A new biography claims that Mary Kennedy was “deeply devastated” when her teenage daughter chose to move in with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new partner, Cheryl Hines.
According to RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise, written by investigative journalist Isabel Vincent, the situation unfolded while RFK Jr. was going through a divorce from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. During that time, their children had already begun forming a close relationship with Hines. The book explores both the breakdown of Mary and Bobby’s marriage and the personal struggles Mary faced before her death in May 2012.
Vincent, who based her work on numerous sources and RFK Jr.’s private journals, shared that one of Mary’s friends described her as “completely shattered” in 2011. This came after her 16-year-old daughter, Kyra, moved across the country to live with Hines. Losing contact with her children was reportedly Mary’s greatest fear and the most painful part of the situation.
As the divorce process continued and Mary sought help for addiction, RFK Jr.’s relationship with Hines became more public and increasingly involved the children. A source close to Mary told Vincent that the kids quickly grew attached to Hines. The book also notes that Hines shared moments online about bonding with Mary’s youngest son, Aidan, though those posts were later removed after Mary’s death.
In her own 2025 memoir, Hines described forming a close bond with Kyra and explained that RFK Jr. had asked if Kyra could live with her while attending school in Los Angeles. Hines said she welcomed the arrangement.
However, Vincent reports that Mary struggled deeply with this development. According to her sources, Mary was particularly hurt by Hines publicly sharing her relationship with the children on social media. This was especially painful given that Mary was already facing challenges with substance abuse and feared losing custody of her children, which made the situation even more distressing.
The biography also discusses RFK Jr.’s alleged infidelities during their nearly two-decade marriage, as well as Mary’s battles with addiction and mental health. Vincent recounts that RFK Jr. informed Mary of his intention to file for divorce on Mother’s Day in 2010. Shortly after, police were called to their home, and within days, Mary was arrested for driving under the influence.
According to a source cited in the book, RFK Jr. reportedly used Mary’s struggles against her, claiming he had to take on more responsibility for their children. He later shared a lengthy affidavit with a biographer detailing allegations of abuse. After Mary’s death, her family publicly rejected these claims, describing them as false and vindictive.
