Overview
- Investigation Discovery’s The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story premiered this month and advances a theory about preacher Michael Woroniecki’s influence, which Woroniecki publicly denied as Talos Films said it sought his input and stands by its reporting.
- Rusty Yates says he visits Andrea once a year, stays in touch by phone and text, and does not blame her, calling her a caring person who suffered a severe mental illness.
- He attributes the 2001 drownings to postpartum psychosis rather than outside actors and points to shortcomings in her mental health care before the killings.
- Andrea Yates has lived at a Kerrville, Texas, mental health facility since 2007 and has repeatedly waived annual release reviews, though Rusty notes a recent slight shift toward openness to freedom without active steps.
- Andrea confessed to drowning Noah, John, Paul, Luke and Mary in 2001; she was convicted in 2002, the verdict was overturned after false expert testimony by Park Dietz, and a 2006 jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity.