A Canadian man, Luciano Frattolin, has been charged with the murder of his nine-year-old daughter, Melina Frattolin, during a trip to upstate New York. Authorities discovered Melina's body in a shallow pond near Ticonderoga on Sunday (July 20). Frattolin, from Montreal, initially reported that his daughter had been kidnapped near Lake George, leading to an Amber Alert and a large-scale search operation. However, police later found inconsistencies in his account and arrested him on charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a corpse.
According to New York State Police Captain Robert McConnell, Frattolin claimed Melina was abducted by two strangers when he stopped near Lake George. However, investigators found no evidence supporting this claim and instead focused on Frattolin as the suspect. Melina had been living with her mother in Montreal, and the parents had been estranged since 2019.
Frattolin and his daughter entered the U.S. on July 11 for a vacation, visiting places like New York City and Saratoga Springs. Melina last contacted her mother on Saturday evening, saying they were heading back to Montreal. Frattolin pleaded not guilty to the charges at his court appearance in Ticonderoga on Monday (July 21). He is being held at the Essex County Jail pending a felony hearing on July 25.
Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the alleged murder, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine Melina's cause of death. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences and assured the public that there is no ongoing threat.