Yet another tragedy for the Kennedy family.
Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was found dead at the family's estate in Bedford, New York on Wednesday, the Associated Press and other outlets reported.
A Thursday autopsy has been scheduled for the architect and mother of four, who was 52 years old. Sources told the New York Post that Kennedy hanged herself in a barn on the property. "She was deeply troubled, abusing alcohol and prescription meds," a close family friend told the paper. "She had cause. She was used up and tossed away by Bobby. That was awful." UPDATE: The Westchester County Medical Examiner's office said Thursday that she died of asphyxiation due to hanging. An anonymous source told the Associated Press that authorities concluded that Mary hanged herself.
"Mary inspired our family with her kindness, her love, her gentle soul and generous spirit," said a statement released by the family. "Mary was a genius at friendship, a tremendously gifted architect and a pioneer and relentless advocate of green design who enhanced her cutting edge, energy efficient creations with exquisite taste and style."
The nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr. wed Mary (from the prominent Richardson family) in 1994. They went on to have four children, but their marriage was marred by her problems with drugs and alcohol; she was arrested twice for DUI. Her husband filed for divorce that year, but had not finalized the split at the time of her death.
