A mother tragically drowned trying to save her young son from getting swept away by a powerful current at a popular New Hampshire waterfall.
Melissa Bagley, her family, and a friend were visiting Franconia Falls in Lincoln Tuesday afternoon when her 10-year-old son slipped and fell into the water.
Bagley, 44, and her family were visiting from Lynn, Massachusetts, The Everett Police Department said. She was married to Lt. Sean Bagley, an officer with the department.
“One of the minor children slipped and fell into one of the pools at the falls,” the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said.
“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.”
Two other siblings then jumped into the river to help their brother and mother.
While they were able to help their 10-year-old brother to safety, another brother, 18, became lodged in the waterfall’s boulders and could not escape.
At that moment the children’s father, who was looking for their mother, found her on a rock and immediately began CPR.
“Unfortunately, she was unable to be revived,” officials said in a release.
The father then made his way to the second son’s location and was able to pull him to safety.
“He went back to his wife’s location and waited for personnel to arrive,” the release added.
The 18-year-old son was transported to Littleton Hospital in Littleton after sustaining injuries. His current condition is unknown.
Bagley’s autopsy results are pending.
“This is an ongoing investigation, but alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor,” New Hampshire State Police said in a statement Wednesday.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at (603) 227-2115 or (603) 846-3333.