NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A 33-year-old mother climbed over a safety rail and intentionally went over Niagara Falls with her two children, a nine-year-old and five-month-old, according to New York state police, who said Wednesday that search and rescue efforts were unsuccessful.
Authorities responded to the park around 9 p.m. Monday and determined the family went over the rail on Luna Island, a small island between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls that, along with the Horseshoe Falls, make up the popular tourist draw.
“The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation,” state police said in a news release.
Authorities are using unmanned aircraft and underwater units in the investigation.
The New York Post identified the mother as Chianti Means and her children as Roman Rossman and Mecca Means, all of whom were residents of Niagara Falls. The Post also reported that Chianti Means worked as a domestic violence counselor, citing her LinkedIn profile, and had graduated from a school in Buffalo, N.Y.
A friend reportedly posted on Facebook that she was “speechless” and “couldn’t sleep at all” over the news.
“My heart is broken,” Kayshawna Morgane wrote, according to the Post. “Mental health is no joke.”
Another added: “I am literally sick to my stomach and I can’t even deal with the emotions I am feeling. Just know her and her children are dearly loved by me and my children.”
It was the second such incident in the area within the last two years, according to the Post, after another mother jumped with her son into Niagara Gorge in 2023. The mother died, but rescuers were able to save her five-year-old boy.
— With files from the Toronto Sun