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Mental Decline of Yates Documented
Mental Decline of Woman Charged With Drowning Her Five Children Documented by Best Friend
The Associated Press
H O U S T O N, March 1 — In the months before Andrea Yates drowned her five children, her best friend documented her deteriorating mental condition, noting she paced around her suburban Houston home like a "scared animal."
"I was very concerned about my friend," Debbie Holmes testified Thursday at Yates' capital murder trial for the drowning deaths of three of the children. "I was calling my sister and my other family members constantly crying.
"I was very frustrated at the lack of care I thought she was receiving."
Holmes' sister made a suggestion: "You need to write this down in case something bad happens."
Portions of the journal Holmes kept are now evidence in Yates' trial for the June 20 deaths of 7-year-old Noah, 5-year-old John and 6-month-old Mary. Charges could be filed later in the deaths of Paul, 3, and Luke, 2.
Yates has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. She faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
Dr. Phillip Resnick, an expert witness for the defense, was expected to follow Yates' mother, Jutta Karin Kennedy, to the witness stand when testimony resumed Friday.
At least one juror was brought to tears on Thursday, when Holmes broke down while recounting how she learned on the television news that her friend had been accused of drowning her children.
"I fell on the floor and just cried," Holmes testified. "I was screaming, 'It can't be my Andrea. It can't be my Andrea.'"
Holmes said she tried to help her friend of 16 years, but her efforts only got her so far.
"A couple of times I called her husband and I was crying and sobbing: 'She needs help now. NOW! Not next week!'" Holmes said.
Russell Yates, who took the stand before Holmes, said he saw no reason not to leave his children alone with his wife the day of the drownings. He said he knew she was sick, but thought she would be fine for the few hours between when he left for work and his mother arrived to help.
"At the time, I didn't think she was dangerous; none of us did," Yates said.
He went on to explain the simple, traditional life he and his wife had agreed to pursue together.
"Man is the breadwinner and woman is the homemaker," Yates told prosecutor Joe Owmby under cross-examination. "It's the way it's been for years."
Social worker Earline Wilcott, who counseled Andrea Yates for years, testified Thursday that she met Russell Yates once and learned that his beliefs included that a wife should submit to her husband.
Holmes said she pleaded with Russell Yates to get his wife medical help but was told Andrea Yates was just sad about her father's death last March.
After the birth of Yates' fifth child, followed a few months later by her father's death, Yates quickly took a downward tumble, Holmes said.
Yates had attempted suicide twice after the birth of her fourth son and Holmes worried her friend was again suffering postpartum depression after Mary's birth in November 2000.
Holmes said Yates received treatment at a mental health facility on two separate occasions last April and May.
While Yates was in the hospital, Holmes testified, Russell Yates couldn't understand why his wife couldn't keep up with taking care of the children and home-schooling them. She said he admired another woman in the family's neighborhood who had nine children.
'"She's got nine kids, teaches her kids tee ball and she does just fine. I don't know why Andrea's having so much trouble,'" Russell Yates said, according to Holmes' testimony.
Once she was released from the hospital, Holmes said, Andrea Yates paced around her home with no goal in mind, smelled like she hadn't bathed in days and lost weight.
