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CNN Saturday Morning News
Vigil Held to Support Yates Family
Aired June 23, 2001 - 09:05 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Houston, Texas, where a 36- year-old mother is accused of the unthinkable, killing her five children.
For the latest on this story, we turn now to CNN's Ed Lavandera, who is there.
Hello, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.
We're in downtown Houston in front of a detention facility where 36-year-old Andrea Yates sits in a jail cell this morning. And while she is here, last night, about 150 people joined her husband, Russell Yates, and Andrea Yates's family in front of the family home in a suburban Houston neighborhood south of downtown.
Those people gathered, lighting candles, saying prayers, comforting Mr. Yates, also some solemn singing. Russell Yates says he has been overwhelmed by the amount of support from people who have come, many of the people who showed up last night strangers, others neighbors coming to offer their support.
But once again he reiterated his devotion to his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSELL YATES, CHILDREN'S FATHER: My wife, you know, is really suffering, you know, right now, you know, I mean, everyone is, but, you know, my wife, she's really suffering. And, you know, just ask you to say a prayer for her, because she's -- you know, she needs it. She's suffering right now. And she needs lots of prayer, and, you know, you know, help a lot. She needs us all, you know. She's suffering, so...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Mr. Yates had the chance to offer his support face- to-face to his wife. Yesterday he showed up at this detention facility with Andrea's mother and her two brothers. They were able to visit with her for I think about an hour yesterday. She is -- Andrea Yates is being held in a special wing of this jail where she is under the constant 24-hour supervision of mental health experts. And earlier in the day yesterday, she made a brief, three-minute appearance in a Houston courtroom. She was told exactly what charge she had been filed -- charged with, capital murder, for the deaths of her five children. She had her arms crossed and seemed very reserved. She told the judge she understood that charge.
She also -- the other headline from that meeting yesterday, she was given an attorney. His name is George Pardham, and he will be handling the case from now on. He's a high-profile attorney here in Houston.
Also, funeral arrangements have been announced for the five children, 2-year-old Luke, 3-year-old Paul, 5-year-old John, 7-year- old Noah, and 6-month-old Mary will be laid to rest Wednesday morning at 10:30 at Clear Lake Church of Christ.
Ed Lavandera in Houston.
Miles, back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you very much, Ed, we appreciate that.
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