Andrea Yates

Andrea Yates ( Top Ten, 1)

Andrea Yates is a prime example of a serial killer with mental illnesses. Almost every serial killer suffers from a psychological disorder. In some occasions it can be more than one psychological disorder (Saxean, Chaitra Suraj). Symptoms can be related to each other and in most cases, one condition leads to the other (Saxean, Chaitra Suraj). A few known serial killer psychological disorders are: 

 

Schizophrenia

Multiple personality disorder

Antisocial personality disorder

Anxiety disorder

Bipolar disorder

Borderline personality disorder

Childhood antisocial disorder

Delusional disorder

Depression

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)

Physical abuse

Panic attack

Pedophilia

Personality disorder

Psychotic disorder

Sexual sadism

(Saxean, Chaitra Suraj).

 Andrea Yates and Rusty Yates met when they were 25 years old. Three years later, In 1993 they got married and one year later had their first child Noah ( Ramsland, 5). The Yates told friends and family They were planning on having as many children as came along, whatever God wanted for them ( Ramsland, 5). Soon after Noah was born Andrea began to have violent visions. They ranged from seeing someone get sabbed to her believing satan spoke to her. She kept the dreams secret, because her and her husband had idealistic, Bible-notions about motherhood and family ( Ramsland, 5). Little did Andrea Yates just how much mental illness ran in her family's history. It ranged from depression to bipolar disorder, which can contribute to postpartum psychosis. In the beginning stages of signs of mental illness she was undiagnosed and untreated. She kept the secrets she knew unknown ( Ramsland, 5). Soon after she had more kids totaling to four kids. Pressure starting buliding as she tried to be a good mother and care for her father with Alzheimers. She began to feel lonely and depressed. This was the beginning of her being admitted to hospitals mutilple times and many visits to therapy and a psychiatrists. She was taken on and off of multiple medications like Zoloft, Zyprexa, and Haldo. During this she was admitting to those observing her that she was hearing voices and afraid she might hurt someone ( Ramsland, 6). Almost every medication she was prescribed she refused to take. To make matters worse in 2000 she had a fifth child, which was their first girl. At this point in her life she had sereval episodes of psychotic hallucinations, survived two suicides, and been diagnosed in many institutions with major depression ( Ramsland, 6) She was now taking care of five children with three still in diapers. Soon after her father passed away she was so upset she had to be hospitalized because she couldn't function ( Ramsland, 6). On June 20, 2001 the worst would happen, Andrea Yates will one by one drowned all her five children in the bathtub ( Ramsland, 1). After she will call her husband and police to inform them of what she had done. ( Ramsland, 1). When she was taken to police headquarters she was questioned by police ( Ramsland, 3).

"Who killed your children?" the officer asked.

"I killed my children."  Her eyes were blank.

"Why did you kill your children?"

"Because I'm a bad mother."

( Ramsland, 3).

Andrea Yates was sentenced to life in prison after her trials were postponed cause of her mental illnesses ( Ramsland, 7). Today she is still in prison getting help with her mental illnesses. She is working on hopefully leaving the prison and getting into a mental health facility for better help ( Ramsland, 7).

 Postpartum depression occurs in up to twenty percent of women who have children ( Ramsland, 3).  Psychotic manifestations are so much more rare, which makes it much more unlikley to understand. "Only one in five hundred births result in the mother's postpartum psychosis, says forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner" ( Ramsland, 3). In Britain, the mental health system watches mothers for months afterward for signs of depression and mood swings. While people in America have a hard time understanding how hormonal shifts can actually cause violent hallucinations and thoughts ( Ramsland, 3). These women can become incoherent, paranoid, irrational, and delusional.  They could  have outright hallucinations, and may be at risk of committing suicide or harming their child, particularly "for the child's own good" ( Ramsland, 3) The countries that follow up on mothers after birth do so, because the women themself will not recongnize it as an illness ( Ramsland, 3).

How do you feel about Britian and other countries keeping an eye on new mothers and not the United States? It surprises me to see this because it could save a childs' life if a mother is diagnosed as soon as possible. I feel as though the United States haven't not only because they dont understand hormonal shifts, but assume that the number of mothers with postpartum psychosis is so low, there's no need for a nation wide health check. I believe the United States needs to adopt this system that watches new mothers, even if it saved one life it would be worth it. We don't need anymore Andrea Yates in this world, but unfortnately there will be more like her untreated and undiagnosed until its to late. The public needs to be more aware of this system used in other countries and fight for it to be brought to the United States no matter the cost of tax payers money. A childs life is priceless and deserves the best care.

Sources:

Ramsland, Katherine. " Andrea Yates: Ill or Evil?." . Web. 11, Feb. 2013.

Saxean, Chaitra Suraj. " Serial Killers' Psychology." Buzzle.com. Web. 11, Feb. 2013.

" Top Ten Deadliest Female Killers." TopTenz.net. Web. 4 Feb. 2013.