Clancy was aware of her mental state, and just a week before she attacked her children, she checked herself into a local psychiatric hospital after experiencing severe depression and suicidal ideation.
However, she was released after a short five-day stay. Now Clancy is suing McLean Hospital for letting her go.
Clancy’s filing claims she was admitted into the hospital with symptoms that included hopelessness, depression, racing thoughts, anxiety, insomnia, memory problems, and an inability to organize her thoughts. Her insight and judgment were documented as “limited.”
The lawsuit claims McLean placed Clancy on a locked psychiatric unit with 15-minute suicide checks, but alleges the care she received was “grossly inadequate.”
Because she was admitted on New Year’s Eve, the complaint claims there was a “skeleton crew” working at the hospital and that Clancy did not see a doctor until January 3 – three days after she was admitted.
Her lawsuit accuses Dr. Alia Goodheart, the physician who approved her discharge, of releasing her despite documented suicidal ideation and limited insight and judgment.

