Andrea_Yates_Story

Andrea Yates Story May 31, 2011 Today, I will be sharing a heart breaking story of an infamous woman whom actions struck the heart of many around the word. The actions of such crime left many confused as to why and how. I believe most actions were to embrace our own children after hearing this horrible event. Introduce to you one of the world’s most infamous female killers, Mrs. Andrea Pia Yates. In a dramatic turnaround from her first murder trial, Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday in the drowning of her children in a bathtub. The 42-year-old woman will be committed to a state mental hospital and held until she is no longer deemed a threat. If she had been convicted of murder, she would have been sentenced to life in prison ( 2006, July 27). Andrea and Rusty Yates, both 25, met at their apartment complex in Houston. Andrea, who was usually reserved, initiated the conversation. Andrea had never dated anyone until she turned 23 and prior to meeting Rusty she was healing from a broken relationship. They eventually moved in together and spent much of their time involved in religious study and prayer. They were married on April 17, 1993. They shared with their guests that they planned on having as many children as nature provided. Andrea and Rusty had five lovely children ranging in ages from six months to seven years old. On this day Andrea drowned the children one by one. She drowned three of her sons, Luke, age 2; Paul, age 3; and John, age 5. She put them in facedown and held them as they struggled. As each one died, she then placed him face up on a bed, still wet, and then covered all three with a sheet. Each had struggled just a few minutes. Next was six-month-old Mary, the youngest, who had been in the bathroom all this time, sitting on the floor in her bassinet and crying. When Andrea was finished with Mary, she left her floating in the water and called to her oldest son, Noah. As if all of this wasn’t enough, her final act will bring you tears. He came right away. "What happened to Mary'" he asked. Then apparently realizing what his mother was doing, he ran from the bathroom but Andrea chased him down and dragged him back to the tub. She forced him in face down and drowned him right next to Mary. She admitted in her confession that he had put up the biggest struggle of all. At times he managed to slip from her grasp and get some air, but she always managed to push him back down. His last words were, "I'm sorry." She left him there floating in a tub full of feces, urine and vomit, where police found him. She lifted Mary out and placed her on the bed with her other brothers. Andrea gently covered her before calling the police and her husband. It hurts me to discipline my children now, and to hear “I’m sorry”, just really rips through me. I don’t know what state of mind she was in, but it certainly was not the right one. Andrea showed signs of mental distress at an early age. After growing up with the hurt from the loss of her fathers suicide. Then living in silence with the pains of sexual abuse from her step father; Andrea never received the care or therapy for her wounds. Andrea was again hospitalized and stayed in a catatonic state for 10 days. After being treated with an injection of different drugs that included Haldol, an anti-psychotic drug, her condition immediately improved. Rusty was optimistic about the drug therapy because Andrea appeared more like the person he first met. Dr. Starbranch warned the Yates that having another baby might bring on more episodes of psychotic behavior. Andrea was placed on out-patient care and prescribed Haldol. But the care lasted shortly until she was expecting again. And the depression returned, Rusty’s mom would come to help Andrea, but on this day she would come too late. Andrea immediately admitted to the responding police to killing her five children. The controversial trial lasted three weeks. The jury found Andrea guilty of capital murder, but rather than recommending the death penalty, they voted for life in prison. At the age of 77, in the year 2041, Andrea will be eligible for parole. These protections make the public more supportive of insanity verdicts. So do logical labels. Several jurors in Yates' case said they would rather have found she was "guilty, but insane." That wording does not exist under Texas law: It is "not guilty by reason of insanity." Here, too, Oregon has the right idea; it allows a verdict of "guilty except for insanity ( USA TODAY).” I disagree with the verdict. I feel she does have a mental illness, but she still should be held accountable for her actions. Her husband supported her, blaming the medication side effects caused her behavior. Andrea suffered from various disorders such as personality traits, mood swings, impulsive- control disorders and anxiety disorders. Andrea suffered from hallucinations and attempted suicide multiple times. The medication (Haldol) she was taking causes effects on the cardiovascular system and effects on the central nervous system. Yates is the very type of defendant for whom insanity laws were written. She was clearly sick in 2001. She had attempted suicide twice. She battled depression, heard voices and was on and off psychotic drugs. Just as surely, she is guilty of a heinous crime (USA TODAY). Reference Andrea Yates: Ill or Evil' Katherine Ramsland http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/women/andrea_yates/2.html Profile of Andrea Yates Charles Montaldo, About.com Guide http://crime.about.com/od/current/p/andreayates.htm Sarason, I & Sarason, B. Abnormal Psychology: The problem of Maladaptive Behavior 11e. 2005 Pearson Prentice hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Yates found not guilty of killing her children. (2006, July 27). Daily Gleaner,A.8. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from Canadian Newsstand: Yates verdict reflects a healthy evolution :[FINAL Edition]. (2006, July 28). USA TODAY,p. A.12. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from ProQuest