Illinois Mom Accused of Killing 2-Year-Old Son After Becoming ‘Invested’ in Lindsay Clancy Case

NEED TO KNOW

• Corie A. Walsh, 40, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son, Barrett Walsh

• Walsh allegedly believed her son was the "anti-Christ" and had been following the Lindsay Clancy murder trial

• Her attorney claims she experienced a psychotic episode, and she remains in custody receiving medical treatment

An Illinois mother is accused of killing her toddler shortly after texting friends about Lindsay Clancy 's murder trial.

Corie A. Walsh, 40, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder on Tuesday, Sept. 1, according to online court records viewed by PEOPLE.

The charges are in connection with the death of her 2-year-old son, Barrett Walsh, NBC Chicago , ABC 7 Chicago , and Fox News reported, citing court documents. 

PEOPLE reached out to attorneys for Walsh, but did not immediately receive a response.

Officers with the Frankfort Police Department responded to a residence in the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court after receiving a report of an "injured," unresponsive child just after 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the outlets reported.

"When officers arrived, a neighbor was performing CPR on a toddler, later identified as two-year-old Barrett Walsh, born March 26, 2024," per NBC Chicago, citing court documents.

The child, also known as "Bear," was reportedly hanging from a rafter in the basement by his neck and his feet were above the ground when the neighbor found him, NBC Chicago reported, citing prosecutors.

The Frankfort Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Prosecutors alleged that Walsh believed Barrett was the "anti-Christ" and the "devil" in court documents, Fox News reported.

After Barrett was located, responding officers found Walsh upstairs in a bathtub with non-life-threatening knife wounds that were believed to be self-inflicted.

Witnesses later reportedly told police that Walsh "had recently become very invested in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial," and that she had been "actively discussing" the case in a group text message hours before the alleged killing, NBC Chicago reported.

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Clancy is a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse who was indicted on murder charges after being accused of strangling her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, with exercise bands at the family's Duxbury, Mass., home in January 2023.

Clancy later jumped from a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt, which left her paralyzed from the waist down.

On Friday, Sept. 4, jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict , and the presiding judge declared a mistrial. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will re-try Clancy's case.

In a statement obtained by ABC 7 Chicago, an attorney for Walsh said the married mother of four "was experiencing a psychotic episode."

"This is a tragedy for the Walsh family, all of whom are mourning the loss of this child," the statement continued.

Walsh remains in custody and is being held for medical treatment, per NBC Chicago.

Read the original article on People