The serene beauty of Niagara Falls has once again been marred by tragedy, as yet another woman is suspected of plunging into the iconic waters.
This incident comes just over a week after a young mother, Chianti Means, and her two children reportedly met their end in the same area, leaving the community shaken and searching for answers.
Witnesses reported seeing an unidentified woman enter the water from Goat Island, near Horseshoe Falls, igniting a major search effort by authorities.
The incident took place around 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, prompting New York State Park Police to respond immediately with a full-scale search operation.
Officers launched an exhaustive search of the gorge and surrounding areas using drones, foot patrols, and aerial support to locate the missing woman.
New York State Police told WGRZ, “An immediate search of the area commenced using Park Police drone, foot searches of the gorge, and visual searches from overlooks.”
Park Police later enlisted assistance from the New York State Police Aviation Unit to survey the lower Niagara River, where the forceful currents continue to complicate search efforts.
This tragic event comes soon after a similarly disturbing case on October 28, when Chianti Means, a 33-year-old mother from Niagara Falls, reportedly stepped over a safety guardrail at Luna Island with her two young children.
Means’s two children, Roman Rossman, aged 9, and five-month-old Mecca Means, were with her at the time, and their bodies have not yet been recovered, though all three are presumed dead.
Authorities reviewed security footage and concluded that the mother’s actions appeared deliberate, with footage indicating she climbed over the four-foot guardrail with the children in tow.
State Police spokesman Trooper James O’Callaghan commented, “We believe this was intentional,” but refrained from sharing specifics of witness testimonies due to the ongoing nature of the case.
In the wake of this tragedy, Means’s family has voiced concerns that she may have been suffering from severe postpartum depression, a condition that can affect new parents with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
Her cousin, Bierra Hamilton, strongly disputed online rumors suggesting a relationship issue led to the incident, instead emphasizing the silent battle Means faced alone.
Hamilton asserted, “Understand this—postpartum [depression] is very real and needs a cure. Her death wasn’t over a man. My cousin was silently fighting depression alone.”
As online speculation mounted, Hamilton’s statement aimed to dispel misconceptions about her cousin’s mental state, highlighting the importance of recognizing postpartum depression.
Before the incident, Means posted several troubling messages on social media, alluding to her deep emotional distress and heartbreak.
In one Facebook post, she shared, “I wish someone would love me because the man that’s supposed to does not.”
In another, she wrote, “Everyone please leave me alone. I’m in love with my daughter’s father. I want my family back.”
Means, who had worked as a domestic violence counselor in Niagara Falls, had spent her career supporting others but appeared to struggle in silence with her own pain.
The tragic coincidence of another woman reportedly entering the falls just days after Means has deepened the community’s sense of grief and mystery surrounding these events.
Feature Image Credit: (Facebook)
