Mother of five drowned children 'may be pregnant again'
A mother charged with killing her five children while suffering post-natal depression may be pregnant again.
Andrea Yates has been charged with murder after she told police she had drowned her children, aged between six months and seven, at their home in Houston, Texas, last week.
If Yates is eventually convicted of murder, she faces the death penalty.
Today it emerged that Yates, who is on constant suicide watch at a local prison while she awaits trial, was taking a pregnancy test.
Her lawyer, George Parnham, said the result of the test would not be known until later this week.
Her children will be buried tomorrow.
Her husband Russell Yates has said he will stand by his wife and yesterday Mr Parnham said it appeared the mother had been suffering ‘‘a very deep psychosis’’ when she drowned her children.
‘‘My observation is that she is still in a very deep psychosis,’’ he said.
‘‘We are having her treated and examined by professional mental health experts who care deeply for their patients.
‘‘I’ve accumulated evidence in the last 24 hours that strongly suggests that the mental status of my client will be the issue, which means entering a not guilty plea by reason of insanity.’’
Yates, 36, has so far been charged with the murders of sons Noah, seven, and five-year-old John.
She also confessed to killing Paul, three, Luke, two, and her six-month-old daughter Mary but charges have not been brought for procedural reasons.
Prosecutors have still to announce if they will seek the death penalty, which her lawyer said he would oppose.
The woman told police she chased her eldest son around the house before drowning him and then made a call to emergency services.
Mr Yates said he believes his wife’s severe post-natal depression, combined with the recent death of her father, drove her to the killing.
She suffered depression after the birth of their fourth child, but it had been overcome with medication which had not been successful this time.
