Family of Andrea Yates Speaks Out

H O U S T O N, March 18 -- Andrea Yates' mother is standing by her daughter in the wake of her conviction in the deaths of her five children, but says her son-in-law, Russell Yates, shares responsibility for the tragedy.

In an exclusive interview, some of Andrea Yates' closest relatives told Cynthia Hunt of ABCNEWS' KTRK in Houston that Russell "Rusty" Yates didn't help his wife with the kids, even after Andrea Yates showed signs of depression.

‘Never Changed a Diaper’

"When they came to my house, that was the first time I told Rusty, 'Luke needs changing,'" said Andrea Yates' mother, Karin Kennedy. "He says 'well that'd be a first. I have never changed a diaper before.' And that was the fourth child," Kennedy said. "I was horrified."

Kennedy said Russell Yates wanted her daughter to continue having children — "he wanted six boys and then one girl," she said.

"If somebody tells people continuously that men are superior and women are inferior, they should be subservient. I don't think that is very good," Kennedy said.

Kennedy said she never thought her daughter was a danger to the children, but she said Andrea should have never been left alone. Andrea Yates' brother, Brian Kennedy, said authorities should look into the possibility of charging Russell Yates, but he wasn't specific about what those charges should be.

"How many people have begged him, noticed that she was in a downward spiral," Brian Kennedy said. "And he is going to sit there and point the finger at the medical community. How many people and what kind of people have to tell him?"

Russell Yates has said he worked hard to get his wife the medical help she needed, but her family said Andrea Yates' life wasn't getting any easier.

"Myself and others had actually almost begged and tried to educate him on ... the help that she needed and also to loosen up and lighten the load that she was under but instead it seemed like it just kept increasing, increasing and increasing," said Brian Kennedy.