Warning: This article includes discussions of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The tragic incident involving a 33-year-old woman believed to have deliberately gone over Niagara Falls with her two children mirrors a similar heartbreaking event from the previous year.
On October 28, authorities in New York began an investigation following a report received around 9pm, indicating that a woman had breached the safety barrier at the falls along with her children.
The woman, identified as Chianti Means, along with her children, nine-year-old Roman Rossman and five-month-old Mecca Means, remain missing as police continue their search.
Trooper James O’Callaghan, a spokesperson for the State Police, characterized the event as ‘intentional,’ though the motive is still under investigation.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of Chianti and her children is not an isolated case.
Earlier, in February 2023, a five-year-old boy suffered critical injuries after he and his mother plunged ‘approximately 90 feet’ into the Niagara Gorge, near the Cave of the Winds area.
Emergency responders hurried to provide ‘life-saving measures’ to both the mother and son, but tragically, the mother succumbed at the scene.
The child received stabilization and was transported to a local hospital to treat a head injury.
Reflecting on the rescue mission, then New York State Parks Police Captain Chris Rola remarked: “Although today it’s nice out, it’s very icy down there. It’s a real tough terrain that our guy and our girls were able to get through and get to them and provide that life-saving care and do everything they could.
“We were going to make every effort for that child that was still alive at the time.”
Rola also noted: “Niagara Falls is a tough place to perform rescues. The State Park Police, we have a swift water rescue team, we have high angle rope rescue guys that train all the time. Niagara Falls fire is great, and as you can see, the state police are a great partner with us, and their aviation crews [are] top-notch.”
At that time, officials did not consider the fall an accident.
The investigation into the deaths of Chianti and her children is still ongoing. Over the weekend, O’Callaghan stated: “The circumstances of how that went down, that is the part we may be able to solve or we may never know. Not going to get into what the witnesses saw because it’s still an active case, but it is alarming what they told us.”
If you or someone you know is dealing with a crisis or needs support, help is available through Mental Health America. You can call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center, or you can access a webchat at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line is also available by texting MHA to 741741.