Kit Boucher was found under the ice; her husband, Jerry, remained missing as crews planned to resume searching.
EASTHAM, Mass. — The family of a Cape Cod couple said Monday that Kit and Jerry Boucher fell through river ice while walking their dog on Valentine’s Day, leaving Kit dead and Jerry still missing as police and rescue crews prepared to return to the water.
The tragedy drew a heavy response from first responders and neighbors in Eastham, a small Outer Cape town where winter walks along the bay are routine. Officials said the incident unfolded quickly near Bee’s River by First Encounter Beach, and the outcome now depends on shifting ice and current conditions that have limited divers’ access as the search moves from rescue to recovery.
Police and fire officials said the first sign of trouble came on the morning of Sat., Feb. 14, when a loose, wet dog was seen in the First Encounter Beach area. Officers responded around 9 a.m. and heard a woman screaming for help from Bee’s River. Eastham Police Chief Adam Bohannon said an officer found the woman about 30 feet from shore, “half-submerged in the water,” and tried to reach her across ice that was already giving way.
Two officers went onto the ice to attempt a rescue, but both fell through when the surface broke, officials said. The officers were able to struggle back to shore and were taken to Cape Cod Hospital for evaluation. Fire Department crews then entered the water wearing cold-water rescue suits, but officials said the woman could not be located immediately. Additional teams were called in, including the Barnstable County Technical Rescue Team and the Barnstable County Dive Team, and police launched drones over the river and shoreline.
Divers found the woman under the ice around 11 a.m., and she was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. Investigators said they believe she and her husband were together at the beach walking their dog and that the husband likely fell through the ice before emergency crews arrived and did not resurface. Officials have described the area near Bee’s River as hazardous in winter because of moving water; Bohannon said the current can run “very briskly” in both directions as the tide changes.
For much of Saturday, rescue teams and divers worked in freezing conditions, searching the water and edges of the ice. Officials said the initial search for the missing man lasted about six hours and included multiple divers and an underwater remotely operated vehicle. Operations were ended for the night around 5 p.m. because of darkness. The next morning, Sun., Feb. 15, police and fire personnel returned around 7 a.m. for a follow-up search, deploying a police drone for about two hours and walking accessible shoreline, but the man was not found and the effort ended about 9 a.m., officials said.
While officials initially withheld the couple’s names at the family’s request, relatives later identified them as Jerry and Kit Boucher, longtime residents of Eastham. In a statement released by the couple’s children, the family said it was “devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved parents” and thanked first responders for what it called their “heroic efforts.” The family also asked for privacy and discretion as search crews continued working the area.
Friends described the couple as deeply rooted in the Outer Cape, where winter can turn familiar paths dangerous in minutes. Dawn Varnum, a friend, said the Bouchers were “a very loving couple,” and said they walked local beaches often. Another friend, Peter Miller, said they were among “the most caring, kindest people you could ever meet,” and remembered them as quick to laugh and eager to make others smile.
On Monday, flowers appeared near the river where officials said the couple ended up in the icy water, a small tribute that drew quiet visits from residents who said they had been thinking about the family and the responders who went onto the ice. One resident who came to the beach after the search crews cleared out said the day’s events were hard to imagine, particularly the moment a rescuer heard the screams and had to decide how to reach the woman without more people going into the water.
Officials said the search has been repeatedly constrained by unstable ice and moving water, and they have paused or narrowed operations when conditions became too dangerous for divers. Eastham officials said additional efforts can be undertaken when the ice changes enough to allow safe access. Police said crews planned to return Tuesday morning to resume the search with divers in the water, focusing on the Bee’s River area near First Encounter Beach and adjusting tactics to the tide and visibility.
The couple’s dog, named Casey, was safely taken from the beach by Eastham’s animal control officer and reunited with extended family, officials said. As the community awaited word on Jerry Boucher, friends said they were trying to support the family while holding on to memories of the couple’s long relationship. Relatives said Kit and Jerry Boucher had known each other since they were 15 years old.
As of Tuesday, officials said Jerry Boucher had not been located, and search plans depended on ice and weather conditions at Bee’s River. The next milestone was a planned return of divers later Tuesday morning.
Author note: Last updated February 17, 2026.