Andrea Yates’ former husband continues to visit her even 25 years after she tragically drowned their five children.
The story of Yates is being explored in a new HBO documentary titled The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story, which premiered on January 6.
On June 20, 2001, Andrea, a stay-at-home mother, called 911 and admitted to authorities that she had drowned her five children in the bathtub of her home located in Clear Lake, a suburb of Houston, Texas.
The incident sent shockwaves across the United States, leading to Yates’ arrest following her confession to killing Noah, 7, John, 5, Paul, 3, Luke, 2, and 6-month-old Mary.
Initially convicted of capital murder in March 2002 and sentenced to life in prison, the verdict against Yates was later overturned. She was subsequently found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Yates’ defense team argued that she was suffering from postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and noted she had been taken off the potent antipsychotic medication Haldol shortly before the tragic event.
Presently, Yates resides in a mental health facility in Kerrville, Texas. Her ex-husband, Rusty, who divorced her in 2005, continues to visit her.
In a conversation with PEOPLE, Rusty, 61, explained the reasons behind his ongoing visits to Yates, even 25 years after their children passed away.
“I try once a year to visit in person and we text back and forth some and talk on the phone some,” he stated.
“Andrea and I always got along. That’s a time of our life that we both cherish and she’s the only person I can talk to about it.
“She and I are the only two who can get together and reminisce about what it was like to enjoy those years together.”
Rusty candidly expressed that he still believes his ex-wife is ‘loving and devoted’, saying, “I mean, it’s nice to reminisce. Honestly, I never imagined anything like this could happen, especially with her, especially how caring and loving and devoted Andrea is.”
He added: “I don’t hold it against her, but even just communicating with her is a reminder of that. So, we try to focus on the better times, but it’s a little hard to, even in our conversations, avoid that most significant tragedy.
“And I think that for her, it loomed so large that it’s really kept her from growing, from really living and trying to enjoy the balance of her years. It’s just too big. She can’t get past it.”
Rusty mentioned that Yates continues to spend a significant amount of time reflecting on old family photographs, noting that ‘her mind is still sort of stuck there’.
He explained: “She’s kind of stuck because she has this extremely hard time forgiving herself. It’s like, how do you take something that significant and get past it in life?”