Since the high-profile trial of Lindsay Clancy began in July 2026, there has been a notable increase in cases of mothers allegedly killing or attempting to kill their children, sparking debate among experts about potential social factors underlying the trend. Clancy, who has received widespread public attention and sympathy from many women nationwide, is accused of killing her three young children. Her case has raised questions about whether media coverage might contribute to a “social contagion” effect among vulnerable mothers.
Illinois resident Corie Walsh reportedly hanged her 2-year-old son Barrett and attempted to take her own life in September after closely following the trial. More recently, Indiana mother Shatayvia Alisha Calderon killed her 9-year-old son Julian, just weeks after sharing a fundraiser supporting Clancy’s family. At least eight similar incidents involving mothers alleged to have harmed their children have emerged since the trial commenced.
Experts studying patterns of copycat violence note that this series of cases bears hallmarks of social contagion, a phenomenon in which widely publicized violent acts can inspire imitation. Dan Romer of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, who has researched the impact of media narratives on suicide rates, said the context and scale of the coverage regarding Clancy’s case may resonate with mothers experiencing severe distress. “If there is an audience that sees the event as relevant to them, you could have a contagion effect,” Romer explained, noting that the identification of these women as mothers fits a specific narrative linked to the Clancy case.
Psychiatrist Susan Hatters-Friedman of Case Western Reserve University emphasized the unprecedented level of media attention surrounding this filicide case, suggesting that the visibility might influence vulnerable individuals contemplating similar actions. “Would someone with a certain personality might then start to have thoughts of getting that attention? Could this be putting the idea in people’s minds?” she said.
Clancy’s defense has highlighted that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was inappropriately diagnosed prior to the deaths of her children. Supporters have rallied on her behalf, arguing that systemic failures in mental health care, rather than malice, were central to the tragedy.
Instances of maternal filicide remain statistically rare. FBI data indicate that women represent fewer than 10% of all killers in the United States, and cases involving mothers killing their children average around 200 per year, based on crime analyses spanning 1976 to 2007. Psychiatrist Phillip J. Resnick, who studied maternal filicide in the 1960s, identified motives ranging from rejection or abuse of the child, to revenge against a partner, to psychosis or distorted beliefs of mercy killing.
Recent cases, including those involving Walsh and Metallica Rose Harrison—who reportedly killed her son and husband at a resort in Pennsylvania—do not always fit traditional patterns. Unlike some maternal filicide cases where custody battles or abuse are factors, these women were reportedly still with the fathers of their children. In other situations, motives may stem from mental illness such as schizophrenia or postpartum psychosis, or a parent's belief that relieving a child from suffering justifies the act.
As the Clancy trial continues to draw public and media attention, experts continue to weigh whether a contagion effect is occurring or if increased awareness is simply causing these tragic cases to gain more visibility.