On Monday, October 28th, it was reported that a mother and her two young children had died after climbing over the safety rails and jumping into the popular tourist attraction at Luna Island, a small island between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
The victims were later identified as 33-year-old Chianti Means (known to her close friends and family as Diamond), her nine-year-old son Roman Rossman, and her five-month-old daughter Mecca Means.
RELATED STORIES
Niagara Falls attracts millions of tourists from around the world every year.
The beauty of the falls is managed responsibly, and many safety measures are in place to ensure those visiting can be as close to the natural wonder as possible while remaining safe.
On Monday, October 28th, it was reported that Chianti Means had climbed over the safety rails and jumped to her death along with her nine-year-old son Roman Rossman and her five-month-old daughter Mecca Means.
Authorities responded to a call reporting the incident around 9 p.m. on October 28th.
Their bodies have yet to be recovered.
According to what is believed to be her LinkedIn account, the 33-year-old mom lived locally in Niagara Falls and worked as a domestic violence counselor.
The profile also revealed that Means had a master’s degree in social work from the University of Buffalo.
“The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation,” New York State Police said in a press release on Wednesday, as per ABC News.
New York State Trooper James O’Callaghan told reporters it had taken a few days to piece together the series of events that led to the family’s death.
O’Callaghan also emphasized that many safety measures are in place to prevent these types of tragic incidents, which are sadly not uncommon.
“It’s not something where they just stumbled in,” he explained.
“Based on the information we have, we do know it was an intentional act, but the reason why is tougher to answer,” O’Callaghan added.
Now, in the days following the tragedy, Means’ Facebook account has been discovered and is providing some additional insight into the 33-year-old’s life and state of mind leading up to her death.
On October 1st, the mom of two wrote on Facebook: “You have to hold on to the ones you love. Never know when you might lose them.”
“Everyone please leave me alone I’m in love with my daughter father,” she wrote later that same day. “I want my family back. Respectfully Idgaf what I said about him before or what anyone else thinks.”
“Imagine having a baby with the person you dream about,” she wrote two weeks later on October 15th.
“Unfortunately for everyone who wanna get with me… my body only craves one person,” she wrote just a few days before the tragedy.
The death of Chianti and her two young children has many people across the country calling for better mental health resources for mothers.
Our thoughts are with the Means and Rossman families during this incredibly difficult time.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please visit this resource.
