Mary Kennedy had long history with drugs and alcohol

Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert Kennedy Jr had been struggling with drug and alcohol issues in the years before her death it emerged on Thursday.

Mary Richardson Kennedy pictured with her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr

Mrs Kennedy, 52, was found dead Wednesday afternoon at her home in suburban New York after an apparent suicide.

She died of asphyxiation due to hanging, the Westchester County Medical Examiner's office said.

After her death it was revealed that the police had attended her home in Bedford, New York, several times in the past two years.

Officers from the Bedford Police Department also went to the home two days before Mr Kennedy filed for divorce in May 2010.

According to the Bedford Journal News the police report says she was “visibly intoxicated” and that she had “great difficulty collecting her thoughts and articulating her reasons for calling.” She told police her husband was “verbally abusive to herself and her children.”

Police also attended the house responding to a "domestic incident" on May 13 2010, a day after Mr Kennedy filed for divorce.

Days later, she was charged with driving while intoxicated. She was arrested for another driving offence in August of that year and it was found she had taken prescription drugs prior to driving.

A charge of driving while ability impaired by drugs was dismissed.

The paper also reported that she had been served with a civil claim by American Express in April this year although it is unclear of the nature of the complaint.

Mrs Kennedy is the latest victim of the so-called "Kennedy Curse". The curse is said to include the assassinations of President John F Kennedy and his younger brother Robert, who was running for President at the time.

JFK's son John F Kennedy Jr died in a plane crash while two of Robert F Kennedy's sons, David and Michael, died of a drug overdose and a skiing accident respectively.

"I think every family has its tragedies. But this is too much. You have to feel for them," said Kim O'Connell, 59, as she dropped off a bouquet of flowers Thursday. She said she had met Mary and Robert while working at their health club.

"I just thought she was just a lady. I woke up this morning and I wanted to do something," she said.