Luciano Frattolin, a Canadian citizen, was arrested in New York on charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a corpse after the body of his nine-year-old daughter, Melina, was discovered near Ticonderoga.
The heartbreaking discovery came just days before Frattolin was scheduled to return custody of Melina to her mother, sparking a serious investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.
Frattolin and Melina had traveled from Montreal to New York on July 11 for what was intended to be a family vacation.
The father was expected to hand over custody to Melina’s mother, who has maintained full custody since 2019 after separating from Frattolin.
On Saturday evening, Melina called her mother to say they were preparing to return to Canada, but later that night, the girl was reportedly killed.
During a press conference on Monday, New York State Police Captain Robert McConnell shared details about the case, revealing that Melina’s body was discovered in a shallow pond near Ticonderoga, approximately 45 miles from where Frattolin had first claimed she disappeared.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of death, pending results from an autopsy scheduled for Monday.
Frattolin initially told investigators that Melina went missing near Lake George,