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NY mom who threw kids, self over Niagara Falls suffered from postpartum depression: cousin

By Matthew Sedacca and 

Chris Harris

Published Nov. 2, 2024, 6:21 p.m. ET

The New York mom who threw her two small children and herself over the Niagara Falls, and then jumped to her own presumed death, had been suffering from postpartum depression, her cousin told The Post.

Chianti Means did not end her life “over a man” or a breakup, as some have speculated online, said her cousin, Bierra Hamilton.

“Understand this — postpartum [depression] is very real and needs a cure,” said Hamilton. “Her death wasn’t over a man. My cousin was silently fighting depression alone.”

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Chianti Means gave birth to Mecca five months ago.Facebook

Means gave birth five months ago to baby Mecca Means.

Facebook posts showed Means, 33, and the infant’s father ended their relationship in late August.D

Means and her kids, Mecca and 9-year-old Roman Rossman, were residents of Niagara Falls.

Rescuers have been unable to locate their bodies.

The mother worked as a domestic violence counselor, according to her LinkedIn profile, and graduated from school in nearby Buffalo.

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Hamilton said her cousin Chianti “had a beautiful soul.”Facebook

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A Facebook post made by Means weeks before her death.Diamond Scott / Facebook

“My cousin had a beautiful soul,” Hamilton added. “She loved her children and her family very much. I never had a bad memory with her. [She was] so full of life and wisdom. She and her kids will be missed so much.”

Means is believed to have leapt from Luna Island, one of several popular overlooks perched above the New York side of Niagara Falls.

It is one of the more secluded overlooks in the expansive Niagara Falls State Park, separated from the rest of the grounds by a causeway over a river channel, with little more than a chest-high railing separating the platform from the deadly drop below.

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A rainbow formed near the spot where Means jumped to her death with her two young children.Lori Cappellazzo / POLARIS

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The area is run by the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation, and is open to visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

More than 8 million people pass through the park each year, according to the state agency.

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The deaths were just the latest tragedies at the landmark in recent years.

In 2023, another mother jumped with her son into the Niagara Gorge, just down river from the falls.

That mother died in the fall, but rescuers were able to save the five-year-old boy.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.