When parents kill: moms vs. dads

There's an interesting article in the Trib today about the judicial outcomes in cases where a parent killed his or her own child. Women tend to be sentenced to mental hospitalization, whereas the men are sent to jail or death row. The methods used tend to vary, with women more likely to go the unbloody route of drowning, poisoning, or smothering, while men are more apt to stab, shoot, or beat. Women are more often perceived, like Andrea Yates, as having a mental illness. Men are more likely to be viewed as just plain evil; case in point, Jerry Hobbs.

There's more to the discussion than these points, and it's an interesting read.

Edited to change "Paula" to "Andrea." (Thanks, Nut!) Paula Yates was married to Bob Geldof, and their kids had names like Fifi Trixibelle. Later, she hooked up with INXS's Michael Hutchence, and they had a kid named Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily. Then Hutchence committed suicide. In 2000, Paula was found dead, presumably a result of drugs. Andrea Yates, of course, is the Texas woman who drowned her five children. The name Paula Yates is rather unfamiliar to me, so I have no idea why I typed it instead of Andrea Yates. D'oh!