The granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, who died following a possible overdose at the Kennedy compound in Cape Cod on Thursday, was allegedly targeted in an attempted kidnapping years before.
Citing an archived report from WCBV-TV in Boston, the New York Post reports that Saoirse Kennedy Hill had been approached by possible kidnappers in 2007, when she was 10 years old. According to the report, Hill, who was 22 when she died, was walking back to the Hyannis estate from playing tennis when a van approached her, with two men inside. The savvy young girl had a feeling something was off, and quickly distanced herself.
“Two white males, approximately 50 years old according to the witness, were sitting in a white GMC van,” Barnstable Police Department Sgt. Mark Mellyn reportedly said just after the incident.
“As the girl walked by the van, the driver asked her if she needed a ride. The young girl responded, ‘no,’ and just did not feel right about the situation and ran home.”
It is unclear if any suspects were identified or apprehended.
Hill had previously written candidly about her struggles with depression. Authorities are still investigating her death, and have not confirmed that it was the result of a drug overdose. It is unclear if a suspected overdose is believed to have been accidental or intentional, or what drugs may have been involved.
The family acknowledged Hill’s death in a statement:
“Our hearts are shattered by the loss of our beloved Saoirse. Her life was filled with hope, promise, and love. She cared deeply about friends and family, especially her mother Courtney, her father Paul, her stepmother Stephanie, and her grandmother Ethel.”
[Feature image: Saoirse Kennedy Hill/Instagram]