Victim Identification Added: Melissa Bagley, 44 years old, Lynn, MA (Additional Details Below / Statement from Mayor Jared Nicholson)
State Police Report
LINCOLN, New Hampshire – On Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at approximately 3:56 p.m., New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol received a call for a person trapped/medical emergency at Franconia Falls; an area on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River in the White Mountain National Forest. Marine Patrol, New Hampshire Fish and Game, Lincoln Fire Rescue, Lincoln Police and Linwood Ambulance responded to the scene.
Initial investigation revealed a family of six from Lynn, MA and one friend from Salem, MA hiked to Franconia Falls. While at the falls, the family’s 10-year-old son fell in the water requiring other family members to enter the pools to assist. The family was able to rescue the 10-year-old, but two other family members became trapped in the rocks and current.
Ultimately one of the two additional victims, an 18-year-old male, was freed from the water by family. He sustained injuries and was transported to Littleton Hospital in Littleton. The mother of the family, a 44-year-old female, was located in the water below the falls and despite resuscitation efforts by family members was pronounced deceased. An autopsy is scheduled, and the names of the parties involved are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
This is an ongoing investigation, but alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor.
New Hampshire Fish & Game Dept. Report
Lincoln, NH – At 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, the NH Fish and Game Department was notified of a hiker who required assistance near Franconia Falls in Lincoln. An SOS text came in through 911 stating that a person was trapped and there were multiple people involved. Several minutes later, another text was received indicating a possible drowning. Unable to confirm the events due to a lack of cell phone coverage at Franconia Falls and the Lincoln Woods trailhead, NH Fish and Game requested Lincoln Fire Department respond with a UTV. Fish and Game Conservation Officers were also requested to respond with their ATVs.
As rescue crews were making their way the 3.5 miles into the Franconia Falls, another hiker was running out to the Lincoln Woods trailhead to find help. That hiker was able to provide more information to rescue personnel about the incident and the victims’ location. Once rescue crews arrived at Franconia Falls, they were able to locate two people who had sustained non-life-threatening injuries and one person who was deceased. Two of the victims were brought out to the trailhead and transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare for further evaluation and treatment by Linwood Ambulance.
The deceased person was transported to the trailhead and picked up by Mayhew Funeral Home. Conservation Officers and the Lincoln Fire Department were assisted in the rescue efforts by the Lincoln Police Department and the NH Department of Safety Marine Patrol.
Through interviews it was learned that a Massachusetts family of five and a friend arrived at the Lincoln Woods trailhead at approximately 1:00 p.m. They planned to hike to Franconia Falls. Once they arrived at the falls they began to get ready to swim. One of the minor children slipped and fell into one of the pools at the falls. 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 children jumped into the river to help their brother and mother. They were able to get their brother out of the water, but in doing so, another brother became lodged in the boulders and could not escape. The father was trying to find the mother. He eventually found her on a rock and immediately began CPR. Unfortunately she was unable to be revived. The father made it over to his 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.
Names of the victims are being withheld. No further information is available at this time.
Everett, MA Police Notice (Facebook) – The Everett Police Department is sad to report the sudden passing of Melissa Bagley 44 yrs of age,wife of Lt Sean Bagley who died during a family outing along the river in the White Mountain area yesterday afternoon. Melissa drown while trying to aid one of her children who slipped into the river.
Statement from Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson
