COVINGTON — A waiter from a riverside restaurant grabbed a 26-year-old mother of three as she prepared to leap from the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge while her young children watched early Tuesday.

        “As soon as she saw a police officer coming towards her, she threw the baby back in the stroller and tried to dive over the railing,” said Justin Cornett, 22, of Florence.

Helping to keep a woman from jumping from the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge (background) were (from left) Waterfront restaurant employees Michael Morehead, Justin Cornett and Phil Frederick. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        The Over-the-Rhine woman was later admitted to St. Elizabeth Medical Center South for a psychiatric evaluation. Police say she has a history of mental problems, and has not been charged.

        The woman told police she had argued with her estranged boyfriend, the father of her children, and that she was depressed because Hamilton County Children's Services was investigating the family.

        The woman caught people's attention when she called to Waterfront restaurant employee Phil Frederick, 22, of Fort Mitchell.

        Said Mr. Frederick: “She asked me what I was doing. When I told her I was getting off work, I asked her what she was doing. She said she was going to throw herself and her children off the bridge.”

        Witnesses reported the woman held one of her children over the railing at least twice.

        As some at the restaurant ran to their cars to stop the woman, night manager Michael Morehead called 911.

        Soon after, Mr. Cornett grabbed the woman.

        Cincinnati police already were looking for the woman before the restaurant staff called police.

        The woman's sister had called police in alarm, saying the young mother threatened to throw herself and her children off a bridge. The woman denies making those statements, Covington Detective Mike McGuffey said.

        The children were taken into custody by the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children.

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