A mother and her two young children are dead after the woman leapt off a Niagara Falls overlook and plunged nearly 200 feet with them, New York State Police said.
Officers responded to an overlook on Luna Island at approximately 9:00 p.m. on October 28 to find that Chianti “Diamond” Means, 33, had crossed over the safety guardrail with her son, 9-year-old Roman Rossman, and her 5-month-old baby girl, Mecca Means, officials said.
All three family members died after falling, and rescuers have been unable to recover their bodies.
“The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation,” police said.
“New York State Park Police and State Police search/rescue efforts were conducted with negative results. This incident deems no public threat to safety.”
Means and her children were Niagara Falls locals.
Social media posts viewed by the New York Post showed that the mother was a domestic violence counselor and is being deeply mourned by her loved ones.
“I have been speechless and crying and couldn’t sleep at all,” one of her friends wrote on Facebook. “My heart is broken. Mental health is no joke.”
“I can’t even bear to write a post about her and share memories,” another friend said. “I am literally sick to my stomach and I can’t even deal with the emotions I am feeling. Just know her and her children are dearly loved by me and my children.”
A GoFundMe created by Means’ sister, Karisma Porter, stated that she “suffered from postpartum depression unbeknownst to her family and friends.”
According to Porter, Means’ mental health suffered after the 2020 death of her grandmother, who raised her.
“Our grandmother’s passing was the hardest on her, but she remained cheerful to her family & friends. She threw Halloween parties for all the kids every year, gave free food to friends anytime she had leftovers, and planned trips with her son throughout the year,” the grieving sister said.
“After having her daughter Mecca and not having her father by her side, things became mentally overwhelming,” Porter explained.
“This tragic incident is still a shock to family and friends as she always uplifted others and encouraged them to spread love and kindness. We did not notice the signs,” she said. “The Means family will never be the same.”