Dear Abby: I know her late mother cheated, but should I be the one to confirm it?

A reader has written to the Dear Abby advice column seeking guidance on whether to disclose that a deceased woman, Lisa, had been unfaithful during her marriage. The dilemma arose after Lisa’s daughter, Becky, reacted with anger toward her father, Jack, upon learning he had begun a new relationship six months after Lisa’s death from cancer. Becky accused Jack of infidelity, prompting the writer to consider revealing the truth about her late friend's past behavior to defend the father.

The situation highlights a conflict between the desire to protect a grieving daughter's image of her mother and the impulse to rectify a perceived injustice against the father. The inquiry centers on the ethics of posthumously revealing a parent's infidelity to settle a family dispute.