Andrea Yates American woman who killed 5 of her children Date of Birth: 02.07.1964 Country: USA

Biography of Andrea Yates

Andrea Pia Kennedy, later known as Andrea Yates, was born in 1964 in Houston, Texas. She was the youngest of five children to German immigrant Jutta Karin Koehler and Andrew Emmett Kennedy, whose parents were of Irish descent. Yates was raised in a Catholic household.

In her teenage years, Yates suffered from bulimia and depression. At the age of 17, she even confided in a friend about her suicidal thoughts. After graduating from Milby High School in Houston, Andrea pursued nursing courses at the University of Houston and ultimately earned a nursing degree from the University of Texas School of Nursing.

From 1986 to 1994, Yates worked as a registrar at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, an oncological center. In the summer of 1989, she met Russell 'Rusty' Yates, and they soon began living together. On April 17, 1993, Andrea and Rusty got married and decided to have as many children as nature allowed. The young couple purchased a house in Friendswood, a town in Texas.

Their first child, Noah, was born in February 1994. John followed in December 1995, and their third son, Paul, was born in September 1997. After Noah's birth, Andrea developed postpartum depression, for which she was prescribed tranquilizers. This condition was considered fairly common among young mothers, and doctors did not consider it dangerous.

However, when their fourth child, Luke, was born in February 1999, Andrea's depression worsened significantly, and she was prescribed stronger antidepressants. She was later put on powerful antipsychotic medication, but her illness persisted. In late 1999, Andrea attempted suicide by consuming a packet of medication, but she was saved. Despite this, her mental health did not improve.

In November 2000, Andrea gave birth to their fifth child, Mary, and at that time, it appeared that her mental health was returning to normal. However, in March 2001, after the death of her father, Andrea stopped taking her prescribed medication and fell into a deep depression. Rusty doubted that she would recover.

By the spring of 2001, Andrea Yates had developed the desire to kill her children out of love rather than hatred. The tragedy occurred on June 20, 2001, around 9 a.m. Rusty left for work as usual, bidding farewell to Andrea, who stayed at home to care for the children. It was expected that Rusty's mother, Dora Yates, would soon arrive at their house, but Andrea called her and said there was no need to come.

Andrea filled the bathtub with water, one by one bringing her children into the bathroom, submerging them in the water until they drowned. She then wrapped their bodies in towels and placed them on the bed in the bedroom. When the bodies of Luke, Paul, and John were on the bed, and six-month-old Mary had stopped breathing, their oldest son, seven-year-old Noah, entered the bathroom. He asked what was happening to Mary but quickly realized the situation and ran away. Andrea chased him throughout the house and eventually caught and drowned him as well. Afterward, she called the police and then her husband, Rusty.

Andrea Yates was charged with the murder of her five children. Her defense argued for her innocence due to her state of mental disturbance when the crimes were committed. Public opinion initially condemned Yates as a child murderer. However, it softened as people began to understand that her actions were a result of her illness. Russell Yates also played a significant role in changing public perception, as he did not blame his wife but instead attributed the tragedy to her mental illness.

Ultimately, Andrea Yates received a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict and was diagnosed with mental incompetence. She is currently being held in a psychiatric facility in Texas. This crime has been described as one of the most shocking in American history.