Criminal Behavior

Biological Criminal Behavior

Team C

CJA / 314

November 12, 2014

Laura Bloomquist

Andrea Yates

Postpartum Depression can be defined, “as a form of severe depression after delivery that interferes with daily functioning and requires treatment. It can occur a few days, weeks, or even months after childbirth” (Postpartum Depression, 2014). Andrea Yates was one out of seven mothers whom suffer of postpartum depression. Andrea Yates was also to be the 20 percent to have suffered from postpartum psychosis. In 2001 Andrea Yates committed a horrific crime to her family, she claim to have postpartum depression and psychosis and pleaded innocence by reason of insanity citing postpartum psychosis when she murdered her 5 children. Andrea had the American family everyone always dreamed of a loving husband, beautiful kids, but something in her wanted it to end and she ended it. What were the factors that lead Andrea to murder her children instead of seeking for help? The outcome of the verdict not only surprised her attorney but also her family.

Andrea (Pia Kennedy) Yates was born on July 2, 1964 in Huston Texas. “Andrea was a stellar student and a class valedictorian” (Andrea Yates, 2014). Andrea married Russell (Rusty) Yates in 1993. Together they had 5 children 4 boys and one girl, names Noah age of 7, John age of 6, Paul age of 4, Luke age of 2 and Mary who was 1. Right after giving birth to Luke in 1999 Andrea was treated for postpartum depression and psychosis, in which was a mental illnesses that ran in her side of the family. Psychosis “is a serious mental disorder characterized by thinking and emotions that are so impaired, that they indicate that the person experiencing them has lost contact with reality. People who are psychotic have false thoughts (delusions) and/or see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations)” (Carey, 2014). Yates recovered from her mental illnesses that same year by receiving treatment. In 1996 Andrea Yates had a...