NEW YORK: A tragic case has emerged in Ticonderoga, New York, where 9-year-old Canadian girl Melina Galanis Frattolin was found dead, allegedly at the hands of her father, Luciano Frattolin, a café owner from Montreal. Authorities say Luciano has been charged with second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of a body following the shocking discovery.
Melina and her father had legally entered the United States on July 11 for a week-long vacation. They were due to return to Montreal on July 20, at which point Melina was to be returned to her mother’s custody. The girl’s parents divorced in 2019, and her mother had been granted full legal custody. Despite this, police say Melina’s mother did not consider Luciano to be a threat to their daughter and allowed the vacation to proceed.
According to investigators, Melina last spoke to her mother during the trip and appeared to be in good health. However, Luciano reported her missing late Saturday evening near Exit 22 of the Northway in Lake George, claiming two men in a van had abducted her when he stopped to urinate by the roadside.
That account was quickly discredited by authorities. New York State Police Captain Robert McConnel stated the abduction story was completely fabricated. “Our investigation shows that sometime after Melina’s phone call with her mother, and before Mr. Frattolin’s 911 call, he murdered her and left her body in a secluded area,” McConnel said. Her body was later found in the shallow end of a pond in Ticonderoga.
Police noted that Frattolin gave multiple conflicting statements during questioning, raising red flags early in the investigation.
“The child appeared to be in good health and showed no signs of distress during the trip,” McConnel added. “This is a heartbreaking case. Our goal now is to deliver some sense of justice to Melina’s family.”
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the crime.
