Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Funeral to Be Held for Five Children Allegedly Killed by Mother

Aired June 27, 2001 - 07:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All that and much more, but first, a final goodbye. The funeral for five Houston children is this morning. Their mother is charged with killing them.

CNN's Ed Lavandera reports the memory of five joyful kids is still fresh in the minds of many.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSSELL YATES, FATHER: We took this just before Mary was born.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russell Yates clutches the last formal picture his family took together, a smiling reminder of the happy times with five children.

YATES: We used to go out here and shoot basketball -- my oldest son. I was glad, too, yesterday, you know, I was thinking he won the last game of horse we played, so I was -- I was happy about that for him because he was real competitive.

LAVANDERA: Seven-year old Noah was also a caring son. Mr. Yates says he would sit down with Noah and write down activities that would help relieve Andrea Yates' stress.

Neighbors and friends described the Yates' children as lively, gentle, and bright -- the smiles of two-year old Luke, three-year old Paul, five-year old John, Noah, and six-month old Mary seem to engage everyone.

DIANE BOSSOM, NEIGHBOR: I always just saw a happy family, and I saw kids playing, kids laughing, the father interacting with the kids. I can't say there was ever anything that would have made me wonder what was going on with this family. By all accounts, they were the Cleavers.

TERRY ARNOLD, BOOKSTORE EMPLOYEE: I can not get those children's faces out of my head.

LAVANDERA: Terri Arnold (ph) adored the Yates' children. She works at a home schooling bookstore Andrea Yates often visited with her children. Arnold says the Yates' children lit up the store when they walked in. ARNOLD: I would stop what I was doing and play with the children because they were just so pleasant. I really enjoyed spending time -- we referred them as our favorite customers. We'd see them pull up. And we go, oh, they're here. So it was -- it was fun. We looked forward to seeing them.

LAVANDERA: When Russell Yates left the house last Wednesday morning, he was already looking forward to seeing the kids after work. His last moments with the children are still frames in time he'll never forget.

YATES: I hugged and kissed everybody goodbye before I went to work that day, and that's how I want to remember them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: We're at the Clear Lake Church of Christ in the suburban Houston neighborhood, which is just a few blocks away from the Yates' family home. Services will be held here this morning for the five Yates' children starting at 10:30 Central Time and sometime this morning we're also expecting to hear from either Mr. Yates and the pastor of the church here.

One other note, last night there was a visitation -- about 100 people attended and Mr. Yates was here. Andrea Yates, of course, not allowed to attend last night's visitation -- Carol.

LIN: Ed, as you said, we're expecting to hear from the father again this morning around 8:30 Eastern. Do you find it unusual that he is making it so -- himself so readily available on such a day. We're grateful for any information we can get on the story, but I'm just wondering what your thoughts are.

LAVANDERA: Well Carol, you know, it's still not exactly clear as to whether Mr. Yates will speak this morning. Of course, the gag order was put in place yesterday. So even if he were to talk, perhaps what he says will be rather limited, and you know, it's -- I hesitate to question, you know, what somebody says, especially for a gentleman who's lost five of his kids.

LIN: Absolutely.

LAVANDERA: It's something I'd rather not do.

LIN: It's just unusual access to the family. Thank you very much. Ed Lavandera reporting live.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com