Mom drowns while trying to save her 10-year-old son at Franconia Falls in New Hampshire
A mother drowned while trying to rescue her son from a fast-moving current at a popular waterfall in New Hampshire, authorities said, while another son who also jumped in to help was rescued by his father.
The 44-year-old victim, identified as Melissa Bagley from Lynn, Massachusetts, was visiting Franconia Falls in Lincoln with family members and a friend on Tuesday afternoon when the incident occurred, the New Hampshire State Police said.
Bagley was a mother of four children, three of which are under 18, according to the Everett Police Department in Massachusetts, where her husband, Sean Bagley, is a lieutenant.
While at the falls, the family's 10-year-old son slipped and fell into one of the pools and could not escape the currents, prompting Melissa Bagley to jump in to rescue him. She began having trouble sustaining herself, so two other brothers jumped into the water to help them. The family was able to rescue the 10-year-old, but Melissa Bagley and his 18-year-old brother became trapped in the rocks and the currents, police said.
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The 18-year-old was rescued from the water by his family and sustained injuries. However, Melissa Bagley was located in the water below the falls and was found on one of the rocks. Despite resuscitation efforts by family members, she could not be revived.
“One of the minor children slipped and fell into one of the pools at the falls,” Sgt. Heidi Murphy, a Conservation Officer with New Hampshire Fish & Game, said in a news release, according to the Associated Press. “He could not get out of the pool as it was a fast, circulating current. The mother jumped into the river to help her child and began to immediately have trouble.”
Murphy said in addition to the 18-year-old, one other sibling also jumped in during the rescue attempt, got stuck in the boulders and had to be pulled out by his father, as well. Both the siblings who jumped in the water were later taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Murphy said.
The Everett Police Department shared that a memorial fund has been set up for those who want to contribute to support her children, three of which are under 18.
Franconia Falls is a popular hiking destination and swimming hole in the White Mountain National Forest. People can slide off rock slabs into pools of water. Tuesday's incident occurred on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River in the White Mountain National Forest.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mom drowns while rescuing son at Franconia Falls, New Hampshire
