Kennedy, who was married at the time, was off on a drunken tryst when the accident happened, so I can see why her Catholic parents would be concerned for her reputation. Kennedy's wife was not at the party that night. She was home on bed rest with a threatened miscarriage. She miscarried days later after Kennedy dragged her out in front of cameras and to Mary Jo's funeral.
Although pregnant and confined to bed in the wake of two previous miscarriages, she attended Kopechne's funeral. Three days later, she stood beside her husband in court when he pled guilty to having left the scene of an accident.[6] She suffered a third miscarriage shortly thereafter.[7]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Kennedy
“Although pregnant and confined to bed in the wake of two previous miscarriages, she attended Kopechne’s funeral. Three days later, she stood beside her husband in court when he pled guilty to having left the scene of an accident.[6] She suffered a third miscarriage shortly thereafter.”
That's horrible. No wonder she drank.