Breaking Point

by Suzy Spencer

From the New York Times–bestselling author of The Fortune Hunter, “a classic true-crime tapestry” (Ron Franscell, bestselling author of The Darkest Night).   Andrea Yates, a suburban Houston mother of five, horrified the nation on June 20, 2001, when she dialed 911 and said, “I killed my children.”   While her husband Rusty, a NASA engineer, was at work, Andrea filled the family bathtub with water and systematically drowned their children, ages six months to seven years. As her eldest child lay lifeless in the bathtub and the bodies of her four youngest rested in her bed, Andrea, a devoted Christian wife and former nurse, called the police to confess her sin.   The investigations by the prosecutors, by the defense, and by the press delved deeper into Andrea’s mind and history, revealing a disturbing web of suicidal tendencies, depression, and psychoses. While her husband struggled between his overwhelming grief and his loyalty to his incarcerated wife, an outraged nation asked one question after How could anyone do this? What would drive a mother to kill her children?   Drawing from hundreds of hours of interviews, court testimony, and medical records, including new access to psychiatric and legal files, Breaking Point traces the story of an all-American family struggling with the darkness of a mental illness that twisted a loving mother into a killer obsessed with hellfire.  

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Mental Health, Audiobook

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Suzy Spencer is known for her true crime books, including "Breaking Point," the story of Andrea Yates, and "Wasted," a New York Times best-seller. Her newest book is "Secret Sex Lives: A Year on the Fringes of American Sexuality."

Reviews

[Suzanne Lopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good morning Goodreads Family, I gave the book 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ First things first, the reason it took me a little bit longer to read is because I have a beautiful puppy named Penny in which I had to stop reading because she wanted to play so I would stop reading and play with her. Anyway, enough about my beautiful puppy Penny and book to the review on the book “Breaking Point” I remember this case. I know that she drowned her 5 kids but she was having Psychotic episode due to her being mentally very very sick. Every time I read what the Prosecutors said and did pissed me off. The book details exactly how Andrea Yates was dealing with Postpartum Psychosis. I felt that the author did very well on discussing what Andrea went through. I felt that the author was looking at the case on both sides. I saw the interview with Suzy Spencer on discussing about Andrea Yates and not the book. She really let the reader see both sides, The Prosecutors and the Defense which are Andrea Yates legal team. I already knew how very mentally unwell Andrea Yates was but it confirmed that she was very very mentally ill. Postpartum Psychosis is real and should be taken very very seriously.. I honestly feel that the last Psychiatrist she saw Dr Saeed is to blame for a lot that happened and should never ever see a patient ever again….

[Jlsimon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a powerful story. It is heartbreaking. This book describes the crime and trial of Andrea Yates. This book got 3 stars for the following reasons.

1. A lot of research went into this book - A strong plus.
2. The material is well organized, and well written - another strong plus.
3. I got this book as an audio and the narrator leaves something to be desired. Every time she says the word "children" she does it with a stabbing force that makes you feel the jab, it's a detraction.
4. Ms. Spencer does not seem to be able to keep her personal feelings out of the book. For example: her dislike of Rusty Yates comes through. There is absolutely no proof that Russell Yates was actually a domineering husband, but the insinuation was there at the time of the news coverage and Spencer presents that material with what seems to be a bias in that direction. Truth be told, we don't know what went on inside that home between husband and wife. It's not fair to attack this man when he lost his whole family in a day. It's easy to judge his behaviors as callous, but we don't really know that. We only know he is very very bad at acting the way we think he should given the gravity of his loss.

So those are my plus and minus points. I would still recommend this book to individuals who are looking at women's health, women's issues, religious significance in family life, and examples of psychosis.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 I wrote:

I have read more then half but I have to say I am very disappointed.I do not like the way it was written.You do not get any reliable information. It is mostly hear say. I discovered this book was written in a hurry and finished before the trial was doneThat's why I have bought another book on the Yates case with much better reviews. Are You There Alone?: The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea YatesI will wait till I receive that one, read it, then finish this book and then I will sell this one, because I need to earn some money.

Update September 2-2010: (guess I never sold it cause it is still on my shelf) ;)
and looking on another site even once I'd read all of it I was still not liking it.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair telling of the Andrea Yates case, from the morning of her crimes up until...? Everything is pretty cohesive and somewhat thorough until Yates’ actual trial—then the detail vanishes and the events are sped through, like someone who has a deadline to hit and the story they’re covering isn’t quite done yet.

I would have appreciated more detail on: the influence the Woronecki “ministry” had on Andrea AND her husband Rusty; her depressive episodes after each birth; family involvement; how much help Rusty gave her; Rusty’s seemingly ostrich-like behavior to Andrea’s child-bearing depression.

Rusty, I feel, was given a completely fair treatment. If this were to be a work of fiction, he would be an unreliable, unreadable character who lives in a black & white world and has only a superficial commitment to the main character. He’s not exactly guilty and he’s not exactly blameless—-I just maintained an “I wanna throat-punch this guy” feeling whenever he offered one of his “aw shucks. I didn’t know she was this bad,” alibis whenever a doctor or lawyer questioned him about his wife’s psychotic/catatonic/pathological behaviors. He’s pictured doing a lot of self-serving, self-aggrandizing things, and I’d like more info on how Mike Woronecki’ s preaching led this hyper-Christian nerdy dude to embrace the belief that keeping a barefoot and pregnant wife was going to save everybody in his family from Satan.

Well-written and a quick reAd. There were some glaring holes in the storyline, however.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this out of my "pile" of unread books on my Kobo (is it a pile if it's digital?) after a bit of bingeing on some true crime/serial killer shows on TV (Mindhunter and American Crime Story, both People versus OJ and Assassination of Gianni Versace).

I was interested in this case because I suffered from postpartum depression, though thankfully not postpartum psychosis. This book filled in a lot of information I never knew about Andrea Yates's case. I knew it involved severe postpartum psychosis, but what a perfect clusterfuck, including a husband who seemed at times well-meaning but unfortunately out of touch with his wife's needs and unknowledgeable about the depths of her mental illness; an extreme "You're all going to hell" form of religion; and legal, psychiatric, and insurance systems that seemed weighted against her. Very interesting but the writing was not quite up to my level of interest in the case.

Recommended if you're interested in this tragic case.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first case of a true crime book where I came across on the side of not wanting the criminal to go to jail. Knowing so much of what it is like to suffer from depression and the like and having been treated in the hospital for mental health issues, I could feel for Andrea. I also know what it is like to have someone close to you tell you you can work your way out of it. I believe she needed help, not jail or the death penalty. I am glad to see that the jury agreed in the end.

[Tara Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say 3.5 stars is fair. The facts are well researched and a very good additional read, but it seemed to be poorly laid out. I was wondering if she was ever going to tie certain parts together and why some parts were in there at all. Terrifying in its frank look at mental illness and the price that was paid.

[Murrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I picked up this book was to try to understand how a young mother could possibly drown her five babies, none over five years old, one at a time, in her bathtub. Her post partum depression along with other mental conditions caused her to become psychotic. Coverage of this unbelievable crime must have been very difficult for the author to do. Spencer gets her story across well, and for the most part, objectively. She doesn't do well as a writer when it comes to more up-close personal descriptions. Literary flourish is not her forte. As an example, Spencer persists in a using "shined" instead of "shone" in a number of places. That bothered me along with some other flowery terms that just didn't seem to fit. The author does well, in pointing out how the callous media, lawyers and expert witnesses can bully the real issues. Courtroom bantering by lawyers toward each other and witnesses, and the workings of all in the room appear often to leave the central characters abandoned. This young couple whose lives are uprooted, had to sit and listen while professionals in court revealed about their private lives and those of their their tiny dead children in detail. They appeared to forget that the actual persons who suffered this terrible event are present. Most of the book deals with the court arguing whether the mother is insane or faking it so to be seen as not guilty. Incredible. Was what she did sane? She is a registered nurse and her husband is an engineer with NASA. She woman suffers from post partum depression and other mental aliments. How the case turns out is confused and confusing, but the final post-trial outcome is positive. Foundations have been formed out of this case, to create organisations to help women tend to their post partum depression. PPD is a very real illness and one that has, as this book points out, dangers if not treated.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Heartbreaking

I knew nothing about this case before starting this book, I couldn’t understand how any mother could of done something like this, but as I read on and on it became obvious that what this poor woman needed was help, not punishment. Reading what her life was like it almost seems as though it was a perfect storm brewing, she had no escape route and obviously didn’t feel she even had someone that she could talk to, until everything boiled over in one awful morning, thanks to a Doctor who failed her terribly, if anything should be held up to the medical world as a case of what happens when they forget their Hippocratic Oath Of First Do NO harm, then surely this would be it.

I cannot imagine any punishment anyone could think up, that could possibly be worse than the world she now lives in, medicated, alone for the most part and one would imagine lots of memories, grief & guilt, those that make it past the medicinal brick wall at any rate.

I’ll admit that I cried at the beginning of this book, and at the end, and I’ve read some horrid horrid crime books, but this is just beyond perception in the sane world we all are lucky enough to reside in.

On the book itself, it’s my 2nd by this author and I plan on starting a 3rd one tomorrow, the writing is very good, goes into just enough detail without overwhelming the reader with too much back story, and if the next follows in tradition, this author takes you into the courtroom and out the other side with the results, which isn’t always done, but something I like as a reader, I can’t stand sudden ended books where the author just wraps it all up suddenly. If you like true crime, then you’ll love this book.

[Alessandra Benini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breaking Point by Suzy Spencer: this is the story of the crime of Andrea Yates, who killed all of her 5 children, aged 6 months to 7 yrs old, by drowning them in the bathtub.
This book is made up of news, interviews, investigations made by the lawyers involved in the case, history of the family, especially of Rusty, the husband. It helps to answer the question that all of the people who learned of the tragedy, people who knew them and the general public: asked ourselves: How could this happen? Were there warning signs? Should someone else be guilty?
I felt indignant and even angry at some of the background presented on the book, like the religious fanaticism and awful influence by zealous (and in my opinion deranged) preachers that played a very big role in this tragedy, also the awfully heavy expectations the husband placed on Andrea’s shoulders; the living situation he forced on her, the terrible treatment (or should I say, lack of) her psychiatrist from before the crime, all combined to form a perfect storm.
She was a very obviously mentally ill woman. She was suffering from postpartum depression and psychosis.
This raised my awareness of postpartum women’s mental state, of the need of closer attention, of the very dark state and suffering some go through.
It was very a heartbreaking, very interesting, and well researched book, although at times it seemed to me a verbatim transcript of news that appeared on newspapers and tv, narrated in chronological order.
It’s an impartial account of an awful, sad, truly heartbreaking tragedy, made even more so by the thought that maybe it could have been prevented.

[Mike Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Story of Mental Illness

This was a very complete history of the Andrea Yates story. I know some felt there might be too much fluff and detail in the book. I felt it was necessary in order to portray the degree of mental illness Mrs. Yates was experiencing.
It was a tale of a fragile being, put into some impossible situations. While trying to meet her children’s needs and her husbands wishes, she simply had a major break in reality from all the strain.
The writing style and continuity of the author I felt made the book solid and readable.
This book serves as a cautionary platform for families to be aware of loved ones who are frayed at the edges and to reach out. Also, it is a warning to families to do due diligence when putting one’s care into a doctors or care facility when the patient is unable to accurately communicate reality.

Ms. Yates needed a lot stronger network to assist her in the large undertaking placed on her within the confines a very traumatic marriage that placed massive burdens upon her while trying to meet all expectations.

[J Crossley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of how Andrea Yates killed her five children. In 2001, she drowned all five children in the bathtub while her husband was at work. Afterwards, she called 911 to confess. The book looks into Andrea’s struggles with depression, suicidal tendencies, and psychoses.

She descends into an obsessed with hellfire. The author took all the research and wrote a narrative telling the story. Although I was horrified when this hit the news. After reading the book I feel compassion for Yates. It seemed that the mental health practitioners really let her down. Besides the other mental issues that she had, she suffered from post-partum issues after the birth of her last child. Some sections of the book seemed too detailed and it seemed to drag.

[Lexi Mag · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was CRAZY disappointing. When I started it I was excited to find a new true crime author to binge. The writing started out okay. Seemed well researched, but as it went, Spencer made it VERY clear what her bias was. Even though I am one to completely agree with everything the author was making it clear that she believed (ie., against the death penalty, also feel like more needs to be done to educate and help moms experiencing post-partum psychosis/depression, etc.), it absolutely ruined the book for me. More and more towards the end, you can tell she put less time into research and more into proving her point. It made the book feel lopsided and unfair. Totally ruined the book for me.

[Denise Meister · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Sad

The mother who drown her 5 beautiful children is not an easy read. Mentally ill, severely out of touch with reality, the consequences are beyond horrific. The book explains in depth her struggle, the innocence robbed of those children and families devastated. Andrea is where she should be. The mental health field must do better. The signs were there but not heeded. Insurance companies too often dictate treatment. Doctors are too busy or incompetent. The story has no happy ever after ending. 5 beautiful young children are gone and it was at the hands of their own mother.

[Reva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a truly heartbreaking account of the Andrea Yates case. The book was very vivid and well written. A couple places during the trial seemed to drag a bit, but overall it was worth it. I will say though that this crime was 100000% preventable based on this reading. Andrea Yates was failed by the medical community and her husband. She never should have been left alone with those children. The details in this book are sometimes hard to stomach but if it can prevent this from every happening again, that would be enough.

[Kimberly Shifflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tragic Account

This was a very well written account of a tragic failure of the mental health system. Andrea Yates deserved better care and had she received that the outcome may have been very different. I wish more would have been done post trial to the several doctors who knowingly failed her. In those cases they could be viewed as just as guilty. I appreciate the authors research and effort in bringing mental illness to life while telling the tragic story of the Yates family.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, I have a better understanding now

I remember when all of this happened and just like everyone was confused, shocked and deeply saddened when I heard. This book explains her quest for help with mental health prior to the horrific day, the trial and afterwards. I'm glad I read it. Now I have better understanding. The system failed the Yates family big time and these poor, beautiful, precious children dearly paid the ultimate price.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice served

Have always felt that Andrea didn't deserve jail, let alone the death penalty. Love the term used in book 'altruistic killer!' I work in an ER in the BHU (psych) section and I couldn't express it any better than the book did- just how steadfast delusions/ psychosis are/ is. Every day I hear stories that are bizarre but (almost) make sense when patient explains the 'why.' I rated it a 4 because it was dry at times could have been edited more.

[Linda Gettig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and well written

This incident captured the entire nation for weeks. And this book acknowledges that. It also acknowledges our misunderstanding of mental health issues which continues to this day. I sincerely hope that some time in the future (near) we can stop stimatzing mental illness and those suffering from it. Maybe then we can identify ways to successfully offer sound treatment and intervention into this area.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

it will make every hair you have stand on end.. I’m not a parent but I used to live within walking distance from the Yates home, was at the house when he got home from the funeral and used to see him all over town, living his life. Footloose and fancy free. He has a very creepy vibe and I haven’t heard many people around the area that actually even like him.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking

This book brought up a lot of information concerning mental health and the law, particularly post partum depression and the way it is dealt with at court level. The influence that Rusty and the preacher had on Andrea also makes the book and the situation something that should be read by all involved in the mental health system.

[Alicia Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t believe she wrote THIS STORY THIS BADLY, but she did. Informative, though jumbled with no real sense of any sort of plot line or even a real timeline, lots of repetitive phrases and unexplained details. I would recommend just googling if you’re interested in this case and skipping this muddy bog of a book. Those poor babies.

[Sheri White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The case itself is fascinating, but the book was just okay. It went on too long, and painted her husband Rusty in a way-too-sympathetic light. They touched on his controlling issues, but I think he had a lot more culpability in Andrea's breakdown.

[Jane Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Crime Story

This is a book about Andrea Yates, who killed her children while mentally ill. This book have me the details of this story and helped me to understand it. I had read nothing about it except the newspapers, so I felt this was more of the whole story.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Poorly written and boring - reads like part article (with long-winded irrelevant quotes) and part court transcript. For such a horrific tragedy, this book does nothing to answer any question of “why.”

[June Gagnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating story poorly told. The author appears to have obtained medical, police, and court records and just put them all together in a book. Could have used major editing. Lots and lots of extraneous facts i.e. So-and-so walked into the court a 3:25.

[Sasha Sierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of research went into this book but the focus is way too much on the pre-trial events and not enough to the trial/appeal - as though the appeal was just an afterthought.

[Cindi Rosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very tragic death to five little innocent children drowning by their mother in 2001 in Houston. TX. A severe case of mental illness.

[Lisa Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

the medical field failed her. her husband failed her. Yes, she killed her kids but it was out of psychosis.

[sandy elder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to read

Very detailed and hard to follow the court proceedings. Really does help you to see the incompetence of some mental health professionals.