Luciano Frattolin Arrested; – A 9-year-old girl from Canada, whose father reported her kidnapping in upstate New York, was found deceased on Sunday afternoon. Investigators have stated that she was not abducted and are now examining discrepancies in her father’s account, as reported by authorities.
The girl’s body, identified by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office as Melina Galanis Frattolin, was located in Ticonderoga, New York, close to the New York-Vermont border, approximately 15 miles from Lake George. This is where her father initially alleged she was kidnapped on Saturday by an individual driving a white van.
Following the father’s report, the New York State Police issued an Amber Alert earlier on Sunday. A large-scale search was initiated, which included 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 investigation progressed, law enforcement discovered inconsistencies in the father’s narrative and the timeline he provided,” stated the State Police.
The investigation continued on Sunday afternoon as the State Police assumed control from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities have indicated that the girl’s father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, also from Canada, has been arrested in connection with his daughter’s death. He was processed at the Essex County Jail in northern New York on Sunday night.
There has been no information released regarding the charges against him, and state police have not revealed the cause of Melina’s death.
