A fundraiser for the family of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mom and former nurse who is on trial for the 2023 strangulation death of her three children inside their home, has raised over $1 million as of Friday.
According to the campaign’s description on GoFundMe, donations will go to help Lindsay Clancy’s parents, Mike and Paula Musgrove, in order to help them with their financial burden, which is a result of the ongoing court proceedings.
“They have not walked away from their daughter,” it explains, “and they have never been unclear about why: they love her. Nothing about this fund asks anyone to share their view of Lindsay or the criminal case.”
A GoFundMe representative confirmed with Fast Company that the fundraiser has been verified and that the funds will go to Mike Musgrove as the intended beneficiary.
The crowdfunding site has a policy against fundraising for the legal defense of any person accused of a violent crime, but its terms do not say anything about family members of accused people. GoFundMe further confirmed that the fundraiser falls within its terms of service.
At present, the campaign has raised $1,003,758, highlighting how this case has captivated the nation.
While the crime is unimaginable, Clancy has seen an outpouring of public support in spite of the act. Her defense team has argued that the former nurse has postpartum psychosis, but that she was not formally diagnosed.
A condition in the spotlight
According to Cleveland Clinic, postpartum psychosis is a dangerous condition that affects up to 2.6 of every 1,000 women who give birth and carries symptoms such as hallucinations, mood swings, paranoia, and insomnia.
As the trial has gone on, women have been speaking out on social media to share their own experiences with postpartum psychosis.
Many social media users have also highlighted how hard it feels to get help and how often providers either mistreat postpartum psychosis or miss it entirely.
On Thursday, at least 300 women rallied outside of the trial, wore pink, and carried signs with the goal of showing their support for the accused, as well as to raise awareness about postpartum mood disorders. Some of the signs had messages like “She needed help” and “Peace for Lindsay,” as the Associated Press reported.
April Vincent, a 52-year-old paralegal from Providence, Rhode Island, was one of hundreds of women outside the court on Thursday. “Women are being dismissed, neglected and ignored when we speak up. We’re scared because nobody takes us seriously,” she said, per PBS News Hour.
While it’s not being debated that Lindsay Clancy strangled her children (except by some on social media who have their own theories), the central question of the case is why?
Clancy’s attorney has argued that the defendant was mentally unwell, while the prosecution has said she acted “intentionally, rationally and swiftly.” Clancy has pleaded not guilty.
Providers who cared for Clancy after the children’s deaths testified this week that she told them she heard a voice that commanded her to kill her children, echoing previous statements shared by the defense.
Likewise, the defense has brought numerous pieces of evidence that have shown that Clancy sought help on multiple occasions, had been on a staggering number of psychiatric medications, and even spent time at a psychiatric hospital before she killed her kids.
Crowdfunding as a barometer for public sentiment
Crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe have emerged as a unique measure of public support on topics surrounded by controversy.
After the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024, GoFundMe removed campaigns that sought to raise funds in support of Luigi Mangione, who was charged with the killing, NBC News reported. However, a campaign was launched on competing platform GiveSendGo and has since raised more than $1.5 million.
This story has been updated with additional feedback from GoFundMe about its terms of service.