In 2001, Andrea Yates was America’s most notorious mom…but how did she get there?
Fifteen years ago, Andrea Yates drowned her five children in a bathtub. Six years and two trials later, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. The following is an honest conversation about the Yates tragedy and maternal mental illness today:
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Two years before Andrea Yates committed murder, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression and psychosis following the birth of her fourth child. Only a month after her diagnosis, she attempted suicide for the first time.
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After the birth of her fifth child and the death of her father, Andrea's psychosis returned full force. Within months, Andrea's psychiatrist opted to take her off of an antipsychotic prescribed to control her symptoms, citing concerns about side effects.
Two days before Andrea drowned her children, her husband brought her back to the hospital. The doctor did not prescribe Andrea anything, nor was she admitted to the hospital.
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