**Cynthia Hunt speaks exclusively with Andrea Yates' family**

ABC13.com ^ | 3/18/02 | Cynthia Hunt

[MVV]

Cynthia Hunt speaks exclusively with Andrea Yates' family

			Andrea Yates' mother talks to the media for the first time since the trial began. Images from the case
			By Cynthia Hunt ABC13 Eyewitness News (3/17/02) — For the first time, we hear from Andrea Yates' family in the wake of her conviction and life sentence for the drowning deaths of her five little children last June.

What you're saying "She poses no threat to society and has been able to communicate with the doctors, lawyers, etc. since they put her back on it (medication). I only wish Dr. Mohammed Saeed was on trial here for the obvious care he did not give her." - terswife "I am so sick of everyone calling everyone sick. There is no responsibility in the US anymore. That is what is wrong. If I trip on a curb, it is MY FAULT, not the sidewalk's." - phalynx275 "How can the Defense say that she is not a threat to society? She murdered her OWN CHILDREN because she thought it was the right thing to do." - chris102871 Add your thoughts They told me they wanted their story to be told. The public and not even the jury in the Yates trial heard everything they had to say. This is what Andrea Yates' family says is the real story. They weren't able to talk during the trial because of a gag order. Now they can. With her quiet dignity, 72-year-old Karin Kennedy walked by the sea of cameras every day to support her youngest - the daughter who drowned her five children. Andrea yates is one of five children herself. Her mother, three brothers, and sister stand firmly by her side. They point out the prosecution couldn't find one person who knows their sister to say one bad thing about her. They say the woman and mother they know could never in her right mind drown her children. Brian Kennedy/Brother: "Andrea Yates was probably the closest thing to an angel on earth that I'll have the pleasure of meeting." Question: "Before the drowning, what kind of husband was Russell Yates?" Mrs. Kennedy: "Well, according to Andrea, she thought he was doing the best he could." Question: "So she didn't criticize him?" Mrs. Kennedy: "No." Question: "But you have some criticism. What would it be? Mrs. Kennedy: "Not helping her out." Question: "In what way?" Mrs. Kennedy: "With the children, putting them, helping them put them to bed, change a diaper once in a while or something." Question: "He didn't do that?" Mrs. Kennedy: "When they came to my house when Andrea went to the hospital, that was the first -- first time I told Rusty, 'Luke needs changing.' He says, 'Well that'd be a first. I have never changed a diaper before'. And that was the fourth child." Question: "What did you think of that?" Mrs. Kennedy: "I was horrified because my husband did most of the diaper changing with my children." Police say speeding caused overnight wreck that killed two people Top ten stolen cars in Houston Cynthia Hunt speaks exclusively with Andrea Yates' family Mother watches as daughter is gunned down during robbery Teen fatally shot as he tries to break up fight Teen killed in late night wreck in NE Harris Co. Woman reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint outside restaurant Life in prison for Andrea Yates More recent stories Russell Yates admits he once did not believe in mental illness, but he says after his wife's two suicide attempts and hospitalization in 1999, he learned. But Andrea Yates' best friend testified that she begged him to get his wife adequate care, and he didn't listen. The family agrees. Brian Kennedy/Brother: "It was not taken seriously. I believe the comment's been made that maybe he felt that it was mind over matter; buckle up. And I believe that that same thought process was used, probably close to when the tragedy occurred with the children." The day after the drownings, Russell Yates tried to explain how ill his wife was. Russell Yates, quote from June 21, 2001: "She wasn't in the right frame of mind." Friday, he blamed the medical community. A psychiatrist saw Yates two days before the drownings and didn't hospitalize her. Yates contends it was not his wife's fault. Russell Yates: "People have said, 'Why did you leave her at home that day?'." Those same people have flooded the district attorneys office with calls saying he should share the criminal responsibility. Prosecutors aren't ruling it out. Question: "Do you think he should be charged?" Brian Kennedy/Andrea Yates' brother: "I think it should be looked into, yeah. I do." Mrs. Kennedy: "Somebody tells people continuously that men are superior, women are inferior and should be subservice; I don't think that's very good." Question: "What percentage would you put on him in his role in this tragedy?" Mrs. Kennedy: "I can't venture to say that." You can hear much more of my lengthy exclusive interview with Andrea Yates' family today on Eyewitness News at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm. As for what's next in the Andrea Yates case, she is on the court docket to be sentenced Monday, but her attorney, George Parnham, says that could be delayed. That, as the defense gets the wheels turning on its plan to appeal. Stick with Eyewitness News for continuing coverage on the aftermath of the Yates trial. We'll have the latest information right here on Eyewitness News when it breaks.

[MVV]

Your thoughts please!

[mamarainsberry]

I think he shares a lot of her guilt. My thoughts have always been if she fried he should too.
He was there if he had been the least bit in tune he would have known better.
I think a man who hasn't changed a diaper by his fourth child and didn't realize how sick his wife is should be convictd for stupidity at least.
He could have practiced self control or birth control.

[pubmom]

Russell's looking worse by the minute.

It is interesting to note, that Russell does not like that the state brought murder charges against his wife, and he did not like the gag order.

My opinion?
The guy has a problem with authority when he isn't it.

[rintense]

The entire family is messed up- on both sides. Rusty Yates should be charged with criminal neglect.

[austingirl]

Russell Yates is a cretin whose views of women are abhorrent and has a huge share of blame for what happened to his children. He ignored medical advice about getting her pregnant again.

I would applaud the efforts of law enforcement to charge this fool with child endangerment or worse. At the very least he should be sterilized.

[twyn1]

Take the statement that "Rusty" had never changed the kid's diapers before -- combine this with a police report that the house was "a pigsty" (not just the normal "messy" that a household with lots of little kids often is) and that when a policman asked for some water "Rusty told him "sure, if you can find a clean glass" (which tells you that Rusty was making NO effort to help around the house--nor was his mother who was supposedly "helping Andrea" each day) -- add in an extremely depressed, previously suicidal woman who it seems was exclusively caring for (and "homeschooling") 5 kids under 7, who had also been caring for a dying (Alzheimer's) father, who gets only 3 hours off each Thursday , who is now "off" her medications -- this story just gets more and more horrendous !

I do feel that justice was done in the sentence that Andrea received, but her husband and the rest of that family HAD to see what was happening ! Now all they seem to be able to talk about is how "the doctors" and "the system" and "the insurance companies" failed "poor" Andrea -- we all KNOW a big, fat law suit is the next step -- and then ol' Rusty can waltz off with his dough and his "unfettered" lifestyle and find himself a new honey to start another family with -- Arrrgghh

Did you hear about the new "set of knives" in the kitchen ???

[Registered]

Rusty needs to hire the van Dam's PR machine. They seem to have done a great job with swinging potheads.

[Mfkmmof4]

Let us still remember she killed the children. Whether or not he is a control freak or does not like authority does not mean that all wives with like husbands become murderers. A lot of people don't, believe or handle mental illness well. Why put him in a jail...just to make a lot of other folks feel better?

[MVV]

I completely agree with your post! It just sickens me that Rusty is free as a bird to remarry and have five more kids if he likes while his "old" family lay dead in graves and a wife that will never see daylight (that is one thing I am happy about), my point being, surely Rusty will have to answer to some hard questioning from the local DA, at lease that's my hope!

[codebreaker]

Revenge of the mother in law!

[tojywayne]

Good old Rusty has been surprisingly supportive to the women who viciously killed all his children. Me thinks he feels partly GUILTY.

[MVV]

Me thinks he has been schooled by smart lawyers how to act as though it is not Andrea's fault in order to mount an enormous lawsuit against the hospital and Dr. that last treated his wife!

How else could he sue if he didn't display this phony, undying love for his sick wife that murdered his five children?

I hope it all comes back to bit him in the b@lls!

[MVV]

Can't say that I blame her one bit!

[grellis]

Why put him in a jail...just to make a lot of other folks feel better?

Put him in jail, where he has zero possibility of impregnating his fellow inmates. He is guilty of depraved indifference. He knew his wife was ill. He admitted that she had told him, on at least one occasion, that she had thoughts of harming her children.

I love my husband. If he ever, even once, told me he'd had thoughts of harming our boys, I would see to it that he was never alone with them, EVER AGAIN. Is Rusty as guilty as his wife? I don't believe so. Does he deserve to be punished for his gross inaction, his complete unwillingness to protect his children? Absofreakinlutely.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Rusty needs to hire the van Dam's PR machine. They seem to have done a great job with swinging potheads

I would laugh but this is so sad..... but you are right, that PR group earned their money!

[lucysmom]

"I love my husband. If he ever, even once, told me he'd had thoughts of harming our boys, I would see to it that he was never alone with them, EVER AGAIN."

You and me both!

And then there are Andrea's suicide attempts - I wouldn't risk leaving children with a suicidal parent either. My brother once dated a woman who as a child found her dead mother in the kitchen with her wrists slit. She never got over that horror.

[GussiedUp]

My opinion?
The guy has a problem with authority when he isn't it.

BINGO!

[Helms]

In Russell's repeated words: "let me finish" (as seen in the news conference).

I suspect that once you find 5 children dead, that there are many ingredients to a disaster like this. Russell is a key player.

Boy what a down home creep ( they come in many permutations).

[stanz]

Russell Yates is a cretin whose views of women are abhorrent and has a huge share of blame for what happened to his children. He ignored medical advice about getting her pregnant again.

I agree 100%. Any man who moves his family into a bus, has never changed a diaper and who allows his mentally incapacitated wife to become pregnant after a few suicide attempts is not only a cretin, he's a monster. I say he should share the blame and should be charged and convicted for life.

[DoughtyOne]

Brian Kennedy/Brother: "Andrea Yates was probably the closest thing to an angel on earth that I'll have the pleasure of meeting."

Yes Brian, but are you aware of which side she was on?

As for Russell, his recent comments on having more children sickened me.  He's looking forward to having more.  Pardon me, but there's no way I'd be free from this mess that rapidly.  It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost.  Where is the concern for those kids.  This man wrote them off without a single concern in order to support his wife.  Russell, you're a disgusting low-life in my book.

As for the physician who took Andrea off the meds, I'd be looking for an attorney if I were him.

[KsSunflower]

It's easy to use hindsight...but honestly, what do you think he should have done?? Even after the kids were killed, how difficult must it have been to wrap his brain around the fact that the woman he married could possibly have done this?

I do believe they didn't, and he didn't, make the best decisions, but I still think most people in that situation want badly to believe the spouse is improving, want to think the best, want to believe things will again be "normal"...I mean, even the doctor they saw two days earlier didn't make the right decisions and he was trained to evaluate mental capacity.

I just don't think it's as black and white as we all wish it would be.

[RooRoobird14]

The DA should prosecute Rusty Yates for felony child endangerment. In Arizona, we're sending mothers to jail for leaving babies unattended in bathtubs, and this is no different than that.

Rusty Yates is the only person in this whole mess who could have had his wife declared insane/incompetent. He's the only person who could have permitted Child Protective Services to step in and find a way to protect these children.

My theory is he was hoping she'd try suicide again--she surprised him by killing the children instead.

[Aedammair]

I think Andrea's mother is as wacked as she is. She's a vacuous old woman with empty eyes. You could reach right through her.

[Mamzelle]

When he and the lowlife he'll hire to go after the doctor and the hospital...Rusty'll have to testify. And the doctor, at least in many states, will not. Boy, that's one defendant's atty that'll have some ammunition. He's already alienated most of America; it's a small step to turn a jury against him.

Don't let him have one thin dime for his neglect.

[ethical]

should be convictd for stupidity at least.

Come on. Personal responsibility. Our family did not figure out our brother was schizophrinic until he was 29 years old. Yet looking back on it we knew there were odd things about his behavior since he was 16.

If I were this woman's husband I would not be anxious to conclude that my wife was mad. If the docs were telling him it was post partum depression or a temporary condition I would have wanted to believe it. I think Andrea was very good at hiding her illness and her husband was ignorant about severe mental illness, as most people are.

[muggs]

As for Russell, his recent comments on having more children sickened me. He's looking forward to having more. Pardon me, but there's no way I'd be free from this mess that rapidly. It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost. Where is the concern for those kids. This man wrote them off without a single concern in order to support his wife. Russell, you're a disgusting low-life in my book.

If this happened to me, it would take me several years until I could even think about sex again, let alone having more children.

[griffin]

Wow. You guys are making me feel pretty small....

My wife is a note writer. Writes about not wanting to hurt people and not being sure if she is loosing time or in control of her actions/memory sometimes. Fearful of using pins, needles, knives and guns on 'someone'.

I knew her for a few years and she had some quirky behaviors, but nothing that would have led me to believe she had those thoughts...until I discovered the notes.

A year and a half and 10K later, she still won't admit there is a problem, my attorney can't get our case through the damn court because last May the court issued a order for her to undergo a phycological exam within 45 days of the order(which, to my knowledge she still hasn't done and I can't confirm because it take her attorney 3 weeks to return my attorneys phone call)which isn't complete, and upon a motion of contempt of court they still won't give me custody of the children or find her in contempt(she's getting multiple chances to comply at $1500+ per pop for another contempt motion).

'ol Rusty had an uphill battle from the start. I tried to keep my family from blowing up by being non-confrontational. I did help out around the house, but no matter how much I did I'd never get credit for it and was always the bad guy.

Nope, our whole system is a pile of dung. I've got thousands of notes as a testament of what my wife's thoughts are and I still can't get custody of the kids after 1.5 years and 10K....AND my lawyer is locally know as 'one of the best'.

NIGHTMARE.

[AppyPappy]

My wife has yet to cut the grass or clean the gutters. Do you think she is poor wife?

[griffin]

"Come on. Personal responsibility. Our family did not figure out our brother was schizophrinic until he was 29 years old. Yet looking back on it we knew there were odd things about his behavior since he was 16."

Great point...see my on-going experience. She had odd behaviors but I thought little about it. Just like battle...you never think it's your farm coming down the barrel.

[CdMGuy]

Well, you have said it all. What a sad story. Hearing Russell Yates speaking to the new media is sickening. What a sad excuse of a human being.

[AppyPappy]

The DA should prosecute Rusty Yates for felony child endangerment.

BS. If she was so ill, why didn't the doctor recommend she be committed? If he had taken the kids, a judge would have given them right back to her. What's the point?

[griffin]

If my wife's family is anything like Andrea's family....they have to have an out. There must be someone to blame...and it can't be their family member...it must have been something Russell did....to atleast contribute to it.

I helped between yard work and my job. My wife was a stay-at-home. I did help...and I liked it. Not saying I was a saintly husband or father in the least. There were MANY things I wish I could have changed about my behaviors.

However, when your sitting next to your wife watching a sit-com or news and your watching the TV, but she's thinking about the unloaded pistol in her secreted away spot while trying to convince herself not to hurt anyone....you just hafta thank the good Lord he protected you from the unknown.

[DoughtyOne]

Well fella, my heart goes out to you. There's no citizen lower than a divorced father in the eyes of the court. I wish you all the luck in the world.

[CdMGuy]

No she is likely not a poor wife. If you don't cook dinner, does that make you a poor husband? Not likely. However, certain chores in a marriage are usually shared. Both spouses are responsible for bringing a child into this world, and both bear responsibility for there caretaking.

This woman had 5 children over a short period of 7 years. You think it is OK for her husband not to help care for them and chage their diapers? Really? Sure glad I am not a woman and married to you, if you are married. Sounds like you and Rusty came from the same mold.

[CdMGuy]

No she is likely not a poor wife. If you don't cook dinner, does that make you a poor husband? Not likely. However, certain chores in a marriage are usually shared. Both spouses are responsible for bringing a child into this world, and both bear responsibility for there caretaking.

This woman had 5 children over a short period of 7 years. You think it is OK for her husband not to help care for them and chage their diapers? Really? Sure glad I am not a woman and married to you, if you are married. Sounds like you and Rusty came from the same mold.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree with you.

[AppyPappy]

I don't think it is right he didn't change diapers but that was HER decision to allow that. I would have left the cretin. But she wanted to stay with him. I know lots of men who never changed a diaper and their wives are perfectly normal. My father never did it. And my mom didn't murder her kids.

In short, it doesn't show criminal intent nor does it show he caused the death of his kids.

[AppyPappy]

Hearing Russell Yates speaking to the new media is sickening

Seeing the media give him a forum is just as bad. What did he do to deserve a forum?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Unusual to have a Kennedy family involved with drowning.

[Lanza]

Me thinks he doesn't feel guilty, just doing his CYA. Standing by her, let's him blame the medical community and chi-ching!

[jamaly]

It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost.

If it was just your friend it wouldn't take as long would it? This morning on the Today show, Rusty said he wants to see justice done because he "was friends with each one of those kids". That is a direct quote.

[Bella_Bru]

As for Russell, his recent comments on having more children sickened me. He's looking forward to having more. Pardon me, but there's no way I'd be free from this mess that rapidly. It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost.

You think he might have someone waiting in the wings?

[DoughtyOne]

Not much that guy could do would surprise me. I don't need to see a third party enter this drama to know what a flake Rusty is. The guy dismissed concern for his dead children in order to defend his wife. Nothing is going to strike me as negatively as that one fact.

[DoughtyOne]

To: DoughtyOne

It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost.

If it was just your friend it wouldn't take as long would it? This morning on the Today show, Rusty said he wants to see justice done because he "was friends with
each one of those kids". That is a direct quote.

41 posted on 3/18/02 11:14 AM Pacific by jamaly

This has been one of my pet peaves for a long time.  It first surfaced for me as an issue when my first wife and I were having trouble.  It suddenly became very important for her to "be her children's best friend".  Her thought was, "If only I can be their best friend they'll want to stay with me after the divorce".  Thus nothing else mattered as much as being their friend.  Their physical safety, mental health and all other concerns became secondary.

After observing this phenomenon in my wife, I began to take note of it elsewhere.  There were parents who'd allow their kids to do almost anything in the interest of being their "friend".  I consider it to be a severely flawed concept of what a parent is supposed to be.  Consider that a healthy parent tells their children no.  Consider that a healthy parent has to face the inevitable situation where their kid is going to hate them for a (hopefully) short period of time for having said no.  The parent determined to be their children's "friend" will not say no to them.  They will offer advise that the child can then ignore, but they won't overrule the child.  Huge mistake!

When a parent makes the "I'm their best friend" or "they are my friends" comment it immediately sends up warning flags in my mind.  Of course we want to be our childrens friend, but kids have enough friends, they only get two parents.  Parents MUST be parents first last and always.

Even as adults our children need to be able to look up to us.  Friends are equals.  Parents should should be parents.  They should be loving, friendly, reasoned, accepting, at times correcting, but always parents. That being said, I doubt very seriously if this guy had any form of an intimate relationship with those kids.

[MVV]

Oh that's a good one! LOL!

[RooRoobird14]

It wouldn't surprise me if Rusty had a broad on the side. If he didn't have one before the children were murdered, I'll bet he has one now.

[GussiedUp]

It's easy to use hindsight...but honestly, what do you think he should have done??

Well, right off the bat, after her first of 2 suicide attempts (violent acts in themselves) and warnings about having more babies making the already bad situation worse, he should have kept his pants zipped or had a vasectomy.

He was told that her situation with the kids wasn't helping an already bad situation and should have stopped the homeschooling and put the kids in another situation (Church daycare would have been in keeping w/their religion) and separated her from a them in a full-time situation as he was also warned by not only doctors but friends as well.

This woman was not bathing for days, pulling her own hair out in clumps and walking around in a daze - I dang sure wouldn't leave my child with my spouse in that condition. If for no other reason, I would have felt that my spouse would have not been competent as a caretaker.

I also heard something on O'Reilly tonite but didn't catch it all - maybe someone else did and can correct me - but I THINK O'Reilly said she told the doc who delivered her first baby that she heard voices telling her to stab it or herself (it's the last part I didn't catch).

There is no way I would have left my child(ren) alone with my spouse under these circumstances. The last and best refuge a child has for protection must be the parent(s). Both parents failed these kids.

I am really stunned that he is already musing on whether or not he will stay married to her and how he needs companionship - the self-centeredness of this man is jaw-dropping to me. I also heard he wouldn't so much as change a diaper to help her out. I hope they figure out some way to prosecute him, I really do.

[GussiedUp]

When a parent makes the "I'm their best friend" or "they are my friends" comment it immediately sends up warning flags in my mind. Of course we want to be our childrens friend, but kids have enough friends, they only get two parents. Parents MUST be parents first last and always.

Well said. I am my son's parent, not his "friend". His friends are his peers. My job is to parent him and hopefully raise him to be a good adult. Once he is an adult, I'll be his "friend".

[NYCVirago]

It is interesting to note, that Russell does not like that the state brought murder charges against his wife, and he did not like the gag order. My opinion? The guy has a problem with authority when he isn't it.

This should be the post of the day!

[NYCVirago]

As for Russell, his recent comments on having more children sickened me. He's looking forward to having more. Pardon me, but there's no way I'd be free from this mess that rapidly. It would take me at least a few years to be able to look forward without grieving for the children I just lost.

Great points. You know, I've always heard that parents who lost their children feel tremendous guilt, even if their children died through no fault of the parents. Not Rusty Yates; he blames everybody else for the deaths of his children except his wife and himself!