New York woman jumps into Niagara Falls with two young children; all three die

A New York mother jumped from a viewing platform above Niagara Falls with her two young children. The youngest was just five months old. Police said all three were killed, writes New York Post.

Chianti Means, 33, stepped over the railing at the Niagara Falls observation deck on the evening of Oct. 28. It happened on Luna Island, a popular viewing spot for the falls, at a height of 60 feet, according to New York State Police.

Investigators have determined that the fall was "intentional" and the investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy is ongoing.

As of October 30, rescuers had still not been able to find a single body.

The woman who died worked as a domestic violence counselor, according to her LinkedIn profile, and graduated from high school in Buffalo. Shortly before the tragic incident, she had been posting on Facebook under the handle “Diamond Scott” about her unhappy love.

Friends reacted to Means' death on social media.

"I was speechless when I found out, cried and couldn't sleep at all," Keyshawna Morgan, a friend of the victim, wrote on Facebook. "My heart is broken. Mental health is no joke."

"It's hard for me to even write a post and share memories of her," said another friend of Chianti, Mich Molina. "I feel sick and overwhelmed. She and her children loved our family very much."

"You really have no idea about the suffering of those around you," said another friend, Niesha Eukeya.

On the subject: Who to call if you have problems: a list of useful contacts in New York

Luna Island is one of several popular viewing platforms located above the New York side of Niagara Falls.

It's one of the most secluded viewing platforms in the sprawling Niagara Falls State Park, separated from the rest of the park by a causeway over a river channel. Only a chest-high railing separates the platform from a deadly drop.

The area is managed by the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation and is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

More than 8 million people visit the park each year, according to the government agency.

In 2023, another mother jumped with her son into the Niagara Gorge, downriver from the falls. That woman died in the fall, but rescuers were able to save a five-year-old boy.