Prosecutors say Walsh had been “very invested” in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. She was texting friends about the case until about 12:30 p.m. that day, just hours before the neighbour discovered Barrett.

The Lindsay Clancy trial, involving a Massachusetts mother accused of killing three children, ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Walsh later told investigators she killed her son because she believed he was the “devil” and the “anti‑Christ.” She was found elsewhere in the house with self‑inflicted cuts to her wrists and thighs and was taken to hospital with non‑life‑threatening injuries.

Illinois authorities have not alleged any direct link between the Clancy trial and Walsh’s crime, and no public evidence shows a connection beyond her discussion of the case.