ANDREA YATES

[Chrystal-J]

I think Andrea refused to take her meds cuz she thought it was causing her mental illness, not curing it.

[breaker]

I didn’t follow this case at the time but recently read ‘Are You There Alone?’ which was pretty interesting. The author of that book spent a decent amount of time with the family and also reviewed Andrea’s medical records. I have to say it doesn’t seem like Rusty prevented Andrea from seeking treatment – she was hospitalized repeatedly but, due in part to an almost catatonic depression, was never correctly diagnosed. Her medical records weren’t properly transferred (this wasn’t Rusty’s responsibility, but that of the medical personnel) So although Rusty told her new doctor that Haldol, an antipsychotic medication, had worked effectively on Andrea in the past, her new psychiatrist was reluctant to prescribe it to her in sufficient doses. (She was weaned off Haldol two weeks before the murders, and was only on antidepressants by that stage).

As far as I understand it, the directive not to leave her alone was a measure to protect Andrea from hurting herself. She had attempted suicide twice before, but had never outwardly shown any desire to hurt the children or anyone else. When she was in one of her depressed states she couldn’t care for them properly so Rusty’s mother came by every day to help.

That’s not to say Rusty shouldn’t be assigned a degree of blame... it’s a tragedy which absolutely should have been avoided. But that’s hindsight.

Somewhere in this case, there is a doctor who looked at a woman suffering from post-partum psychosis and either didn't notice she'd quit taking her meds (!) or shrugged and figured she was no danger to herself or others after all. I only hope she wasn't obviously psychotic until it was too late. Otherwise, somewhere, there's a doctor who needs to find a new specialty.

As far as I know, she wasn't diagnosed as psychotic until she was in jail.

[TMS]

As far as I know, she wasn't diagnosed as psychotic until she was in jail.

She had been on Haldol, which is a drug for psychosis. She had stopped taking it at the time of the murders.

[Lillybee]

She was put on haldol after the birth of her fourth child because of post partum psychosis. Her doctor recommended no more pregnancies for a while. She went off the holdol (perhaps at Rusty's urging) to get pregnant with the fifth.

[breaker]

She was put on haldol after the birth of her fourth child because of post partum psychosis. Her doctor recommended no more pregnancies for a while. She went off the holdol (perhaps at Rusty's urging) to get pregnant with the fifth.

Yes, but it was documented in her medical records (and acknowledged by her psychiatrist at the trial) that Rusty wanted her put back on Haldol, because he had observed that it worked best of all the drugs they had been through when it was prescribed by a previous psychiatrist. The doctor resisted as she didn't have a formal diagnosis of psychosis and he thought antidepressants were more appropriate.

She had been on Haldol, which is a drug for psychosis. She had stopped taking it at the time of the murders.

Yes, she was no longer being prescribed it.

[Alecto]

Andrea Yates was a failure of not just one person, but a lot of people, it seems.

[camdendayton]

Andrea Yates was a failure of not just one person, but a lot of people, it seems.

:clap: true. I have been reading along with this and I agree she is not blameless, and neither is anyone else it seems.

[Alecto]

I have a lot of sympathy of her, having dealt with someone who developed post partum schizophrenia that eventually lead to suicide. Even when medicated, and able to "function" some of these people are still not in the real world. Some of them stop medicating because they still have delusions, and it can take years to get the right medications in the right doses to really help them. Sadly, our country has cut off most mental health funding, and a lot of health insurances don't cover mental health.

I am surprised we've not had more Andrea Yates situations.

[jockosmom]

"I am surprised we've not had more Andrea Yates situations."

I am too. This is the end result of letting God plan the size of your family and refusing to use your God-given brain to determine what is actually best for YOUR family. With Andrea's postpartum problems, maybe this was God's way of trying to tell her and Rusty that 4 or 5 children was enough. Anytime I have seen Rusty Yates in an interview or whatever, he doesn't appear to accept any blame for what happened and has blithely gone on with this life and married another woman. How many children do they have by now? Rusty gives off a Jim-Bob Duggar vibe to me.

[debrand]

I'm confused. I saw a documentary on Andrea Yates that stated that the reason she didn't get better medical care was because of her insurance. Rusty took her to get help and wanted the doctor to put her on Hadol. Their doctor refused. At that point, their insurance ran out so she was released. Some of you are saying that he prevented her from getting medical help but the documentary made it sound as if the family did make an effort to get her help. Now I am confused as to which version of truth is correct.

I've known many women who opted for smaller families than they originally wanted because of postpartum depression. Its depressingly sad that she didn't stop having children after her fourth child.

Like Alecto, I'm surprised that there aren't more Andrea Yates.

[haveapicniclife]

:clap: true. I have been reading along with this and I agree she is not blameless, and neither is anyone else it seems.

Agree.

I was living in that area at the time while going to UHCL, I lived near them (but did not know them). So many epic fails from so many people. His mom was coming to help Andrea while Russell was at work. Had he taken her illness seriously, I don't think he would've left Andrea alone for that hour until his mom arrived. She shouldn't have been alone with the kids, ever.

I was really into the case a few years back and read everything I could find about it. From what I recall, two of the children were actually still alive when placed on the bed but didn't make it. Also, that house (which had only the one bathtub) did finally sell. I remember hoping that a nice family would buy it and fill it with love to erase the dark things that happened there. :cry:

I was on another message board when her appeal was going on and she was ruled insane and ordered to a mental hospital. I totally agreed with that verdict but my pals on that board were just horrified. They truly thought she was some selfish bitch that should fry in hell, some bitch that just didn't want to watch her children, wanted to go shopping or partying instead (a la Casey Anthony). They truly did not understand how sick this woman was and how she will NEVER lead a normal life. She will never be happy go lucky, she will never shop or show interest in much of anything. I just couldn't believe how misinformed they were about her very real, very scary mental illness.

[lilwriter85]

I wonder if the Yates family were into submission and if submission played a big role in their life.

I haven't read about the Yates case in awhile, but I recall years ago there were people connected to the family that said that Andrea admitted at times she wasn't comfortable with homeschooling and other things but she did them to please Rusty. I think the family lived in a RV at one point and Andrea didn't like it but told people she would put up with it because of Rusty.

[valsa]

Had he taken her illness seriously, I don't think he would've left Andrea alone for that hour until his mom arrived. She shouldn't have been alone with the kids, ever.

This may have been something he didn't have a choice on. Having too many kids on one salary, he may not have been able to risk his job by messing around with his hours.

I find it interesting that many people in the general public demonize Andrea without knowing the whole story but, from the sound of it, people here demonize Rusty without taking everything into account as well. Not every mom who kills her kid is a Casey Anthony and not every husband whose wife goes nuts in a boogie-man.

[mags]

I've known many women who opted for smaller families than they originally wanted because of postpartum depression. Its depressingly sad that she didn't stop having children after her fourth child.

She wasn't the only one participating in making the last baby (or any of the others.) As the one who wasn't mentally ill, Rusty held the responsibily for not making any more babies. She just couldn't handle it and Rusty just kept going for baby after baby. He didn't care about her or those children. If he did he would have wanted a healthy wife and mother to his existing children and he would have done what was necessary to get there, including using birth control or abstaining. Why are men never responsible for birth control (even when their partner is mentally ill?)

[debrand]

She wasn't the only one participating in making the last baby (or any of the others.) As the one who wasn't mentally ill, Rusty held the responsibily for not making any more babies. She just couldn't handle it and Rusty just kept going for baby after baby. He didn't care about her or those children. If he did he would have wanted a healthy wife and mother to his existing children and he would have done what was necessary to get there, including using birth control or abstaining. Why are men never responsible for birth control (even when their partner is mentally ill?)

I should have said that "its sad that the couple didn't decide to stop having children." You're correct. Rusty was not mentally ill so he should have taken measures to prevent another pregnancy.

My last pregnancy took a toll on my body. I was tired and sick for a great deal of it. My husband got a vasectomy because the surgery for him is less invasive than sterilization for me would have been. Some men do take responsibility for birth control

[mags]

Some men do take responsibility for birth control

I know. My comment was meant to reflect the larger social issue/problem that women are primarily responsible for birth control choices. My husband would do the same as yours as would many other husbands and partners.

[valsa]

I know. My comment was meant to reflect the larger social issue/problem that women are primarily responsible for birth control choices. My husband would do the same as yours as would many other husbands and partners.

In my area, they do an actually fairly good job of teaching that birth control is the responsibility of both parties. I think the reason society at large sees birth control as mainly the realm of women is that we have a lot more to lose than men on the subject. It's hard to teach men that they have to be responsible when there's not all that much of their's that's on the line.

As women, it's our bodies on the line if we get pregnant (whether the pregnancy is carried to term or aborted) and, in most cases, our wallets (I can't tell you the number of single mothers I know who get little-to-no child support and have had to put their careers and/or education on the back burner due to having kids)

[starfish]

Rusty could have and should have been charged with child endangerment.

The Harris Co. D.A.'s office were gutless wonders not to charge him.

Rusty was an engineer at NASA, and seemingly intelligent. He knew Andrea should have never been alone with the children. He did not seem to "get" the degree to which she was impaired. Would a reasonable person hire someone to care for their children by themselves, knowing they had on more than one occasion attempted to harm themselves? One of the factors mental health professionals look at to determine if someone presents a potential threat to others is if they have attempted to harm themselves. Rusty wanted no disruption in his precious schedule. He never changed a diaper, but spent countless hours in his garage fiddling with his tools. He made Andrea live on a bus. (I'm surprised no one has brought up the bus situation). He was adamant that she homeschool the children (in her mental condition). His mother was supposed to help, but she also did not "get it" and just kind of showed up when she felt like it.

And when it all went bad, he divorced her, remarried and started on his second family. Harris Co. D.A. should have AT LEAST taken a child endangerment case against Rusty to the Grand Jury.

[kpmom]

He made Andrea live on a bus. (I'm surprised no one has brought up the bus situation). He was adamant that she homeschool the children (in her mental condition). His mother was supposed to help, but she also did not "get it" and just kind of showed up when she felt like it.

Yeah, what was the deal with living in a bus? Obviously as an engineer he made enough to afford decent housing, so what was that all about?

[deelaem]

Yeah, what was the deal with living in a bus? Obviously as an engineer he made enough to afford decent housing, so what was that all about?

The bus stuff happened when the Yates' got involved with a notorious fundie nut-case named Michael Woroniecki. He thought that everyone should give up their worldly means (to him, of course) and live a more godly life, blah, blah. Rusty eventually got disenchanted with Woroniecki, but Andrea, in her delusion, still believed his craziness.

So, so much went wrong in the Andrea Yates case. The only silver lining is that there is much more awareness about post-partum psychosis, which is not at all the same thing as post-partum depression. And yeah, I also believe that Rusty and Andrea's mother failed her in a lot of ways, at the cost of 5 children's lives.

[Austin]

I'm glad that someone pointed out finally that he had her living on a bus - NOT an RV - just an old bus, with four kids. She had been mentally ill for years, so his answer to that was to start following the "teachings" of some whack job, move her and the kids onto an old bus, and have her homeschool them all, and even after the doctors told them that there should be no more children because of her mental illness/post-partum issues, he knocks her up yet again.

Yeah, she drowned them, but I believe he bears the largest part of the moral responsibility. I saw him on Dr. Drew the other night and was sickened and I emailed Dr. Drew to let him know how disgusting it was that he gave this asshat a platform in the context of the Caylee Anthony murder.