Andrea Yates suffered from severe postpartum psychosis, after her fourth child. She and her husband Rusty were advised not to have any more children, but her husband refused to use contraceptives, allow her to be on BC or have her tubes tide even though he continued to have sex with her.

Before and after they had their fifth child, Rusty was warned by Andrea’s psychiatrist not to leave her unattended with their children. Andrea had already confessed to wanting to hurt her children and she had attempted suicide four times before the fifth child was born.

Rusty did not believe in psychiatric medications so he not only ignored doctors’ diagnosis and warnings, but denied Andrea treatment while continuing to leave Andre alone with the children while he worked. This is a family that could have afforded help, but not only did Rusty fail to secure his kids protection from their sick mother—several family members on both sides testified he never even changed a single diaper for any of their children.

Rusty has forgiven Andrea and places blame entirely on her illness. He has never publicly acknowledged his failure to heed several clear warnings that his wife needed treatment, his children needed protected from their sick mother and that he was a neglectful husband and father in the most basic sense.

Andrea has been in a mental health facility since 2006 when her sentence was changed to not guilty by reason of insanity. She has never petitioned for release and seems content to remain in the custody of the hospital forever. Rusty and Andre speak monthly and reminisce about their children.