Andrea Yates R.N.

Published

Did you know that Andrea Yates, the woman who is now being re-tried for drowning her 5 children in Texas was a nurse? I just thought it was interesting.

When I first heard of the tragic death of those beautiful children, my first reaction was that she should fry. However, reading documents regarding her current and past psychoses, it became clear that this was a very sick woman whom the system and her own husband failed. Transcripts of her mental health observations are available on thesmokinggun.com and they make it crystal clear just how sick she was. She should never have been left alone with those children. The signs were all there, she had tried to kill herself, had pleaded with her doctors to let her die because she was damning her children's souls to hell. She was completely psychotic. The only reason she was not sent to a mental hospital instead of jail was because a chief witness lied during the trial and stated there had been an episode of "law and order" in which a woman drowned her kids in a bathtub and then got away with it by declaring that she had been insane. No such episode existed. I don't believe that she should be released, I believe that she belongs in a mental institution instead of a prison. She should have been institutionalized before the tragedy occurred.

So terrible, heartwrenchingly sad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had heard that despite her previous mental illness the doctor decided to take her off her medication and that is when she drowned her children. I think anyone on medication for an illness who has those type of tendencies should not be taken off of them because they are getting a little better. There are always pros and cons but I am sure there will be those that argue that Yates should get off because of the doctors faults and she was insane at the time because of being taken off of those medications. I would have to interview and assess her to truly know what I felt because drowning your children is a horrible act but at the same time the fault of the doctor taking her off the medicines is another dilemma. It is a hard ethical decision that I am glad I don't have to decide on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In readng the newspaper today, there was a news item where her mother -in-law was aware of some of the stuff going on - she asked her why she had run the tub full of water and she replied, "In case I need it." My question is why none of these people are being charged as accessories. They had to know, all of them, that something could happen to those kids.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, tele, vascular.

Howdy All,

This is my (a guy) perspective on her situation. I have no idea if she is insane or not but I believe her now ex-husband should share the blame for what happened to those children. If he knew that she had serious psych issues what was he doing leaving those kids with her????? How does my great state not see that as neglect or endangering a child(children).

Craig

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

Also, unless he forcibly raped her, I don't think you can blame him for not stopping her from having children. What would you guys say if a women was interested in having a baby and her husband said "sorry, you have a mental illness, no more children for you!" In most cases, someone with a mental illness can still be a loving and effective parent. This was a horrible tragedy.

Any responsible husband and father struggling with a mentally ill wife, who by history suffers from postpartum psychosis, should definately be told "sorry you have a mental illness and no more children for you!" and he should wear condoms. He is equally at fault for having 5 children.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
I agree totally that Andrea Yates was severely mentally ill.

I don't understand why everyone is being so cruel to her husband though. I have several family members who battle mental illness. It is incredibley tough to deal with. And even when you understand it's an illness it is very hard to do the right thing and help them in the right way. Even with the best intentions it is easy to put pressure on someone to do something "you" think will help them when it really may not be in their best interest.

Also, unless he forcibly raped her, I don't think you can blame him for not stopping her from having children. What would you guys say if a women was interested in having a baby and her husband said "sorry, you have a mental illness, no more children for you!" In most cases, someone with a mental illness can still be a loving and effective parent. This was a horrible tragedy.

You're missing the point by several miles. We're not talking about a garden variety mental illness here. This was postpartum psychosis and it put his children at great risk. He knew this. Never mind for a moment the fact that he was the one encouraging her to continue having babies. Had that not be the case, while he couldn't have stopped his wife from wanting more children, he could and should have taken the obvious preventive measures available to him to ensure that he didn't father more victims. The fact that it was a horrible tragedy doesn't preclude the role his actions played in the outcome.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab.
BIG HUGS for those who have "been there" or have family who have been mentally ill. And also for those nurses and others who care for them!

I have "been there", had family in that situation, and also have been "the nurse" in a dual diagnosis unit or taking care of people on the floor with those challenges. It's not easy, is it?

Thank you guys for being there when we needed you -

:thankya:

Thanks zoeboboey... I'm been on many a psych unit...psych facility, etc. Two of my five kids were adopted (we had a 3, 6, and 7 year old when my husband and I adopted a 6 and 7 year old around 12 years ago) and both of my adopted kids were diagnosed with a mental illness in their preteen and teen years and they were both quite Alert & Oriented x 3 at all times. One turned quite violent....one's doing well (a little manic at times, but not violent...still I worry that she'll hit a high high or a low low again). Both refused their meds as they enter adulthood...The one who is still quite violent is no longer living with us (for his safety and the safety of our other children and my husband and myself and our neighbors, we finally refused to bring him back into the household and into our neighborhood (though some of the neighbors found him charming)...especially since we once read a psych report that said he was threatening to kill my husband and myself as we slept....especially since he'd hit or kicked 5 holes in the wall over 6 years (as well as at a facility he was in)...and yet individuals insisted we should have brought him back into our household....("dont you want him" said one). Sure we did...but until he is stable he remains a danger to himself and others. But we and our other children wanted to stop living in fear..... But its not easy to say "Enough!" to the system (when its a family member - a son, a daughter, a wife, a husband) especially when the family member has lucid moments in which they apologize). I used to think he would have to kill someone....before he would be able to stay longer than a week in a mental health facility.

if you don't bring a person under the age of 18 home when the psychiatrist or the insurance etc feels they are ready to come home (even if it has only been 3 days)., this is what happens...1. Social services is called, you are investigated for neglect, your children are possibly pulled out of their classes at school...in our case they found out we were an ordinary family trying to live out an unusual situation (the social worker was really impressed with the other kids...our mentally ill son had portrayed his parents, siblings and teachers as persecuting him...part of his delusions), 2. they start sending you the bill...which was $1000.00 a day in his case). The sad thing is that when individuals are placed in mental health facilities, many times they are released before the medications take effect, against the wishes of their family...due to insurance issues). Never been a psych nurse but I sure speak psych drugs...Depakote, Seroquel, Lithium, Zyprexa etc. etc. etc.

Thanks zoeboboey I send many HUGS your way :icon_hug:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You've never experienced postpartum depression have you?

True, postpartum depression is not psychosis. However, without intervention, one is more at risk for psychosis.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

even if the court does not do right by these poor children, in the end God had the final say. Oh sorry :o I mentioned God to any one who is offended by this, please read somewhere else.:angryfire :angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Please do. I have worked with nurses with post-partum depression who have a tendency to so some bizzare things. It gives us a reason to take the problem very seriously.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

wow...I had no idea. Pretty scary!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Does anyone know if there were any accessory charges made in this case? If her psych professional was charged with anything, if her pastor/priest was charged with anything? The case for child endangerment here is so strong; I'm very surprised to see that her husband was not charged/convicted of that at the very least. Do psych professionals have the same failure to rescue issues as the rest of the medical field does? I'm pretty sure that clergy members have mandatory reporting mandates as well. Any thoughts?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion