NY - Melina Frattolin, 9, Abducted, seen 9:40pm in a white van traveling south on I-87 near exit 22, Lake George, 19 Jul 2025 *arrest*

[modesty blaise]

This perhaps will get uglier.
That's not the face of a happy little girl, at least not in the photos shown.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Father of girl found dead after Amber Alert in custody, records show

The father of a Canadian girl who turned up dead in Ticonderoga after an Amber Alert Sunday has been arrested.

cbs6albany.com

Laura Gemmett

First on CBS6: The father of a Canadian girl who turned up dead in Ticonderoga after an Amber Alert Sunday has been arrested. Luciano Frattolin is being held at the Essex County Jail, according to...

www.facebook.com

 

[SMK777]

Very bad information coming to light:

A 9-year-old Canadian girl whose father had reported she had been kidnapped in upstate New York was found dead Sunday afternoon, with investigators saying she had not been abducted and they were now questioning inconsistencies in her dad's story, according to authorities.

9-year-old girl found dead after being reported missing in upstate New York, police say

The nine-year-old was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York on Sunday.

abc7ny.com

The body of the girl, identified by the Warren County Sheriff's Office as Melina Galanis Frattolin, was discovered in Ticonderoga, New York, near the New York-Vermont border, about 15 miles from Lake George, where her father initially claimed she had been kidnapped on Saturday by a man driving a white van.

The report from the father led the New York State Police to issue an Amber Alert earlier on Sunday. A massive search was launched, involving State Police K-9 and aviation units, New York State Park Rangers, the Essex and Warren County sheriff's offices, the New York State Department of Conservation, and the Ticonderoga Police Department.

"As the case progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline he provided," according to a statement from the State Police.

The investigation was ongoing Sunday afternoon as State Police took over the investigation from the Warren County Sheriff's Office.

There was no immediate comment from the State Police on whether Melina's father, who police identified as 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, also of Canada, had been arrested in his daughter's death.

State police did not disclose how Melina died

 

[SMK777]

So her father is now in police custody:

Father of 9-year-old girl found dead in Ticonderoga in custody

Father of 9-year-old Melina Frattolin charged with murder

The father of the 9-year-old girl found dead in Ticonderoga after being reported missing is in police custody. According to the VINE Database, Luciano Frattolin, 45, is being held at the Essex Coun…

www-news10-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"The PBA of New York State is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Melina Galanis Frattolin, the 9-year-old girl reported missing in Lake George on the evening of July 19, 2025. Our PBA-member New York State Forest Rangers coordinated the search efforts for Melina. During the operation, a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Environmental Conservation officer — also a PBA member — located her body while conducting a grid search in the Ticonderoga area.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Melina’s family during this unimaginable time. Our thoughts are also with the Forest Rangers and Environmental Conservation Officers who worked tirelessly on this case."

Father in custody after missing girl found dead in upstate NY: What we know now

A 9-year-old girl reported missing in Lake George on Saturday night, July 19, has been found dead, and her father is in custody. What we know now.

www.democratandchronicle.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1947266617542365418

Arrest as girl, 9, found dead after dad claimed she'd been abducted

New York State Police (NYSP) issued an 'amber alert' on Saturday for Melina Frattolin after Luciano Frattolin told them he thought his daughter had been kidnapped by someone in a white van.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Occam's Zebra]

Is it possible to update the thread title with the info that sadly Melina has been found deceased and there's been an arrest?

Also - because the abduction story was bogus, can the thread be updated to reflect that so we're not perpetuating a lie? I don't know how that works.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The authorities must take stock of the situation during a press briefing on Monday at 10 a.m.

https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2025/07/21/le-pere-de-la-fillette-retrouvee-morte-dans-letat-de-new-york-arrete-par-les-autorites

Little Melina's father, Luciona Frattolin, has a passage dedicated to his daughter in the description of his company. The girl appears with makeup during the Easter festivities in April 2023

https://www.journaldequebec.com/2025/07/20/une-quebecoise-de-9-ans-retrouvee-morte-a-new-york#cxrecs_s

 

[swanniee11]

Very sad outcome however I think we knew this was coming. She trusted him, he deserves even more time just for that alone. It hurts so much more when its a parent.

 

[CityKid]

My mind keeps going back to this picture from the Daily Mail article. Note the print on his T-shirt....."Proud of Who I Am."

View attachment 602994

Missing girl, 9, is found dead after dad claimed she was snatched away

New York State Police (NYSP) issued an 'amber alert' on Saturday for Melina Frattolin after her father told them he believed she had been kidnapped.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A quick google shows a lot of shirts with this wording have Pride-themed colors/rainbows. I have no idea if that's relevant.

 

[SMK777]

Is it possible to update the thread title with the info that sadly Melina has been found deceased and there's been an arrest?

Also - because the abduction story was bogus, can the thread be updated to reflect that so we're not perpetuating a lie? I don't know how that works.

The thread title now says, "Found Deceased" but the part about the abduction and white van should be replaced with "Father arrested".

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[SMK777]

So from the Daily Mail article the Dad was a successful entrepreneur and had an organic coffee business, and called his daughter his "inspiration for everything". I'm wondering if this may have been an accident he attempted to cover up due to some sort of possible negligence? All speculation at this point and such a deeply disturbing outcome.

 

[gregjrichards]

So her father is now in police custody:

Father of 9-year-old girl found dead in Ticonderoga in custody

Father of 9-year-old Melina Frattolin charged with murder

The father of the 9-year-old girl found dead in Ticonderoga after being reported missing is in police custody. According to the VINE Database, Luciano Frattolin, 45, is being held at the Essex Coun…

www-news10-com.cdn.ampproject.org

I will never understand how anyone can harm or end the life of an innocent child. As a parent, you are supposed to love and protect your child from harm. It shouldn’t be you that your child needs protection from.

I fear Melina’s autopsy may reveal past injuries. I’m wondering if he planned this trip to NY with the intention of killing his daughter. Hopefully, law enforcement will be able to look at CCTV footage of any stores where he made purchases recently as these may show premeditation. The sentences and prison conditions are much harsher in New York compared to Canada. I hope if he is found guilty of the charges against him, he will never be free again.

 

[Carovb5]

I just posted after you, but that's a possibility. Phone records tend to take time, but a phone download does not. It can also contain specific GPS data that is even better than what phone records can tell them.

So if it's based on his phone I think it's a download. The fact that we haven't heard about an arrest yet makes me think he might have started talking, which opens the door to him telling law enforcement where to look.

I'm kind of leaning more towards him talking right now.

I listened to a Dutch podcast recently where they said that carkeys can be “read” and register the starts & the amound of miles/km’s in between. Maybe that parking spot was along their way & x-amount of miles were on the car since then?

 

[paris_paris]

I wasn’t following this until now but did read something about it yesterday. I was sure the article said she was found at the bottom of a ravine. I remember thinking at the time that she may have fallen and he didn’t want to take responsibility for the accident, so lied. I will withhold judgement for now.

 

[Snoopster]

It doesn't seem that NYSP will broadcast this morning's presser live, but will publish it later.

MEDIA ADVISORY- Frattolin Homicide Investigation

 

[shetalksinstereo]

Live stream to presser

 

[Snoopster]

This might be a live feed to the presser:

 

[Snoopster]

Still waiting for it to start.

 

[Moe]

Seems to me we are in for an awful story here. Wonder where the poor mother is.