the start of her murder trial approaches. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, said she is “offering to admit she killed the children” if the judge agrees to a two-part trial format, according to WCVB. A two-part process is (…)
Emily Thorndike appeared in court in Lindsay Clancy’s trial
Thorndike appeared at the trial on August 19, 2026 to recount her experiences in the hospital.
“I was emotional because I felt like what was discussed in court did not match my experiences,” Thorndike said in court about her lengthy TikTok video ABC7.
After the jury left the courtroom, they answered questions from both defense attorneys and prosecutors. She argued that there was limited access to doctors at McLean and said patients were not offered individualized therapy. Thorndike also said 23 patients were assigned a single doctor, meaning patients had little one-on-one time.
“I thought it was misleading to suggest that it was some kind of detailed doctor’s meeting when it was very short,” she said.
A judge concluded that Emily Thorndike could not testify in the case
Judge William Sullivan ruled that Thorndike could not testify due to the “limited materiality” of the case.
“I find this witness credible. I do, and I appreciate that she’s willing to offer the information that she has, but that’s not always the whole story,” he said, according to ABC 7.
While Sullivan said the jury could not hear from Thorndike, he added that Reddington could provide documentation to show that staffing levels at McLean were low.
Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother on trial for the January 2023 murders of her three young children, appeared throughout the trial in a wheelchair – the result of catastrophic injuries she sustained the same night her children died. Clancy is now paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second story window (…)
What is Lindsay Clancy accused of?
Lindsay is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of assault in the January 2023 killings of her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months.
She has not denied killing her children, but Reddington has said she should not be held criminally responsible for the deaths because of her mental health issues.
The defense argued that Lindsay – who suffers from bipolar disorder – was prescribed antidepressants to treat her postpartum depression, which actually worsened her condition.
If you or someone you know is pregnant or has just given birth and is in crisis, help is available. Call or text National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
