Woman allegedly throws sons into Mississippi, jumps in herself

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A woman allegedly threw her twin infant sons off a bridge into the Mississippi River, then jumped in herself, screaming incoherently as she fell 75 feet to the water, police said.

Several people who were at the river's edge for the city's July Fourth fireworks display Friday jumped in after them. A man rescued one of the 11-month-old boys, then pulled the mother to safety with the help of others.

By then, the second boy had disappeared, said police Cmdr. Brian Coyle.

The body of a baby was found Sunday night, and Dakota County Sheriff's dispatcher Jan Kaeder said officials were "all but technically sure it's the child." He said a coroner would make the final determination.

Naomi Gaines, 24, and the rescued boy were expected to recover.

Coyle said Gaines, who has no criminal record, could face charges as early as Monday. She also has a 7-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter, neighbors said.

She dropped the twins over the 5-foot railing of a bridge, then climbed over and jumped, witnesses said.

Coyle said the unidentified man who led the rescue of Gaines and her son put himself in harm's way by swimming out into the powerful current.

"It was heroic," Coyle said. "I'm impressed that a citizen would jump into the river and do what he did."

Witnesses said the woman kept screaming and resisted her rescuers.

"We were just sitting there, and we heard her screaming," said Erin Mac, who was among thousands of people at the river's edge. "She just kept screaming these bloodcurdling screams."