Westchester grandma Donike Gocaj’s horrific cause of death revealed after plunging down open NYC manhole
Donike Gocaj, a 56-year-old grandmother from Westchester, tragically died after falling into an open manhole in Midtown Manhattan. The medical examiner ruled her death an accident, citing scald burns and blunt force trauma as the causes. Witnesses reported her desperate cries for help as bystanders attempted to assist her before emergency responders arrived.
- ▪Donike Gocaj fell into an uncovered manhole filled with boiling water and steam.
- ▪The medical examiner confirmed she died from horrific heat-related injuries.
- ▪Witnesses described her screaming 'I'm dying' as they tried to help her.
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Metro Westchester grandma Donike Gocaj’s horrific cause of death revealed after plunging down open NYC manhole By Matt Troutman Published May 20, 2026, 5:23 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google The Westchester grandmother who plunged into an open manhole in Midtown died of scald burns and an assortment of other horrendous injuries, the city’s medical examiner found Wednesday. The shocking death of Donike Gocaj, 56, was ruled an accident by the examiner, officials revealed. Gocaj fell into an uncovered manhole after parking her SUV along East 52nd Street near Fifth Avenue at around 11:20 p.m. on Monday.
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