On October 28, 2024, New York State Police reported an incident where a 33-year-old mother and her two children went over Niagara Falls. The act was confirmed to be intentional. The victims were identified as Chianti Means, her son Roman Rossman, 9, and her daughter Mecca Means, who was just five months old.
“The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation,” according to a statement from the State Police.
Reports of three individuals going over the safety rail on Luna Island led law enforcement officials to Niagara Falls State Park at around 9 p.m. on Monday. Luna Island is a small area located between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Despite immediate attempts to locate the victims by the State Park Police and State Police, the search was unsuccessful.
Means, a resident of Niagara Falls, New York, was a domestic violence counselor with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from the University at Buffalo. Prior to the incident, she had been posting about relationship problems and a separation from the father of her youngest child on social media.
Regarding the incident, police officials have noted that Luna Falls, with its nearly 200-foot drop, has substantial security measures in place, making it unlikely for someone to accidentally fall in.
Search and recovery operations continue, with the police using unmanned aircraft and underwater units. The difficult currents and terrain of Niagara Falls, particularly around Luna Island, have posed significant challenges.
Tributes to the deceased mother have been pouring in on social media. One user, Niesha Eukeya, reminded everyone that we often don’t know what others are going through, and offered her condolences to the victim’s aunt.
Another user, Mich Molina, shared that she was too overwhelmed by her emotions to write a full post or share memories. She expressed her deep love for Chianti and her children.
Chianti Means’ Facebook cover photo featured a heartfelt message about her love for her son, stating that while she gave him life, he gave her a reason to live.