Court records say Corie Walsh discussed the Massachusetts case with friends hours before her son was found dead in Frankfort.
FRANKFORT, Ill. — An Illinois woman charged with murdering her 2-year-old son had become closely interested in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial and was discussing the Massachusetts case with friends hours before her child was found, prosecutors allege in court records.
Corie A. Walsh faces three counts of first-degree murder in the death of her son, Barrett Walsh. The references to the Clancy case appear in prosecutors’ petition seeking to deny Walsh pretrial release, but authorities have not established that Walsh’s interest in the trial caused or motivated the death. Investigators are conducting a forensic examination of Walsh’s cellphone as the Frankfort case remains under investigation.
Prosecutors said witnesses reported that Walsh had recently become “very invested” in Clancy’s trial and had been discussing it through a group text with friends until about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Frankfort police were called to Walsh’s home about three and a half hours later, shortly after 4 p.m., for a report involving her 2-year-old son.
Clancy, a Massachusetts mother, was tried on charges stemming from the deaths of her three children. Her defense centered in part on claims about severe mental illness, while prosecutors argued she understood and could control her actions. Her trial ended Friday in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
The similarity between aspects of the two cases has drawn public attention, but prosecutors have not alleged in the available court records that Walsh copied Clancy or that the Massachusetts proceedings were the cause of the alleged crime. The evidence about Walsh’s messages is one part of a broader investigation into what happened inside the Frankfort home.
Police were dispatched to the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court on Tuesday afternoon. A neighbor found Barrett in the basement and attempted CPR while calling 911, according to prosecutors. The boy was taken for medical care and pronounced dead that day. Preliminary autopsy findings attributed his death to asphyxia caused by compression of his neck.
Authorities found Walsh injured elsewhere in the home and said she had been attempting to harm herself. She was hospitalized with injuries described as non-life-threatening and remained in custody while receiving treatment. Prosecutors allege she made statements to investigators about causing Barrett’s death and that her account was consistent with physical evidence collected at the home.
Court records also allege Walsh made statements expressing a delusional belief about her son. The statements are part of the prosecution’s filing and have not been adjudicated. Her attorney later said Walsh had been experiencing a psychotic episode at the time, an assertion made by the defense that also has not been established by a court.
Three other children were physically unharmed, prosecutors said. An infant was in the home during the incident, while two school-aged children returned around the time Barrett was discovered. Walsh’s husband was out of state, according to the filing.
The cellphone review could help investigators establish a more precise timeline and determine what communications took place before police were called. Authorities have not publicly announced conclusions from that forensic examination, and the available filings do not establish what role, if any, Walsh’s interest in the Clancy proceedings played in the events at her home.
Walsh remains charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors are seeking to keep her detained before trial, and police say the investigation remains active as the case proceeds through the Will County court system.
Author note: Last updated September 5, 2026.