Three Feared Dead After Mother and Two Kids Go Over Niagara Falls

What is usually an entertaining and inviting area of Western New York that offers amazing sights to millions of visitors every year turned into a grim site as New York State Park Police authorities discovered that a mother and her two children went over the guard rails and fell into the gorge and rapids of Niagara Falls.

According to information released by the New York State Police, it's believed that 33-year-old Chaianti Means, along with her two children, 9-year-old son Roman and 5-month-old daughter Mecca, crossed over the railings on Goat Island and stepped out into the water off Luna Island. The incident occurred around nine at night on Monday, October 28, 2024.

Officials are investigating, but so far, no bodies have been recovered from the Niagara Gorge. The State Police and Park Police have been using unmanned aircraft and its Underwater Recovery Unit to search the area, but nothing has been found yet.

Details about this incident are still being determined, but officials believe that Ms. Means intentionally entered the water.

Thousands Of People Have Gone Over Niagara Falls

While authorities have noted no threat to public safety due to this incident, this is not an isolated incident at Niagara Falls. According to the American Journal of Public Health, around seven people per year went over the falls in the 1950s and 1960s, with that number increasing to more than 12 people per year in the 1980s. According to the Buffalo News, that number is estimated to be as high as 30 people per year.

As officials continue to investigate this situation, it's essential to know that there is help available if you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm and suicide. There are crisis hotlines and support teams across the state.

Crisis Services of Erie County has a 24-hour hotline at 716-834-3131, the Niagara County crisis hotline is 716-285-3515, and the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is 988.