Prosecutors say Corie A. Walsh discussed the Lindsay Clancy murder trial with friends hours before her son was found unresponsive.
FRANKFORT, Ill. — An Illinois mother has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son after prosecutors said she had become deeply interested in the high-profile Lindsay Clancy murder trial and discussed it with friends hours before the child was found.
Corie A. Walsh, 40, is accused in the death of her son, Barrett Walsh, who was known as “Bear.” Frankfort police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Sept. 1 to a home in the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court for a report of an unresponsive child. A neighbor was performing CPR when officers arrived, according to court records described by local news organizations. Barrett was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police announced Sept. 4 that Walsh had been charged following an investigation by the Frankfort Police Department and the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force. Prosecutors filed three first-degree murder counts based on different legal theories, including allegations that Walsh intended to kill the child, knew her actions would cause his death or knew they created a strong probability of death. The charges are allegations, and Walsh has not been convicted.
According to a prosecution court filing, the neighbor who tried to revive Barrett had discovered him suspended from a basement rafter. Prosecutors said preliminary autopsy findings indicated the child died from asphyxia caused by compression of the neck. Frankfort police said an autopsy was conducted Sept. 2, while final findings from the Will County coroner remained pending in the department’s initial announcement.
Walsh was found elsewhere in the home with injuries authorities believed were self-inflicted, police said. She was taken for medical treatment with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Three other children connected to the household were physically unharmed, according to police and prosecutors. Court filings said Walsh’s husband was outside Illinois when the incident occurred and returned after being notified.
Prosecutors allege Walsh made statements to officers and investigators about why she harmed her son, including claims that she believed Barrett was the “devil” or “anti-Christ.” Those statements are part of the state’s allegations and have not been tested at trial. Investigators also recovered Walsh’s cellphone and were conducting a forensic examination, according to court records reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
The filing also drew a connection to the nationally followed trial of Lindsay Clancy in Massachusetts. Witnesses told investigators that Walsh had “recently become very invested” in Clancy’s case and had been discussing it in a group text with friends as late as about 12:30 p.m. Sept. 1, roughly three and a half hours before police were called to the Frankfort home. Authorities have not established that the Clancy case caused Walsh’s alleged actions, and the timing alone does not prove a motive.
Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, was charged in the January 2023 deaths of her three young children in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Her defense argued during her trial that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and lacked criminal responsibility. Prosecutors disputed that position. A Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial Sept. 4 after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors had not announced whether they would seek a new trial as of Saturday.
Walsh’s attorney, Andrea Lyon, said her client was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of Barrett’s death. “This is a tragedy for the Walsh family, all of whom are mourning the loss of this child,” Lyon said in a statement reported by local and national news organizations. The defense claim about Walsh’s mental state has not yet been evaluated through a trial or final court ruling.
Frankfort police initially said Walsh remained in custody while receiving medical treatment and would be transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility after being medically cleared. Local court reporting later indicated she had been booked into the facility. Prosecutors have asked a judge to deny her pretrial release, arguing that she poses a threat to members of her family, according to their filing.
Police Chief Leanne Chelepis said the department’s thoughts were with the family and others affected by the child’s death and asked the community to respect their privacy. Police also thanked the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office and other agencies that assisted with the investigation.
A court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 8 before Will County Judge Amy Bertani Tomczak, according to local court reporting. The investigation remains active, and prosecutors must prove the murder allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. Walsh is presumed innocent unless she is found guilty in court.