Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A 33-year-old mother and her two children are believed to have died earlier this week after going over Niagara Falls, according to New York State law enforcement, who have determined the incident "was intentional in nature."
New York State Police said in a statement Wednesday that authorities were notified of the incident near Goat Island in Niagara Falls, N.Y., at around 9 p.m. EDT Monday.
The mother, identified as Chianti Means, and her two children, ages 9 years old and 5 months, crossed over a safety guard rail and then went over the falls, authorities said.
New York State Park Police and New York State Police attempted a rescue but were unsuccessful.
An investigation has been launched, it said, with various agencies, including Niagara Charter Schools, participating. Unmanned aircraft and underwater resources have been employed in the effort.
According to authorities, the family was from the Niagara Falls region.
