Woman, 71, Dies & Husband She Met as a Teen Remains Missing After Falling Through Ice on Valentine's Day

A walk on Valentine’s Day morning ended in tragedy for a beloved couple who had known each other since they were teens.

On Saturday (February 14), the Eastham Police Department confirmed in a statement on Facebook that they responded to a call about a “loose dog in the First Encounter Beach parking lot” in Eastham, Mass. at around 9 a.m.

First responders located the dog who “appeared to be in distress” before hearing “a woman screaming for help in the area of Bee’s River.”

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“The Officer located the female, who had fallen through the ice into the water,” the statement read, noting that the officer attempted to save the woman before also falling into the water, leaving them “completely submerged.”

A second officer followed the first but also “fell into the water up to his waist.”

Both officers made it out of the water and were taken to Cape Cod Hospital for treatment as the Barnstable County Technical Rescue Team and Dive Team continued to search for the woman.

She was found at 11:12 a.m. and pronounced dead.

“As rescuers were searching the water, an on-scene investigation revealed that the female party may have been out walking with her husband and dog. Based on items located in their vehicle and a check of their residence, it was determined that it was possible that the husband may have fallen through the ice prior to the officer’s arrival,” the statement continued.

A follow-up statement later that day noted that the “extensive search” for the missing husband continued until about 5 p.m., at which point “all search operations were terminated for the night due to darkness.”

The couple’s dog was “reunited with extended family.”

Authorities resumed the search early Sunday (February 15), using a drone and searching along the shoreline.

“Additional search efforts will be conducted when changes to the ice conditions occur, allowing access for public safety personnel,” the police department stated in a release that morning.

On Tuesday (February 17), police revealed that the search was still ongoing, informing the public that the beach’s parking lot was closed for the time being.

Although police did not identify the couple, they were identified by family and friends as Kit Boucher, 71, and Jerry Boucher, 72, to 7News.

The Bouchers met at 15 and moved to Eastham around 2008.

“They walk all the beaches, all the time. They love being on Cape Cod. They loved being here, this was their place,” their friend Dawn Varnum told the outlet, describing the pair as “a very loving couple.”

“Our family is devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved parents, Kit and Jerry Boucher. We are deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of the first responders in Eastham. We are thankful for the outpouring of love, and appreciate the privacy and discretion the community is extending to our family during this unimaginably difficult time,” the couple’s daughter said in a statement shared with the outlet.

Eastham Fire Chief Lisa Albino issued a warning to the public while speaking to NBC 10 WJAR. She urged them to “stay off the ice.”