The incident took place around 9 p.m. on Monday, October 28, prompting a response from the New York State Park Police and the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation to a location near Goat Island, situated between Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls.
Following an investigation, authorities discovered that 33-year-old Chaianti Means, along with her children—9-year-old Roman Rossman and 5-month-old Mecca Means—had crossed over a safety guardrail and gone over the falls at Luna Island, which is located just off the northern side of Goat Island.
New York State Trooper James O’Callaghan confirmed on Wednesday that Means is the mother of both children and noted that the family of the victims has been very cooperative with investigators.
While the exact circumstances surrounding the jump are still under investigation, authorities believe it was “intentional in nature.”
Search-and-rescue teams—including park police drones, marine patrols, and New York State Police aviation and underwater recovery units—have been working to locate the three since the incident occurred, but recovery efforts had not been successful as of Wednesday evening.
Additionally, the Niagara Falls Police Department and Niagara Charter Schools are assisting in the investigation, and officials stated that the incident does not pose a safety threat to the public.
