Rusty Yates
Appearances
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But from here, she picked him up, put him in the bathtub where his little sister's lifeless body was still floating in the water. Now, as you can imagine, seven-year-old Noah put up a big fight. He flailed under the weight of his mother's hands. with bruises forming all over his forehead, thighs, hips, chest, and armpits as he fought for his life.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
And you're listening to Murder in America.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
At one point, Noah even managed to lift his head above the water where he yelled out, I'm sorry, mommy. Somehow, Noah thought he did something wrong. He thought that maybe if he just apologized for whatever it was, his mother would stop. But Andrea wasn't deterred. She continued forcing his head under the water until Noah was dead. And surprisingly,
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
For unknown reasons, Andrea left Noah floating face down in the bathtub that morning. She did, however, grab Mary, who was still floating there alongside her brother. Andrea cradled her daughter in her arms and brought her over to the bedroom where her three brothers laid in bed. She then placed Mary on five-year-old John's shoulder.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
She would later say that she did this because she believed that John would protect Mary in the afterlife. as he had always been a good brother. But from there, Andrea pulled the sheets over their bodies and made her way out into the living room. With all five of her children dead, Andrea picks up the phone and calls 911. Now there is a 911 call out there, but it is incredibly hard to hear.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So we are going to reenact it.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Andrea Yates.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Um, I just need him to come.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Yes, I am ill.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
No, I need a police officer. Yeah, send an ambulance.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Yes.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Yes.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
No.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
I just need them to be here. For what? I just need them to come. Are you sure that you're alone? No, my kids are here.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder, and offenses against children.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
It's also around this time when Rusty Yates finally returned home and learned that all five of his children were dead. As he arrived, he saw his wife in the living room. She was calmly sitting on the love seat with her handcuffed wrists folded in her lap. Rusty screamed out to her, "'How could you do this?' before dropping to his knees.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Through tears, he pleaded with his wife for answers, but she had none. Andrea just calmly sat there, completely void of all emotions. Houston police officer Frank Stumpo looked at Andrea and asked if she understood what she had done. She replied, quote, yes, I do. From there, Andrea Yates was arrested and taken to the Houston police station.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
At 1pm, investigators took Andrea into an interrogation room and turned on the audio recorder. The first question they asked was, who killed your children? Andrea replied, I killed my children. The next question was, why did you kill your children? Calmly, Andrea stated, because I'm a bad mother.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
What happened was just, you know, incomprehensible. I mean, I just can't... You know, looking back, you know, I struggled with it all last night. I couldn't sleep last night. I was like, you know, is there anything I could have done, you know? I mean, I'm supportive of her. It's hard, you know, like I said, because... You know, I'm torn.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
One side of me, you know, blames her because, you know, she did it, you know. But the other side of me says, well, she didn't because that wasn't her. You know, she wasn't in the right frame of mind. And I guess she had, you know, psychotic, you know, side effects with her depression that led her to do this.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
She also told them about how her children's cartoons had been speaking to her, how she heard Satan within the walls of their home. And when asked why she did what she did, Andrea said that she believed her children had to die so she could save them from an eternity in hell.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now I know that was kind of hard to hear, but Andrea said that her children had been misbehaving. She truly believed that Satan had gotten to them. So in order to save them from hell, she ended their lives while they were still young and innocent.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
One week after the murders, the community gathered at Clear Lake Church of Christ for the funerals of Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary. Their white caskets, adorned with flowers and ribbons, had been arranged in a semicircle at the front of the church, and they were open.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
As the community came to pay their respects, everyone said that the children looked peaceful, almost as if they were just taking a nap. During the service, Rusty Yates stood before the congregation and admitted that this was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. Behind him on a large screen were portraits of the kids.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
And one by one, Rusty started talking about the special qualities each of his children had. Noah, Rusty said, was intelligent and independent. He enjoyed playing alone and drawing pictures, but his favorite thing to draw was rainbows. Rusty said, quote, he's probably drawn over a hundred rainbow pictures, end quote.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
He also loved Scooby-Doo, who wants to be a millionaire, and going outside to admire and collect bugs. During one of their trips to Florida, Noah had taken a caterpillar, and as they drove, the caterpillar sprouted its wings and turned into a butterfly. right in front of their eyes. Rusty looked down at the casket of Noah and said, quote, that's kind of the way I feel about Noah.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
It's time to set him free. I love you, end quote. Next was John. Rusty stated that John was athletic, but his favorite sport was tee ball. Rusty said that John loved to play in rough house and that his brothers were his favorite people in the world. He also made friends easily. with his fun and outgoing personality.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Rusty remembered John's sweet and contagious smile with his adorable little gap in his front teeth. He turned to John's casket and said, I love you, John. Three-year-old Paul was the sweet child, Rusty said. He loved to hug and cuddle, and the other boys would fight about who was going to sleep next to him in their bunk beds. His nickname was Bull Moose,
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
and he was the best behaved out of all the children. Rusty said, quote, you just ask him to do something once and he just did it from then on. It's like my wife asked him to close the bathroom door when they left because we had a little safety lock on there and no one did it except Paul. I love you, Bull Moose. Next was two year old Luke, whose nickname was Bulldozer.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Rusty said he had trouble sitting still and never let anything get in his way. He was a very independent little boy. And if he could have done everything on his own, he would have. In the mornings, two-year-old Luke would grab his cereal, put it into a bowl, and then patiently wait for someone to pour his milk. But if he would have been strong enough to pour it himself, he definitely would have.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Luke loved playing basketball, and he truly believed that he could make the furthest basket out of all of his brothers. Now lastly, Rusty talked about his daughter, six-month-old Mary, who rested peacefully in the small white casket wearing a pink sleeper with red roses on the front.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Rusty said that he didn't have a lot of experience with girls, but after Mary was born, he was thankful he finally had a daughter. He said she was very sweet and enjoyed giving kisses. He then walked towards her casket and said, quote, "'Goodbye, my little princess. I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other better. I'm sorry I didn't see you grow up. I love you. Rest in peace, my little girl.'"
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
End quote. One by one, Rusty Yates said goodbye to his five children as the mourners inside the church wept. Once the service was over, everyone left the church and drove to the Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster, Texas for one final goodbye.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
In last week's episode, we talked about the life of Andrea Yates, a smart and religious woman who was living with her husband, Rusty, and five children in Houston, Texas in the early 2000s. Andrea's number one role in her life was being a wife and mother. She had given up her career as a nurse so she could take on this role full time.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
After getting released from the psych ward this time, her doctors told both Andrea and Rusty that she was not to be left alone with her children. At the end of the day, they feared what she might do if left unsupervised. So when Rusty left for work, he would have his mother Dora come stay with her and the kids. But it's around this time when Andrea started displaying some concerning behavior.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But as the news spread about her crime, the public seemed to have been divided. Some people, mostly men, believed she was pure evil. They didn't buy the fact that Andrea was actually insane. They thought it was all just an act to avoid responsibility. But a lot of people out there felt sorry for her, especially people who had dealt with postpartum depression or psychosis.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
When people are in that state, They aren't themselves. Women all over the world who are great mothers have said that during postpartum psychosis, they too have had thoughts about harming their children. Most will get help before they ever act on these thoughts, but it does happen. And I do think that back then there was more of a stigma surrounding mental health.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
People didn't understand it the way they do today. And after the murders hit the media, everyone wanted to point the blame somewhere. Some blamed Andrea. Media outlets demonized her, saying she was pure evil. Other people blamed Devereaux, the hospital who treated her. And some people even blamed her husband, Rusty.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
It would later come out that Andrea's doctors told them to stop having children, but due to their beliefs, she and Rusty wanted as many kids as God could give them, even if the doctors weren't against it.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
When Rusty was later asked why he and Andrea kept having babies, even though doctors told them that Andrea would likely have more psychotic breaks, he explained it in this way, quote, if you were given a brand new Mercedes Benz and said, here it is for free, but if you take this Mercedes Benz, you're going to have the flu for two weeks, But in the end, Andrea Yates wasn't suffering from the flu.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Her condition was much, much worse. And she wasn't taking the medicine that would make her better. Rusty also came under scrutiny for leaving his wife alone with their children, after doctors specifically told him that she should not be left alone with them. Some people out there even suspected that Rusty had been involved in his children's deaths, as he was sometimes seen on the media smiling.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now, obviously that wasn't the case. And in hindsight, I'm sure Rusty wishes he could do it all over. When he left the house that day, He never in a million years imagined that his wife would drown his five children. And I'm sure those thoughts have haunted him for his entire life. But like in any case, people had their opinions. And this would soon be the biggest story in America.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But the prosecutors in Harris County didn't seem to agree. They believe that at the time of the murders, Andrea was mentally ill, but that she knew right from wrong. And on July 30th, 2001, a grand jury indicted her for intentionally and knowingly causing the death of Noah, John and Mary. Of Noah, John and Mary. Now, what about the other two children, Luke and Paul?
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
While her mother-in-law was staying with them, Andrea would walk over to the bathtub in their house and fill it up with water. When they asked her why she filled it up, she couldn't give them an answer. She simply said, quote, just in case I need it. It's also around this time when Andrea began to withdraw. She stopped eating, drinking, sleeping, and talking altogether.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Well, Andrea was facing capital murder charges, which meant if convicted, she would be eligible for the death penalty. And if for some reason she was found not guilty for the murders of Noah, John, and Mary, the prosecution could then try again with the murders of her other two kids, Luke and Paul. That was their backup plan.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
And ultimately, with the charges against her, Andrea pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. In the months leading up to her trial, Andrea was put back on her medication so she could be competent to stand trial. And slowly but surely, she started coming back around, which also meant that the reality of her crimes began to finally sink in.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Her psychiatrist said that at night, she would bury her head beneath her pillow and weep over what she did to her kids. Meanwhile, Everyone in America was gearing up for the trial of the century, which would take place on February 18th, 2002, just three days after what would have been Luke's third birthday.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
The jury of eight women and four men convened at the courthouse, and soon enough, the trial commenced. The courtroom was packed that day, as Andrea stood at the defense table and entered her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecutor Joe Omby began opening statements by saying, quote, Luke, John, Paul, Mary, and Noah. These are the Yates children, end quote.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
He went on to state that each one was drowned, that their mother purposefully held them face down in the bathtub, their tiny limbs flailing beneath the weight until their last breath was taken. His statement to the jury was, quote, she is presumed to be sane, to know right from wrong, end quote.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But the defense argued that Andrea was in the throes of postpartum psychosis, which severely impaired her sense of reality. They argued that she was so severely mentally impaired that she was incapable of understanding the consequences of her actions. To further prove their argument, they played the video where Andrea told the psychiatrist that the cartoons were speaking to her and her children.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Andrea also believed that she was Satan, which is why she had tried to kill herself on two separate occasions. Andrea wanted to eliminate Satan through the act of suicide. But when she realized that she could not kill the devil, she believed that murdering her own children would save them from eternal damnation.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So once again, Rusty knew it was time to take her back to the hospital.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
In Andrea's psychosis, she also believed that her children were destined for hell. And she even told a psychiatrist that her son John was going to be a serial killer and that Luke was going to be a mute homosexual prostitute. She further added that Noah and Paul would die tragic deaths because they were meant to be punished.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now, by the time of Andrea's trial, she was fully medicated and doing much, much better mentally, which is how it should be. The defendant has to be competent to stand trial, but this was also a double-edged sword because when the jury saw her in court, she looked so normal. She didn't look like someone who was so mentally insane she would take the life of her kids.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So it was difficult to persuade the jury that Andrea, at the time of the murders, did not know right from wrong. Not to mention, the public already had their opinions of Andrea Yates as the evil mother who intentionally murdered her innocent children in cold blood. It was also reported that after the murders, many of her police interviews were not recorded.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So it was hard for them to show the jury exactly what her state of mind was like immediately after murdering her kids. Now, during the trial, the prosecution also called forward forensic psychiatrists Dr. Park Dietz to the stand. Apparently Dr. Dietz was somewhat of a celebrity as he had also testified against child killer Susan Smith and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now it would later come out that Dr. Dietz was paid $500 an hour to evaluate Andrea over the course of two days. And during his testimony at trial, Dr. Dietz brought up the fact that Andrea received five Cs while in college. and that two of those C's were from classes involving children and family care. I guess his point of saying this was to prove that Andrea was a lousy mother.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But during his evaluations of her, he actually did agree with a lot of Dr. Resnick's findings. Both believed that she was mentally ill. Both believed that she was delusional at the time of the murders. And both agreed that she knew what she was doing was against the law. However, Dr. Dietz did not agree that Andrea murdered her children because it was in their best interest.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
And surprisingly, he would bring up the show Law & Order. According to Dr. Dietz, he had done some consulting work for the show and that there was one episode that eerily mimicked what Andrea had done to her kids. He claimed that the episode came out the very week
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
that Andrea drowned her children and that in it, a mother going through postpartum psychosis murdered her children in a bathtub and then later pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Now, Rusty Yates would even confirm that he and Andrea would sometimes watch Law & Order. but he never remembered watching that specific episode. And this testimony seemed to have been a nail in Andrea's coffin.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
It planted a seed in the jury's head that Andrea had watched this episode of Law & Order and was inspired by it. And after three weeks of testimony, the prosecution and defense rested their case. The fate of Andrea Yates was now in the hands of the jury. And after only three and a half hours, they had reached their verdict.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
On March 12th, 2002, exactly one year after the death of her father, Andrea Yates was found guilty of capital murder. When her verdict was read, Andrea started weeping. So did many of her friends and family members. Of course... They were horrified by what Andrea had done, but they all knew that she wasn't in her right state of mind. They all believed that she too was a victim.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now, a few days later on March 15th, Andrea was said to be sentenced, but there was actually a huge update. Remember that Law & Order episode they talked about at her trial? Well, afterwards, Andrea's defense attorneys actually reached out to Law & Order's creator, Dick Wolf, to ask him about this episode. And as it turns out, no such episode existed. Dr. Dietz had provided false evidence.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now, because of this, Andrea's attorneys tried to declare a mistrial, but Judge Belinda Hill denied the motion. And on March 15th, Andrea's sentencing phase began. She was facing two possible outcomes, life in prison or death penalty by lethal injection. Ultimately, after only 35 minutes of deliberation, the jury decided to spare her life.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
and Andrea Yates was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Andrea Yates would again plead not guilty by reason of insanity. She was even granted a $200,000 bail under the condition that she be admitted to an inpatient mental health facility at Rusk State Hospital, which is what she would end up doing. Now as she awaited this trial, Rusty Yates would actually marry another woman named Laura Arnold.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
at the Clear Lake Church of Christ, the very same church where his children's funeral was held. Laura was also an engineer at NASA and a member of Rusty's church. Together in 2008, the two would have a son. But throughout everything, Rusty still supported Andrea. Here is what he would say to the Associated Press.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
I don't forget my children and I don't forget Andrea, but I don't dwell on it either. I try to remember my children fondly and just support Andrea, but it's not consuming my life. I'm building a new life. I'm busy at work and remarried and have a new family. I'm more focused on that now. In the first trial, they said Andrea did this to try to get out, whatever that means.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
which sounded like she wasn't happy at home and was in a bad situation at home and wanted to get out. And this time they said she wanted to run off with me into the sunset. Which is it? The fact is they spent five years and still don't have a reason why she did it because they're unwilling to look at the fact that she was psychotic. That's the only reasonable explanation for her behavior.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
They're refusing to see the obvious. They're refusing to see the obvious that she was a sick woman. She was insane. She was psychotic. She believed she was saving her children. Here's a woman with a perfect record. I mean, she had never been in any trouble in her life. Everyone who knows her, everyone who knew her supports her.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Everyone knows what a great mother she was and how out of character this act was for her.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Andrea Yates' second trial began on June 26th, 2006, nearly five years to the day that her children were murdered. And for weeks, doctors provided their testimonies on Andrea Yates' mental health. This trial was a lot like her first one. The defense claimed that Andrea was under extreme stress. She was suffering from postpartum psychosis and she was delusional.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But the prosecution stuck by their claim that she was mentally ill but she knew right from wrong and that the murders were intentional and premeditated. Dr. Dietz's original findings were also presented to the jury, but this time he didn't mention that fake law and order episode. Now during the trial, Andrea's defense really emphasized what it's like living with postpartum psychosis.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
and they really hammered down on exactly what can happen if it's left untreated. Finally, on July 26th, 2006, the jury left for deliberation, and it seemed as if all of America was tuning in. waiting to hear Andrea Yates' fate for the second time. And finally, after 12 hours of deliberation, the jury had reached a verdict. This time, Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now, since her trial in 2006, there wasn't a lot of news about Andrea Yates. But in 2016, her defense attorney, George Parnum, sat down for an interview with Today.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
For some reason, when I think about them today, I think of them as being teenagers. Because he would be 20.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
For the next few days at the psychiatric hospital, Andrea Yates was like a zombie. She didn't utter a word. She just vacantly stared ahead, not speaking or making eye contact with anyone. She only got dressed when the nurses told her to. And other than standing in line to receive her medication for the day, she mostly sat in the corner by herself, staring off into space.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
It's real easy to get caught up in how they suffered or the fact that they're gone. And what I tried to do was say, look, I'm not going to let these events steal that joy, the joy that we had for those seven years.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
On April 5th, 2022, Andrea Yates waived her annual right to review on whether or not she should leave her mental health facility. As it turns out, she wants to be there. It seems as if she's finally accepted the fact that that's where she's meant to be and she doesn't want to jeopardize her treatment. Today, she is 60 years old and spends her time making crafts.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
mostly greeting cards, which she sells at local art shows. All of the money that Andrea makes from this, she donates to support women who are dealing with postpartum depression through the Yates Children Memorial Fund. This fund was created not only to memorialize her children, Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary, but to also raise awareness of postpartum depression and psychosis.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
This crime was absolutely horrific. It devastated all who knew their family, the community of Houston, and the entire world. But this tragedy was also a wake-up call. It helped shed light on the importance of mental health, untreated postpartum depression and psychosis, and how beneficial it is to have a supportive care network. Having children can be the most beautiful thing in the world.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But the reality is, it's not always sunshine and rainbows. Partum conditions affect women every single day. It's far more common than one would think. And if left untreated, the symptoms can escalate. So it is so important that after giving birth,
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
people not only look out for the baby's well-being, but to also make sure the mothers have the care and resources that they need, which is exactly why the Yates Children Memorial Fund was created. Today, we remember the Yates children, Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
We will also be making a donation to the Yates Children Memorial Fund so that families can have resources, education, and support for mothers who are facing a mental health crisis after giving birth.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
She would only eat food when Rusty was around. Now, during her evaluations, she did tell the doctors that she was not suicidal, but they never asked her about any homicidal ideations. During her group therapy at the hospital, Andrea never spoke a word. Many of the patients started referring to her as the quiet one.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But sadly, with the birth of each of her children, her postpartum depression was getting worse and worse. Over the years, her doctors had recommended that she stop having children altogether, but in her and Rusty's mind, this was God's will for them. So by 2001, they had five kids together, Mary, John, Luke, Paul, and Noah.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Now during this time, Rusty's mom Dora was still staying at their home, but Andrea started growing paranoid of her mother-in-law. Andrea truly believed that Dora's eyeglasses were equipped with secret cameras and that the cameras were monitoring her throughout the day.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
One afternoon, Andrea saw a van outside on the street, and from there, she was convinced that someone had bugged their house and was watching her. About a week later, in early June, Andrea and Rusty sat down to watch a movie. The movie was Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? But while watching, one of the satanic characters looked right at Andrea and told her directly, quote,
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
"'You've eluded me long enough.'" She would later say that the same character told her she was, quote, "'marked by Satan and evil.'" Now, of course, this didn't actually happen, but in Andrea's mind, it was as real as the air she breathed. Now she had been hearing these messages of going to hell and being evil for years. It was a big part of the Warnacki's teachings.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But now with her mental decline, these messages felt more real than ever. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her. Andrea could feel the presence of Satan in her house. ready to pounce on her and the children and take them all to hell. She even heard growling and scratching noises in the walls, and she was convinced that it was the devil.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
But in the summer of 2001, unbeknownst to everyone, Andrea Yates was on the verge of a mental breakdown. one so severe it would shock the nation. The warning signs had all been there, but no one knew what she was truly capable of. And soon enough, she would finally listen to those voices in her head, voices telling her to drown all five of her young children.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Through the month of June, Rusty, his mom, Dora, and Andrea's mom, Karen, had taken turns watching the kids as Andrea was still not allowed to be left alone with them, per doctor's orders. On the morning of June 20th, 2001, Rusty had to work, so Andrea's mother was set to come over and watch the kids. However, she was running late that day.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
At around 8.50 a.m., Karen called Rusty to tell him that she would be there in about an hour, somewhere around 10 a.m. But Rusty didn't wanna be late to work. So instead of waiting until his mother-in-law arrived, he decided to go to work anyway, leaving Andrea alone with their five children, a mistake he would live with for the rest of his life. As soon as Rusty walked out their front door,
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Andrea walked to their primary bathroom, closed the drain to the tub, and turned on the water. In her mind, Satan was going to get to her children, and in order to save them, they all needed to die. Andrea also knew that she only had about an hour and a half until her mother came over, so she needed to work quickly. As soon as the tub was filled, she walked over to her two-year-old son Luke.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
and carried him into the bathroom. Her other five children stayed in the common area, having no idea what was about to happen. All of them were still in their pajamas. But once in the bathroom, Andrea carried her two year old over to the bathtub and forcibly held him under the water. For the first few seconds, Luke struggled. But after a while, she felt his body go limp.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Disturbingly, Andrea continued to hold him under the water for several more minutes, just to make sure he was dead. And then from there, she pulled his lifeless body from the bathtub. Water dripped down Andrea's blue t-shirt as she cradled him in her arms and walked him over to her bedroom. She then placed Luke down on the bed, wet diaper and pajamas and all.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Seconds later, the other children watched as she emerged from the bedroom, soaking wet. Andrea then grabbed three-year-old Paul and in the same bathwater where she had just drowned Luke, she repeated the same process. But Paul was older than Luke, he was stronger. As his mother held him under the water, he fought back.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
In the process, he would split his lip on the bottom of the bathtub, but soon enough he too would go unconscious. And just like with Luke, Andrea held him under for about five minutes just to make sure he was dead. And when he was, She carried him over to the bedroom and laid his body down next to his brother. Next was five-year-old John.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
At five years old, you have a pretty good grasp of what's going on around you. You know when something doesn't feel right. And when his mother picked him up and placed him into the tub with his pajamas still on, it's safe to say that John was scared. And before he knew it, Andrea was forcing his head under the water.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
John had bruises on his hips from where he was forcibly held down, and Andrea would hold him under the water for around seven minutes total. until she was sure he was dead. She then placed his body alongside his two brothers. Now the next child was six-month-old Mary. She was wearing a one-piece purple Carter's outfit when her mother submerged her in the water.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Mary had the least amount of injuries compared to her brothers. Disturbingly, because she was so small, her drowning was much easier. But during this time, Andrea's oldest son Noah was out in the living room and he began to wonder what was going on. That morning, he watched his mother bring each of his siblings into the bedroom, and they had yet to come back out.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So this is part two of the Andrea Yates story. I'm Courtney Browen.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
So being the curious seven-year-old he was, he walked into his parents' bathroom. In front of him, his mom was on her knees, forcibly holding his little sister under the water. Horrified, Noah asked what was going on, but then suddenly he realized maybe he saw that his little sister was dead, or maybe he saw the look in his mom's eyes as she turned around.
Murder In America
EP. 185: TEXAS - Andrea Yates: The Mother Who Drowned Her 5 Children In A Bathtub (PT. 2)
Whatever it was, Noah knew that he was in danger, and in an attempt to save his life, he ran. Andrea left her infant daughter submerged in the bathtub as she chased her oldest son through the house. And soon enough, she caught up to him. It's horrifying to think about what Noah said to his mom as she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back into the bathroom.