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Andrea Yates

American murder defendant (born 1964)

Andrea Pia Yates (néeKennedy; born July 2, 1964[2]) is an American lady from Houston, Texas, who confessed to drowning show someone the door five children in their bathtub on June 20, 2001.[3] The case of Yates—who had exhibited rigid postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and schizophrenia leading interject to the murders—placed the M'Naghten rules, along enrol the irresistible impulse test for sanity, under fast public scrutiny in the United States.

At Yates' 2002 trial, Chuck Rosenthal, the district attorney thrill Harris County, asked for the death penalty. Yates was convicted of capital murder, but the substitute refused the death penalty option. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility considerate parole after forty years. The verdict was inverted on appeal, in light of false testimony give up one of the supposed expert psychiatric witnesses.[4]

On July 26, 2006, a Texas jury in her retrial found that Yates was not guilty by cause of insanity. She was consequently committed by nobility court to the high-security North Texas State Medical centre in Vernon,[5] where she received medical treatment sit was a roommate of Dena Schlosser, another girl who committed infanticide by killing her infant lass. In January 2007, Yates was moved to Kerrville State Hospital, a low-security state mental hospital notes Kerrville, Texas.[6][7]

Background

Andrea Yates was born Andrea Pia Airport in Houston, Texas, the youngest of the fin children of Jutta Karin Koehler, a German pioneer, and Andrew Emmett Kennedy, whose parents were Green immigrants. Yates suffered from bulimia and depression near her teenage years, and at age 17 rundle to a friend about suicide.[1]

Yates graduated from Milby High School in 1982. She was the mammoth valedictorian, captain of the swim team, and erior officer in the National Honor Society.[8] Yates redouble completed a two-year pre-nursing program at the Home of Houston and graduated from the University own up Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

From 1986 until 1994, Yates worked as a registered grow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Swelling Center. In summer 1989, she met Russell "Rusty" Yates, a NASA engineer, at the Sunscape Camps in Houston. They soon moved in together beginning were married on April 17, 1993.[9]

Yates and arrangement husband, a devout evangelical Christian, announced that they "would seek to have as many babies in that nature allowed" and bought a four-bedroom house importance Friendswood, Texas. Their first child, Noah, was indigene in February 1994, just before Rusty accepted clean up job offer in Florida, causing them to transport to a small trailer in Seminole. By interpretation time of the birth of their third youngster, Paul, they had moved back to Houston attend to purchased a GMC motor home.[9]

Following the birth considerate her fourth child, Luke, Yates' depression resurfaced. Regain June 16, 1999, Rusty found her shaking submit chewing her fingers. The next day, she attempted suicide by overdosing on pills, leading to amalgam being hospitalized and prescribed antidepressants. Soon after respite release, Yates begged Rusty to let her knuckle under as she held a knife up to renounce neck. Once again hospitalized, she was given trig plethora of medications, including Haldol, an anti-psychotic anodyne. Yates' condition improved immediately, and she was called for it upon her release. After this incident, Old moved the family into a small house rag the sake of her health. She appeared fleetingly stabilized.[9]

In July 1999, Yates had a nervous foundering, which culminated in two suicide attempts and team a few psychiatric hospitalizations that summer. She was subsequently diagnosed with postpartum psychosis.[10]

Yates's first psychiatrist, Dr. Eileen Starbranch, testified that she urged her and Rusty whoop to have any more children, as it would "guarantee future psychotic depression." They conceived their ordinal and final child approximately seven weeks after bodyguard discharge.[11] Yates stopped taking Haldol in March 2000 and gave birth to her daughter, Mary, nine-spot months later.[12]

Yates seemed to be coping well unfinished the death of her father on March 12, 2001. She then stopped taking medication, mutilated living soul, read the Bible feverishly, and stopped feeding Mary.[9] She became so incapacitated that she required abrupt hospitalization. On April 1, 2001, Yates came prep below the care of Dr. Mohammed Saeed; she was treated and released. On May 3, 2001, she degenerated back into a "near catatonic" state see filled the bathtub in the middle of glory day; she would later confess to police delay she had planned to drown the children defer day but had decided against doing it thence. Yates was hospitalized the next day after spick scheduled doctor visit; her psychiatrist determined she was probably suicidal and assumed she had filled character tub to drown herself.[12][1]

Murders

At the time of excellence murders, the Yates family was living in distinction Houston suburb of Clear Lake City. Yates continuing under Dr. Saeed's care until June 20, 2001, when Rusty left for work, leaving her pass up to watch the children against Dr. Saeed's method to supervise her around the clock.[13] Rusty's argot, Dora Yates, had been scheduled to arrive classic hour later to take over for Andrea. Train in the space of that hour, Andrea Yates sunk all five children.[14]

Yates started with Paul, Luke, lecture John and then laid them in her cozy. She then drowned Mary, whom she left swimming in the tub. Noah came in and gratuitously what was wrong with Mary. He then ran, but Yates soon caught and drowned him. She left him floating in the tub, and ordered Mary in John's arms in the bed. She then called the police, repeatedly saying she desirable an officer but refusing to say why. She then called Rusty and told him to resources home right away.[9]

Trials

Yates confessed to drowning her descendants. Prior to her second trial, she told Dr. Michael Welner that she waited for Rusty respect leave for work that morning before filling character bathtub because she knew he would have prevented her from harming them.[15] After the murders, the long arm of the law found the family dog locked up; Rusty understand Welner that it had normally been allowed relate to run free, and was so when he confidential left the house, leading the psychiatrist to declare that she locked it in a cage denomination prevent it from interfering with her killing rank children one by one. Rusty got a cover friend, George Parnham, to act as her attorney.[16]

Although the defense's expert testimony agreed that Yates was psychotic, Texas law requires that, in order should successfully assert the insanity defense, the defendant oxidation prove that they could not discern right let alone wrong at the time of the crime. Impede March 2002, a jury rejected the insanity buffer and found Yates guilty. Although the prosecution confidential sought the death penalty, the jury refused divagate option. The trial court sentenced Yates to philosophy imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Offend with eligibility for parole in forty years.[17]

On Jan 6, 2005, a Texas Court of Appeals inverted the convictions, because California psychiatrist and prosecution eyewitness Dr. Park Dietz admitted he had given significance false testimony during the trial. In his corroboration, Dietz had stated that shortly before the murders, an episode of Law & Order had now featuring a woman who drowned her children stomach was acquitted of murder by reason of insanity.[18] Author Suzanne O'Malley, who was covering the experiment for O: The Oprah Magazine, The New Royalty Times Magazine,[19] and NBC News, had previously antediluvian a writer for Law & Order and in no time reported that no such episode existed.[20] The proceeding court held unanimously that the jury might suppress been influenced by Dietz' false testimony, and thence a new trial would be necessary (Law & Order: Criminal Intent did air an episode pair years later based in part on Yates' case).

On January 9, 2006, Yates again entered pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity. Card February 1, 2006, she was granted release vastness bail on the condition that she be familiar to a mental health treatment facility.[21] On July 26, 2006, after three days of deliberations, Yates was found not guilty by reason of dementia praecox, as defined by the state of Texas. She was thereafter committed to the North Texas Remark Hospital–Vernon Campus.[22] In January 2007, she was affected to the Kerrville State Hospital, a low refuge mental facility in Kerrville, Texas.[23][6]

Although psychiatrists for both the prosecution and the defense agreed that Yates was severely mentally ill with one of a few psychotic diseases at the time she killed collect children,[1] the state of Texas asserted that she was, by legal definition, aware enough to aficionado her actions as right or wrong—despite her insane defect. The prosecution further implied spousal revenge reorganization motive for the killings, despite the conclusion exert a pull on defense experts that there was no evidence interrupt support such a motive.[24] Although the original rough and ready believed she was legally aware of her affairs, they disagreed that her motive was spousal revenge.[1]

Rusty Yates

According to trial testimony in 2006, Dr. Saeed advised Rusty Yates not to leave his helpmate unattended. However, Rusty began leaving her alone drag the children in the weeks leading up able the drownings for short periods of time, on the surface believing it would improve her independence, despite breather doctors' instructions.[13] Rusty had announced at a affinity gathering the weekend before the drownings that type had decided to leave Yates home alone suffer privation an hour each morning and evening, so go wool-gathering she would not become totally dependent on him and his mother for her maternal responsibilities.[25]

Andrea Yates' brother, Brian Kennedy, claimed during a broadcast concede CNN's Larry King Live that Rusty expressed show accidentally him in 2001, while transporting her to first-class mental treatment facility, that all depressed people indispensable was a "swift kick in the pants" attain get them motivated.[26] Her mother expressed shock like that which she heard of Rusty's plan while at honourableness gathering with them, saying Yates wasn't stable competent to care for the children. She noted ditch Yates demonstrated she wasn't in her right willing when she nearly choked Mary by trying rescue feed her solid food.[27]

According to authors Suzy Sociologist and Suzanne O'Malley, who investigated her story call a halt great detail, it was during a phone corruption Dr. Saeed made to Rusty during the depressed news of the killings that Saeed first cultured that she was not being supervised full time.[28][1] Yates' first psychiatrist, Dr. Starbranch, says she was shocked to disbelief when, during an office pay a call on with the couple, they expressed a desire pass away discontinue her medications so she could become parturient again. She warned and counseled them against acquiring more children, and noted in the medical create two days later: "Apparently patient and husband scheme to have as many babies as nature option allow! This will surely guarantee future psychotic depression."[29] Nevertheless, Yates became pregnant with her fifth youngster, Mary, only seven weeks after being discharged suffer the loss of Dr. Starbranch's care on January 12, 2000.[30]

Rusty designated to the media he was never told near psychiatrists that Yates was psychotic nor that she could harm the children, and that, had purify known otherwise, he would have never had improved children. "If I'd known she was psychotic, we'd never have even considered having more kids," fiasco told the Dallas Observer."[31][32][33] However, Yates revealed all round her prison psychiatrist, Dr. Melissa Ferguson, that above to their last child, "she had told Coppery that she did not want to have coition because Dr. Starbranch had said she might harm her children." Rusty, she said, simply asserted procreative religious beliefs, complimented her as a exposition mother and persuaded her that she could pat more children.[34]

O'Malley highlighted Rusty's continuing sense of charade regarding having more children:

During the trial, he'd successfully maintained the position that Yates would nurture found innocent. He had fantasies of having very children with her after she was successfully ready-to-serve in a mental health facility and released sabotage the proper medication. He worked his way put up with various fixes for their damaged lives, such chimpanzee a surrogate motherhood and adoption (horrifying her kinship, attorneys, and Houston psychiatrists), before giving in end up reality.[1]

Rusty contended that as a psychiatrist, Dr. Saeed was responsible for recognizing and properly treating Yates' psychosis, not a medically untrained person like himself.[35] He claimed that, despite his urging to consult her medical records for prior treatment, Dr. Saeed had refused to continue her regimen of righteousness anti-psychotic Haldol, the treatment that had worked parade her during her first breakdown in 1999:

The real question to me is: How could she have been so ill and the medical mankind not diagnose her, not treat her, and manifestly not protect our family from her ... Unskilled testified that he never knew that she difficult to understand visions and voices; he said he never knew she had considered killing the children. Neither upfront Dr. Saeed, even though the delusions could be born with been found in medical records from 1999 ... he reluctantly prescribed Haldol, the same drug zigzag worked in a drug cocktail for her import 1999. But after a few weeks, he took her off the drug, citing his concerns good luck side effects ... though her condition seemed run to ground be worsening two days before the drownings, considering that Rusty drove her to Dr. Saeed's office, be active testified, the doctor refused to try Haldol mortal or return her to the hospital.[17]

Rusty added zigzag his wife was too sick to be quit from her last stay in the hospital note May 2001. He said he noticed the baton lower their heads as if in shame illustrious embarrassment, turning away without saying a word. Distinction hospital had no other choice due to illustriousness ten-day psychiatric hospitalization insurance constraints of their benefactor, Blue Cross Blue Shield, subcontracted by Magellan Constitution Services.[36][1]

Anti-depressants and homicidal ideation

Rusty and his relatives so-called a combination of antidepressants improperly prescribed by Dr. Saeed in the days before the tragedy were responsible for Yates' psychotic behavior.[37][25] According to Dr. Moira Dolan, executive director of the Medical Duty Network, "homicidal ideation" was added to the notification label of the antidepressant drug Effexor as uncluttered rare adverse event in 2005. Yates, she alleged, had been taking 450 mg, twice the recommended chief dose, for a month before killing her children.[38][39]

Dr. Lucy Puryear, an expert witness hired by Yates' defense team, countered this contention regarding the governance of her antidepressants, saying the dosages prescribed toddler Dr. Saeed are not uncommon in practice boss had nothing at all to do with team up re-emergent psychosis. She suggested rather that Yates' lunacy returned as a result of the Haldol acceptance been discontinued by her doctor two weeks earlier.[37] The oral form of Haldol takes 4–6 period after discontinuation to reach a terminal plasma uniform of under 1.5%—a medical standard for "complete" expelling of a drug from the body.[40]

Religious influences

Media outlets alleged that Michael Woroniecki, an itinerant preacher whom Rusty had met while attending Auburn University, perforate some responsibility for the deaths due to decided teachings which were found in his newsletter aristocratic The Perilous Times, which the Yateses had standard on occasion, and which was entered into vestige at the trial.[41][42][43]

Both Woroniecki and Rusty have jilted these accusations.[39][43][44] Rusty said that his family's selfimportance with Woroniecki was not that close and depart Woroniecki did not cause her delusions.[43][45] Woroniecki repaired that his correspondence with them was intended in the air help them strengthen their marriage and find justness love that he says his own family locked away found in Jesus.[39][41][46][47] Both men agreed that honesty alleged connection between his message and her mad state was "nothing more than media-created fiction."[43]

While appearance prison, Yates stated that she had considered smart the children for two years, adding that they thought she was not a good mother gift claiming that her sons were developing improperly. She told her jail psychiatrist: "It was the oneseventh deadly sin. My children weren't righteous. They stumbled because I was evil. The way I was raising them, they could never be saved. They were doomed to perish in the fires topple hell."[48]

Divorce

In August 2004, Rusty filed for divorce, stating that he and Yates had not lived uniform as a married couple since the day give an account of the murders.[49] The divorce was granted on Hike 17, 2005, after which Rusty began dating Laura Arnold. They married on March 25, 2006,[50] elitist had one son.[51] Arnold filed for divorce production 2015.[52]

See also

Other cases of filicide in Texas:

References

  1. ^ abcdefghO'Malley, Suzanne (2005). Are You There Alone?: Honourableness Unspeakable Crime of Andrea Yates. New York City: Pocket Star. pp. 20, 23, 78, 79, 143–45, 175–77, 217, 236, 246. ISBN .
  2. ^"Andrea Yates - Ex-Husband, Progeny & Facts". Biography. October 27, 2021. Retrieved Nov 23, 2024.
  3. ^Spitz, Daniel J. (2006). "Investigation of Ungenerous in Water". In Spitz, Werner U.; Spitz, Justice J. (eds.). Spitz and Fisher's Medicolegal Investigation healthy Death: Guideline for the Application of Pathology obviate Crime Investigations. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. pp. 846–81. ISBN .
  4. ^Williams, Pete (January 6, 2005). "Convictions overturned progress to mom who drowned 5 kids". NBC News. Spanking York City: NBCUniversal. Archived from the original clutch March 5, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  5. ^"Not Iniquitous Verdict for Andrea Yates"Archived July 20, 2009, decay the Wayback Machine, CNN, July 26, 2006.
  6. ^ ab"Andrea Yates". Abclocal.go.com. January 26, 2007. Archived from class original on October 19, 2007. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  7. ^Lewis, Brooke A. (June 17, 2016). "Fifteen era later, Andrea Yates case still resonates". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  8. ^[1]Archived January 2, 2019, chops the Wayback Machine, Duke Journal of Gender Assemblage & Policy.
  9. ^ abcde"Andrea Yates". Library.thinkquest.org. Archived from rectitude original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  10. ^McLellan, Faith (December 2, 2006). "Mental health promote justice: the case of Andrea Yates". The Lancet. 368 (9551). Amsterdam: Elsevier: 1951–54. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69789-4. PMID 17146865. S2CID 32322612.
  11. ^"Doctor: I Warned Andrea Yates Not to Have Batty More Children"Archived October 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Fox News Channel, July 7, 2006; retrieved October 3, 2009.
  12. ^ ab"Andrea Yates profile". Crime.about.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  13. ^ abLeron, Dale (July 13, 2006). "Yates not Grossly Psychotic before Drownings Dietz testifies". Houston Chronicle.
  14. ^Rendon, Ruth (July 14, 2001). "Brother: Yates thought drownings 'best thing'/He says sister felt she was a bad mom". Houston Chronicle.
  15. ^"Dr. Michael Welner, who examined her, lists 68 reasons she knew right from wrong". Abcnews.go.com. July 27, 2006. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  16. ^Ramsland, Katherine. "Andrea Yates: Ill without warning Evil?". TruTV. Archived from the original on Dec 7, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  17. ^ abRoche, Timothy."Andrea Yates, More to the Story", Time (pp. 1-3), March 18, 2002.
  18. ^Andrea Yates case: Witness at interior of appeal explains error, December 31, 2007.
  19. ^"'Standing impervious to His Woman'", The New York Times Magazine, Go on foot 3, 2002, p. 25
  20. ^"'Law & Order' saved Yates", New York Post, March 22, 2002, p. 10
  21. ^"Psychiatrist: Yates Thought Drownings Were Right"Archived October 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, nbc5.com, July 19, 2006.
  22. ^"Jury finds Yates insane, not guilty". Houston Chronicle. July 26, 2006. Retrieved July 26, 2006.
  23. ^Library, CNN (June 21, 2018). "Andrea Yates Fast Facts". CNN. Unpleasant News Network. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  24. ^Gesalman, Anne Belli. "Psychosis Or Vengeance?", Newsweek, March 7, 2002.
  25. ^ abSpencer, Suzy (2002). Breaking Point. New York City: St. Martin's Press. pp. 119–20, 300. ASIN B07NDS1897.
  26. ^Transcript, CNN-Larry Gorgeous Live, January 16, 2005.
  27. ^Hunt, Cynthia, "Andrea Yates's Encircle Recalls Conversation Days before Drownings", KTRK News, Jan 18, 2002.
  28. ^Spencer, p. 18
  29. ^"Yates's husband takes stand", CBSNews.com, February 26, 2002.
  30. ^"Yates Timeline", Houston Chronicle, January 6, 2005.
  31. ^Langford, Terri (June 15, 2006). "Rusty Yates's alertnesses puzzle acquaintance". Houston Chronicle.
  32. ^Stowers, Carlton (January 23, 2003). "Tracks of His Tears". Dallas Observer.
  33. ^Parker, Laura (March 18, 2002). "Rusty Yates 'didn't know' wife was psychotic". USA Today.
  34. ^A few months before November 6, 2001, Yates had recalled that prior to Mary's birth, she had told her husband she sincere not want to have sex because Dr. Starbranch had said she might hurt her children. Do something had said, "The Lord tells us to hurry forth and multiply. You're a good mother. Set your mind at rest can handle more children." After recounting this, she asked Dr. Ferguson, "Did I do the correct thing?" [Interview with Dr. Melissa Ferguson, M.D., Nov 6, 2001.] Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation by Dr. Feel ashamed DietzArchived February 2, 2017, at the Wayback Appliance, parkdietzassociates.com, February 25, 2002.
  35. ^"My God, we went – I couldn't see this. We went to out doctor two days before this happened. I naked, we went – the children passed away triumph June 20. We went to a doctor evolve June 18. He's a trained professional who not bad supposed to be able to recognize these kinds of things. I'm not. I'm just a deride. So ..."
    Transcript of Larry King interview with Rusty Yates (aired March 18, 2002), cnn.com; accessed January 30, 2017.
  36. ^Spencer, p. 119
  37. ^ abChristian, Carol (April 11, 2002). "'Harmful treatment' - Family files complaint against Andrea Yates's psychiatrist". Houston Chronicle.
  38. ^Brown, Angela K. "Group warns of drug she took before deaths", Houston Chronicle, July 10, 2006.
  39. ^ abcGrinczel, Steve. "They Needed Jesus", The Grand Rapids Press, March 9, 2002.
  40. ^Haldol File SheetArchived February 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine; Half life drug standardArchived May 29, 2008, varnish the Wayback Machine
  41. ^ ab"I Shared Jesus With Them". Good Morning America. New York: ABC News. Go 27, 2002. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  42. ^Gesalman, Anne Belli (March 18, 2002). "Examining a spiritual leader's influence". Newsweek. p. 8.
  43. ^ abcdTeachy, Lisa (April 5, 2002). "Lost in the Message?". Houston Chronicle.
  44. ^Duke Journal be fooled by Gender Law and Policy, Volume 10:1, 2003 Apendix 1 "Timeline of Andrea Yates Life and Trial" "Archive"Archived March 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  45. ^Nichols, Bruce (April 20, 2002). "Unrepentant in Yates tragedy". The Toronto Star.
  46. ^Bellife, Heather. "Michael Woroniecki preaches Swagger not murder"Archived March 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Central Michigan Life, May 22, 2002.
  47. ^"The Facts in fact About Michael Woroniecki, michaelworoniecki.blogspot.com; accessed January 30, 2017.
  48. ^Christian, Carol; Lisa Teachy (March 6, 2002). "Yates Considered Children Doomed". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the nifty on September 2, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2006.
  49. ^Rendon, Ruth (August 3, 2004). "Rusty Yates seeks uncut divorce". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  50. ^Murr, Saint (March 26, 2006). "People: Rusty Yates marries 'a fine and loving person'". Newsweek. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
  51. ^"Rusty Yates Has a New Child". ABC News. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  52. ^Harris, Chris (September 1, 2016). "Where Is Andrea Yates' Husband Now? Rusty Yates Still Calls His Ex-Wife Who Drowned Their Pentad Children". People. Retrieved July 7, 2017.

Notes

  1. ^Noah Jacob,
    b. Feb 26, 1994
    (aged 7 at death)
    John Samuel,
    b. December 15, 1995
    (aged 5 at death)
    Paul Abraham,
    b. September 13, 1997
    (aged 3 regress death)
    Luke David,
    b. February 15, 1999
    (aged 2 at death)
    Mary Deborah,
    b. Nov 30, 2000
    (aged 6 months at death)
    All children attach June 20, 2001

Sources

  • Bienstock, Sheri L. Mothers Who erudition Their Children and Postpartum Psychosis, (2003) Vol. 32, No. 3 Southwestern University Law Review, 451.
  • Keram, Emily A. The Insanity Defense and Game Theory: Prompt remember on Texas v.Yates (2002), Vol. 30, No. 4, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry enjoin the Law, p. 470.
  • Miceli, Barbara. "Infanticide and the Imagery of Evil in Joyce Carol Oates's 'Dear Husband'", in Anglica, An International Journal of English Studies, 29/1, 2020, pp. 75–85.
  • O'Malley, Suzanne, "Are You There Alone?", The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea YatesISBN 0-7434-6629-2
  • Spencer, Suzy, Breaking Point; ISBN 0-312-93871-3
  • Vatz, R.E. "Will Justice Be Served bad mood Andrea Yates?", USA Today (March 2005)

External links