> At a Glance
> – Andrea Yates has lived in a Texas mental hospital since 2007 after drowning her five children
> – Originally convicted of capital murder, she was later found not guilty by reason of insanity
> – She waives every annual review, choosing to remain in treatment
> – Why it matters: Her case reshaped national conversations on postpartum psychosis and the insanity defense
Nearly 24 years have passed since Andrea Yates drowned her five young children in a Houston-area bathtub, yet she remains in a low-security Texas psychiatric hospital, repeatedly declining chances for release.
The 2001 Killings
On June 20, 2001, Yates called 911 and told police she had killed her children. Investigators found Noah, 7, John, 5, Paul, 3, Luke, 2, and Mary, 6 months, laid on a bed as if asleep.
She later explained to doctors that she believed killing them was the only way to save their souls from Satan.
Legal Journey
- March 2002: Convicted of capital murder; sentenced to life with parole possible after 40 years
- 2005: Verdict overturned after a prosecution expert admitted testifying about a non-existent Law & Order episode
- July 2006: Retrial ended with a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict
Defense attorney George Parnham said jurors accepted that Yates suffered from postpartum psychosis and, in her delusional state, thought she was rescuing her children.
Life Inside the Hospital
Since 2007, Yates has stayed at Kerrville State Hospital, opting out of yearly competency reviews that could lead to release.
> “She’s where she wants to be. Where she needs to be,” Parnham told News Of Los Angeles.
She spends her days:
- Watching old home videos of her kids
- Sewing aprons and crafting cards sold anonymously
- Directing proceeds to the Yates Children Memorial Fund, supporting women’s mental-health programs
Lingering Questions
A 2026 Investigation Discovery docuseries, The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story, re-examined claims that extreme religious teachings influenced her actions. The series explored connections to preacher Michael Woroniecki, though no new legal findings resulted.
Key Takeaways
- Yates remains hospitalized by choice, never requesting release
- Her case fueled national debate on postpartum mental illness
- She channels her income into a memorial fund for mental-health advocacy
- Attorneys expect she will live out her life in the facility
Twenty-four years on, Andrea Yates continues to grieve the children she killed, her story a stark reminder of the devastation wrought by untreated postpartum psychosis.
