Posted by deirdrehbrt on February 2, 2006, at 20:49:11
In reply to Re: Andrea Yates made bail, posted by Phillipa on February 2, 2006, at 20:39:36
She drowned her (I think it was 5) kids in the bath tub. Then she called her husband, and the police. She was truly sick at the time and in desparate need of proper treatment.
Emily, I don't really agree that her husband needs to be punished, as I'm not sure that he FULLY understood his wife's condition. The doctor who was treating her should have his/her license pulled at a minimum.
This is truly a case where a woman was completely failed by her health care providers. I used to work with someone who didn't believe in the insanity defense. He believed that if someone committed a crime they should go to prison, period. What's weird is that he had experienced mental illness (depression and a suicide attempt) and still didn't understand that people who are that sick truly may not be able to make any kind of rational decision.
Sadly, there are lots of people out there just like him. They think that we are responsible not only for what we do, but for how we feel. "Just pick yourself up and do something". I don't think these people will change. It stinks, but Andrea may yet face such as these in the court room again.
--Dee
poster:deirdrehbrt
thread:605510
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060124/msgs/605629.html