Woman dead and five-year-year old son hospitalized after duo jump 90ft down into Niagara Gorge onto ice
NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK: A woman has reportedly died and her five-year-old son has been hospitalized after the pair jumped 90ft into the Niagara Gorge at Niagara Falls State Park. Angela P Berti and her son, whose identity was not revealed, were at the park with her husband on Tuesday, February 14 when they fell and landed on ice that had formed near the bottom of the gorge, State Parks Police department reported.
Firefighters had to bravely traverse the ice to rescue the mother-son duo. With their relentless efforts, the paramedics rescued the young boy but Berti was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Her body was flown by helicopter from the bottom of the gorge to the coroner’s office. The child, who sustained a head injury, was loaded onto a stretcher and flown to Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, according to the New York Post.
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Why did the duo jump into the gorge?
“Although today it’s nice out, it’s very icy down there. It’s real tough terrain that our guy and our girls were able to get through and get to them and provide that life-saving care and do everything they could. … We were going to make every effort for that child that was still alive at the time," State Parks Police Capt Chris Rola told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and are currently interrogating Berti’s husband and other witnesses. However, it is still unclear what caused the incident.
Police have reportedly roped off the area around the Cave of the Winds, a well-known tourist destination near Niagara Falls. “Niagara Falls is a tough place to perform rescues,” Rola said, adding, “[State Park Police] have swift water rescue team we have high angle rope rescue guys that train all the time. Niagara Falls fire is great, and as you can see, the state police are a great partner with us, and their aviation crews top notch.”
Another similar incident
In a similar incident, a 14-year-old teenager died after falling over the gorge in Niagara Falls state park in May 2022. The incident took place around 4 pm when the victim scaled the fence and intentionally fell into the gorge. The New York State Park Police soon arrived at the Whirlpool State Park, on the Gorge Rim Trail but failed to revive the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene by the Niagara Falls Fire Department.