The search for nine-year-old Melina Frattolin came to a tragic end on July 20, 2025, when her body was found in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, New York. The discovery followed an urgent search effort that began after an Amber Alert was issued the night before. Melina’s father, Luciano Frattolin, age 45, from Montreal, now faces charges of second-degree murder and concealing a human corpse in connection with her death.
Preliminary autopsy findings from the New York State Police indicate Melina’s cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning, classifying the incident as a homicide. The autopsy was performed at Glens Falls Hospital; final details are still pending further lab analysis.
The investigation started the night of July 19, after Luciano Frattolin called 911 around 10 p.m., claiming his daughter had been kidnapped from a parking lot near Lake George. He initially reported that two men forced Melina into a white van while he had briefly left their car. This account led authorities to trigger an Amber Alert seeking the public’s help in finding Melina.
Detectives soon noticed discrepancies in Frattolin’s statement. Their investigation revealed a lack of evidence supporting an abduction, leading police to believe that the kidnapping story had been fabricated. The Amber Alert was then canceled as officials redirected their focus.
An extensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies located Melina’s remains on Sunday afternoon, July 20. New York State Forest Rangers oversaw the effort, assisted by State Police K-9 teams and aviation units, along with the Essex and Warren County sheriff’s departments, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Ticonderoga Police. Melina’s body was discovered hidden beneath a log in a shallow pond in woodland near State Route 74.
Authorities stated that Melina and her father had crossed the US border legally on July 11 for a scheduled vacation in New York. During their trip, they visited several places, including New York City and Connecticut, and were supposed to head back to Montreal on July 20. Surveillance video from a Saratoga Springs restaurant showed Melina alive with her father just before 5:30 p.m. on July 19.
About an hour after the footage, Melina spoke with her mother by phone around 6:30 p.m. She mentioned that she and her father were on their way back to Canada. Investigators noted that Melina seemed healthy during the call and did not appear to be in any distress.
During a press conference on July 21, New York State Police Captain Robert McConnell described the timeline. “The investigation has determined sometime after Melina’s phone call with her mother and before Mr. Frattolin’s 911 call he allegedly murdered Melina,” McConnell stated.
Luciano Frattolin was apprehended as the search was underway and arraigned in Ticonderoga Town Court on July 21, where he pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is currently being held in Essex County Jail and is due back in court for a felony hearing on July 25.
Police reported that Melina resided full-time with her mother in Montreal and that her parents had been separated since 2019. Her mother knew about their vacation plans and felt secure about Melina traveling with her father. Investigators verified that Frattolin had no previous criminal record or any known history of domestic violence or mental health problems.
Frattolin’s social media pages and company website depicted him as a devoted parent, and he was listed as a cofounder of Gambella Coffee, a Montreal-based business. On his now-inactive website, he had described Melina as the “light of his life.”
As their inquiry continues, State Police are asking for help from the public. They are particularly looking for videos or eyewitness accounts of the gray 2024 Toyota Prius that Luciano and Melina drove between July 11 and July 19, especially on the evening of July 19 between exits 20 and 28 on the Northway. Investigators are still working to determine a motive for the crime.
A candlelight vigil took place in Ticonderoga on Tuesday night as residents grieved the loss of Melina. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the New York State Police at 518-873-2750 or email tips to crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.
