Growing up, Andrea Pia Yates showed early signs of brilliance. As a child prodigy, she was a high school valedictorian and a skilled swimmer. Later in life, she married Russel Yates, a NASA computer engineer, who had also been a high achiever in his youth. Despite her bright beginnings, Andrea’s life became increasingly burdened with stress and mental illness. Andrea’s father suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, so when she was only a child up to adulthood, Andrea Yates would have to care for him to the best of her abilities. On top of this, she was a nurse for a cancer clinic, before becoming a stay-at-home mom and caring for her own family. Her mother recalled how she was selfless and always put others first. Andrea had also been raised Catholic, with her and her husband both being heavily religious.
Over time, the strain of her numerous responsibilities had begun to take a toll. Andrea Yates was suffering from schizophrenia. Soon after the birth of her first child in 1999 and resurfacing after her fourth, she suffered from postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. She attempted suicide on multiple accusations, including a drug overdose that resulted in psychiatric hospitalization, sometime after attempting to slit her own throat. Then on March 21, 2001, Andrea’s father, Andrew Kennedy, succumbed to his sickness and passed away. Andrea struggled to cope with his death and had begun to exhibit strange behaviors, including refusing her medication, self-mutilation, and becoming unresponsive. Her decline became so severe that her immense fatigue required hospitalization.
By the time of the tragic incident, the Yates family lived in Houston, Texas. Andrea Yates had been struggling with thoughts of harming her children for some time and had even attempted once before, unbeknownst to others. Instead, her doctor had assumed that her suicidal tendencies were resurfacing. On June 20, 2001, in a horrific and heart-wrenching act, she filled the bathtub with water and called all five of her children to the bathroom. Methodically, she began to drown her children, one by one. 2-year-old Luke, 3-year-old Paul, and 5-year-old John were the first to die. Afterward, their lifeless bodies were placed on a bed under the covers. Whilst her 6-month-old child’s body, Mary, was still in the bathtub, her oldest son, Noah, walked in. Realizing what was happening, Noah attempted to flee and escape his mother. Andrea Yates was able to catch him, and he soon came to the same gruesome fate as his siblings. She then placed Mary with her brothers, and left Noah’s body floating in the tub.
Following this unthinkable act, Andrea Yates called the police and her husband to confess what she had done. In 2002, she was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 40 years. However, in 2006, Andrea Yates was granted a retrial and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was transferred to a mental health facility where she continues to receive treatment. Now, Andrea’s ex-husband, Russel Yates, seems to have forgiven her, regularly visiting her at the mental hospital she stays at. He has also openly blamed her doctors for the incident, protesting their lack of medical intervention. Andrea Yates believed that she was in fact saving her children’s souls. To cut their lives short would be to allow them into heaven, not giving them the opportunity to be tempted by satan. Perhaps, in her own twisted and gruesome way, she was still trying to show compassion for her loved ones.
