A heartbreaking event took place at Luna Island, a popular tourist destination in Niagara Falls, New York, when a mother and her two young children died in what appears to be a suicide. The victims were identified as 33-year-old Chianti Means and her children, 9-year-old Roman Rossman and 5-month-old Mecca Means, all residents of Niagara Falls. The incident happened on Monday night at the tourist spot, which is known for its nearly 200-foot drop.
New York State Police arrived at the scene around 9 p.m. and determined that the fall was deliberate. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the event are still underway. As of Wednesday, recovery teams have been unable to retrieve any of the bodies.
Means was a domestic violence counselor, according to her LinkedIn profile. She was a graduate of a school in Buffalo, a city near Niagara Falls. The news of her death has left her friends and acquaintances in shock, with many expressing their grief and disbelief on social media.
One of her friends, Kayshawna Morgane, posted on Facebook, “I have been speechless and crying and couldn’t sleep at all. My heart is broken. Mental health is no joke.” Another friend, Mich Molina, shared her deep sorrow, stating that she was “literally sick to the stomach” and unable to process the emotions she was feeling.
Luna Island, the site of the incident, is one of several popular overlooks on the New York side of Niagara Falls. It is a secluded spot in the expansive Niagara Falls State Park, separated from the rest of the park by a causeway over a river channel. The overlook is managed by the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and is open to visitors 24/7.
The park attracts more than 8 million visitors each year, according to the state agency. This incident is the latest in a series of tragedies at the landmark. In 2023, a similar incident occurred when a mother jumped into the Niagara Gorge with her son. While the mother did not survive, rescuers were able to save the five-year-old boy.