How to get an array of AXMenuItems from AXMenu?

For my code I am attempting to get an array of AXMenuItems from an AXMenu (AXUIElementRef). The menu logs successfully, and here is my code:

NSArray *anArray = [NSRunningApplication runningApplicationsWithBundleIdentifier:@"com.apple.dock"];
AXUIElementRef anAXDockApp = AXUIElementCreateApplication([[anArray objectAtIndex:0] processIdentifier]);

CFTypeRef aChildren;
AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(anAXDockApp, kAXChildrenAttribute, &aChildren);

SafeCFRelease(anAXDockApp);

CFTypeRef aMenu = CFArrayGetValueAtIndex(aChildren, 0);

NSLog(@"aMenu: %@", aMenu);

                    // Get menu items
CFTypeRef aMenuChildren;
AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(aMenu, kAXVisibleChildrenAttribute, &aMenuChildren);

for (NSInteger i = 0; i < CFArrayGetCount(aMenuChildren); i++) {

    AXUIElementRef aMenuItem = [self copyAXUIElementFrom:aMenu role:kAXMenuItemRole atIndex:i];

    NSLog(@"aMenuItem: %@", aMenuItem); // logs (null)

    CFTypeRef aTitle;
    AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(aMenuItem, kAXTitleAttribute, &aTitle);


    if ([(__bridge NSString *)aTitle isEqualToString:@"New Window"] || [(__bridge NSString *)aTitle isEqualToString:@"New Finder Window"]) /* Crashes here (i can see why)*/{

        AXUIElementPerformAction(aMenuItem, kAXPressAction);

        [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:1];

        break;

    }

}

What is the correct way to get the list of AXMenuItems?

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