Early Sunday morning, an Amber Alert reported 9-year-old Melina Frattolin as missing. On Monday, New York State Police said the alert was based on a false report by the girl’s father, Luciano Frattolin, who has now been charged with murder.
New York State Police say Luciano Frattolin and his daughter, Melina Frattolin, came to the United States for vacation beginning on July 11.th
The pair visited areas in New York and Connecticut, but on Saturday, while returning to Canada, Luciano called police at about 10 p.m. He told police Melina had been abducted.
Luciano said that he had pulled over near the Northway’s Exit 22 in Lake George to urinate. But when he returned to his car, he discovered Melina was missing and a white van had fled the scene.
However, at a press conference Monday, New York State Police Commander Captain Robert McConnell said Luciano’s story proved to be false. That led police to investigate and ultimately arrest Luciano.
“During a subsequent interview, he then reports, two unknown males forced her into a white van. That lead was thoroughly investigated and disproven,” McConnell said.
McConnell says camera footage showed Melina alive at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m. Friday. About an hour later, Melina called her mother in Canada.
“At about 6:30 p.m., she spoke to her mother on the phone and told her, she and her father were on route back to Canada. The child appeared to be in good health and did not indicate she was under any duress. The investigation has determined sometime after Melina’s phone call with her mother and before Mr. Frattolin’s 911 call he allegedly murdered Melina and left her body in a remote area where she was later discovered by law enforcement,” McConnell said.
Police discovered Melina dead in the shallow portion of a pond in Ticonderoga Sunday around 2:00 p.m. McConnell declined to provide specific details about how members of law enforcement were able to narrow down their search area.
McConnell says Luciano does not have a criminal record, or any history of domestic violence, nor any mental health issues.
Both Luciano and Melina were living in Montreal. Although Melina stayed with her mother full time, Luciano would still visit with his daughter.
Police say Luciano and Melina’s mother have been estranged since 2019, but Melina’s mother had no concerns for her daughter’s safety and knew about the vacation.
The father and daughter were expected to return Saturday.
According to a biography taken from the Gambella Coffee website – a business Luciano founded – Luciano is the son of an Ethiopian mother and an Italian father. The bio says Melina was the “light of his life.”
It also makes reference to “an unfortunate event that severely affected his well-being” in February 2019.
Luciano’s potential motive and the cause of death are still under investigation.
McConnell says cases like these are very rare but are still difficult. He was at the command post when Melina’s discovery was called in.
“It was very difficult and emotional, at that point though the best we can do is provide some measure of justice to the family, and we are just fortunate we are able to do that in this case,” he said.
Luciano, who is now facing a 2nd degree murder charge and concealment of a human corpse charge, was arraigned in Ticonderoga Town Court this morning.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges and is being held in Essex County jail.
