A GRANDMOTHER plunged to her death through an uncovered manhole on a busy New York street.

Donike Gocaj, 56, plummeted 10 feet after stepping out of her parked Mercedes-Benz SUV near Cartier and Nike stores in Manhattan.

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Grandmother Donike Gocaj, 56, of Briarcliff Manor, New York, tumbled 10 feet down the open manholeCredit: Facebook/Donika Gocaj
 

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Her family said they are deeply shocked and saddenedCredit: Facebook/Donika Gocaj
Paramedics found her unconscious at around 11.20pm on Monday night at East 52nd Street and 5th Avenue in the popular Midtown district.

She was rushed to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Donike, from Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, was identified by family members.

Her family told WABC they are deeply shocked and saddened.

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Donike hailed from Westchester CountyCredit: Facebook/Donika Gocaj
 

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The tragedy happened at East 52nd Street and 5th Avenue
It was unclear why the manhole was open.

Allan Drury, a spokesman for utility company Con Edison, said it was probing the incident.

He said: “Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”

There were no passengers in Donike’s car, and police said she was alone when she fell.

Cops said there have been no arrests in connection with the incident, but they are investigating.

Missing manhole covers have been a recurring problem in New York.

The decomposed body of a “drunk” man was discovered 20 feet down a rat-infested manhole in 2019.

The man, who was later identified as Gabriel Cesar, 41, is believed to have fallen down the hole in the early hours of the morning.

Police revealed that his body had been partially eaten by rats and was badly decomposed when it was found.

According to the New York Post, CCTV later showed Cesar, who is believed to have been homeless, plunging down the unattended manhole in Columbus Circle.

Sources said that it was unclear why workers had not been watching the manhole, however they were unaware that Cesar was inside when they closed it.

His body was reportedly not discovered until two weeks later, when workers returned and found it lying face up on a bed of wiring.

The state Public Service Commission has since launched an investigation to find out how the man ended up in the hole left open by Verizon utility workers.

One worker said: “Doing that kind of job you’d expect to find some strange things in manholes or in sewers, but this is a first. I was shocked.”

A woman at the scene asked: “How could someone even get down there without anyone noticing?”