HOUSTON -- Police discovered five children dead inside a southeast Houston home around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

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Police said that they were called to a home in the 900 block of Beachcomber Lane in Clear Lake after receiving a telephone call from the mother, Andrea Yates.

Yates, 36, was taken away in handcuffs by police and was charged with multiple capital murder charges Wednesday night.

When police arrived, they found five children dead inside the home, police said.

Yates answered the door and allegedly told police that she had killed her children. They believe that Yates drowned all five children, police said.

"When our responding officer arrived, he was met at the door by the woman, who was breathing heavily and you could tell she was disturbed," Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon said. "At that time, she said to the officer, 'I killed my children.'"

The children, four boys and one girl, range in age from 6 months to 7 years old.

"She led the officer to the bedroom, where there were four bodies, and then led the officer to the bathroom, where there was one body in the bathtub," Cannon said.

Police spokesman Alvin Wright said that 7-year-old Noah Yates was found in a bathtub.

The boys and a girl were discovered on the bed with a sheet covering them. They were identified as Mary Yates, 6 months; Luke Yates, 2; Paul Yates, 3; and John Yates, 5, according to police.

Yates' husband, Russell Yates, was called home from work by Yates, but he was initially too grief-stricken to talk with police. They have been married for eight years.

Russell Yates (pictured, left) works for NASA at Johnson Space Center in the shuttle program. Several NASA response psychologists arrived at Yates' home to try and comfort him.

"It is just rather unimaginable," Cannon said. "It's difficult to deal with when you are talking about five little kids who were killed, probably systematically."

Russell Yates arrived home about the same time police officers did, finding the children dead and still wet.

Cannon said that Yates also was wet when she answered the door.

Yates has been treated for postpartum depression for the past two years. She was so depressed over the weekend that she couldn't accompany her children to a neighborhood party.

Russell Yates told officers his wife was on medication for the condition.

"You can rest assured it will be carried as a capital case," Cannon said.

A conviction on a capital murder charge in Texas could carry a death sentence. Police expect to file charges against Yates Wednesday evening after questioning wraps up.

Police said when they arrived, they kept Russell Yates from entering the home. Cannon described the scene as traumatic but said that police kept the husband from the home to protect the evidence.

"What's scary is that it might have been anyone," neighbor John Fancher said. "My kids could have been staying over there."

Mother Tried To Commit Suicide In Past

Andrea Yates was no stranger to depression.

Yates was hospitalized two years ago after an overdose suicide attempt.

Children's Protective Services was made aware of it, and a child welfare agency was made aware of that but decided there was no need to follow up with Yates, according to a KPRC TV report.

It was two years ago almost to the day that Yates came to the attention of CPS.

"There was no concern here that the children were in any danger or that the mother was threatening to them," Judy Hay of Children's Protective Services told KPRC TV.

After Yates' alleged attempt at suicide, Hay said that doctors were only worried about the kids' whereabouts.

CPS found the kids safe with relatives and no investigation or follow-up was ever done.

"For us to be able to investigate, there has to be some allegation that a child is at risk of being abused or neglected or that a child already has been," Hay said. "That's not what this call was two years ago."

For more information on postpartum depression, click here.

Neighbors Stunned By News

Andrea Yates' neighbors were stunned to learn Wednesday morning that she admitted to police that she had killed her children.

Yates didn't accompany her husband and children to a neighborhood party (pictured, right) because as neighbors told KPRC TV, she was battling a severe bout of depression.

"We asked him how come she didn't come," neighbor Pat Salas, who hosted the party and took home video of the Yates children, said. "He said she stayed (at home) because she was going through a (bout) of depression from having babies. That's what he said."

Salas actually thought that Yates had committed suicide after she saw the squad cars surround the home and police tape being put up.

"I didn't even think it was the children," Salas said.

The Yates family looked like any other family around the middle-class neighborhood, according to neighbors.

Neighbors told KPRC TV that they knew Yates was depressed but never realized the severity and had no idea that depression would turn to murder.

"Many of us would have helped her," neighbor Kelly McBeth said. "Any of us would have helped her had we known."

Many neighbors told KPRC that they had no idea anything was wrong.

"They were real nice," another neighbor said. "She took the kids for a walk in the stroller, and you'd see them riding their bikes."

Neighbor Dianne Shultz doesn't know the Yates, but was moved to tears after hearing the news. She especially feels for Russell Yates, who not only lost five children but lost a wife to the law.

"It's got to be tough," Shultz said. "He'll need a lot of help. I can't believe she did it. My prayers for the rest of my life will include him and his whole family."

Memorial Fund Set Up

A memorial fund for the Yates family has been set up. The money donated will help with the funeral costs.

To donate money, send it to:

Yates Memorial Fund
Sterling Bank
P.O. Box 590027
Houston, TX 77259

You can also drop off donations at Clear Lake Flowers at 907 El Dorado or call (281) 286-0068.