Deaths of Massachusetts children spark discussion on maternal mental health
The arrest of a Massachusetts woman after two of her children were found dead has sparked a conversation about maternal mental health.
Police said three children were discovered on Tuesday, inside their family home, in Duxbury. A 5-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy were strangled to death, and an 8-month-old baby was flown to a Boston-area hospital with traumatic injuries, according to investigators.
Their mother, who was later identified as Lindsay Clancy, 32, had attempted suicide, police said.
A motive has not been identified, but the deaths has sparked a conversation about maternal mental health.
Heather Martin, a maternal mental health advocate and pediatric medical assistant at Dartmouth Health, has been pushing for change since she lost her sister to maternal suicide in 2009.
She implemented a mental health screening process in her office, and she has also pushed for changes on the national level through advocacy.
"The biggest thing is there is help for our mothers it just recognizing and breaking the stigma, no shame for mothers that are feeling like this," Martin said. "The more that we share our stories, the more we can break the stigma and break the cycle of fear that these mothers have by speaking out about these feelings that they're having."
If you or a loved one is struggling, you can get help 24 hours a day by calling the Suicide Lifeline at 988.