The Story Behind the New Andrea Yates Documentary The Cult Behind the Killer
Published By admin
More than two decades after one of the most disturbing crimes in recent American history, the case of Andrea Yates, who drowned her five children in the family’s bathtub, is revisited in The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story. The three-part Investigation Discovery docuseries, available on HBO Max beginning Jan. 6, reexamines the story through court records and medical history, while placing particular emphasis on the belief system the Yates family subscribed to leading up to the tragedy.
The series includes the participation of Rusty Yates, Andrea’s former husband, as well as former followers of preacher Michael Woroniecki. They describe a set of teachings informed by rigid doctrine, fear, and isolation, which they claim might have intensified Andrea’s mental illness long before the crime occurred. Filmmakers attempted to reach Woroniecki, who has said that he is not to blame for Yates’ actions, and his wife Rachel Woroniecki, neither of whom responded to requests for participation.
The crime that shocked the world
On June 20, 2001, in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake, Andrea Yates drowned her five children—Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary—in the family bathtub. The children ranged in age from six months to seven years. After the killings, Andrea called 911 and confessed. When police arrived, she answered the door with wet hair and clothing and calmly told officers, “I killed my kids.”
Inside the home, one child was found in the bathtub, while the others were laid out under a sheet in the master bedroom. Investigators found no signs of struggle and determined that Andrea acted alone during the short period between her husband leaving for work and the planned arrival of her mother-in-law. Andrea Yates was immediately taken into custody following the discovery.
A life defined by discipline and achievement
Andrea Yates, born Andrea Kennedy on July 2, 1964, in Houston, Texas, was the youngest of five siblings in what Rusty described as a stable household. She performed well academically, graduating as valedictorian before earning a nursing degree in 1986. She worked for several years as a registered nurse at a cancer treatment center, building a career rooted in structure and responsibility.
Andrea met Russell “Rusty” Yates in 1989. The couple married in 1993, and Andrea soon left her profession to devote herself fully to family life, motherhood, and the religious practice that had become more central to her life since meeting Rusty. Between 1994 and 2000, they had five children.
The preacher and the doctrine
Rusty Yates was a follower of Woroniecki, who regularly traveled to college campuses and large events to spread his teachings, which would profoundly shape the Yates family’s worldview. Former followers of Woroniecki who are interviewed in the docuseries and refer to themselves as “survivors” allege that Woroniecki exerted control through sermons, handwritten letters, and cassette tapes sent by mail, presenting himself as a spiritual authority.
Moses Storm, one such former follower who is featured in the docuseries, says that media coverage often overlooks a crucial element. “When I watch news coverage and documentaries about Andrea Yates, it doesn’t do it for me. They are missing a huge part of the story: Michael Woroniecki.”
Read more https://time.com/7343680/andrea-yates-true-story-the-cult-behind-the-killer/
Content retrieved from: https://time.com/7343680/andrea-yates-true-story-the-cult-behind-the-killer/.
