Who is Andrea Yates?

Andrea Yates is an American woman from Houston, Texas, who gained notoriety for the tragic act of drowning her five children in their bathtub on June 20, 2001. Born on July 2, 1964, as Andrea Pia Kennedy, she was married to Russell “Rusty” Yates from 1993 until their divorce in 2005. The case garnered significant attention due to Yates’ documented struggles with severe postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and schizophrenia leading up to the murders.

Andrea Yates’s age and birthday

She was born on July 2, 1964, in Halsville, Texas, USA.

Andrea Yates’s educational background

Yates attended Milby High School in Houston, Texas, for her secondary education. After completing high school, she pursued higher education at the University of Houston. However, specific details about her academic achievements, such as her degree or field of study at the university, are not widely available in public sources.

Andrea Yates spouse and children

Yates was married to Russell “Rusty” Yates. They got married in 1993 after a four-year courtship. Together, they had five children: Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary. Tragically, on June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates drowned all five of her children in the bathtub of their home in Houston, Texas, during the hour between her husband leaving for work and her mother-in-law arriving.

Andrea Yates’s early life, parents and silbings

Pia Yates was born as the youngest of five children of Jutta Karin Koehler and Andrew Emmett Kennedy. Her parents were Andrew Emmett Kennedy and Jutta Karin Koehler. She had two brothers, Andrew and Brian, and two sisters, Angela and Kelly. As a teenager, Andrea Yates struggled with bulimia and depression, even discussing suicide with a friend when she was 17 years old.

Andrea Yates career

Yates began her career by completing a two-year pre-nursing program at the University of Houston. She then graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Following her education, from 1986 until 1994, Yates worked as a registered nurse at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Andrea Yates crime, conviction and sentencing

Yates committed a heinous crime on June 20, 2001, when she drowned her five children in their bathtub. Following this tragic event, she was arrested and charged with capital murder. During the legal proceedings, Yates pleaded not guilty because of insanity. Despite her plea, a jury found her guilty during a trial in 2001 and sentenced her to life in prison. It’s important to note that prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but Yates was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment.