Canadian father arrested for murder of 9-year-old daughter found dead near Lake George after reporting her missing
murder
of his 9-year-old daughter, just days after he reported her missing while the two were vacationing in New York's Adirondack region.
Luciano Frattolin
, 45, is now in custody following the discovery of his daughter,
Melina Galanis Frattolin's
body in a wooded area near Lake George over the weekend.
The chain of events began late Saturday, July 19, when Frattolin called 911 from a rest area near Exit 22 off the I-87 in the popular upstate New York vacation spot of Lake George. He reported that Melina had been kidnapped by two men in a white van, prompting
New York State Police
to issue an
Amber Alert
.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
MCA
Others
Data Science
Project Management
CXO
Operations Management
healthcare
MBA
Management
Product Management
Technology
Data Analytics
Data Science
Leadership
Design Thinking
PGDM
Digital Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
Public Policy
Cybersecurity
others
Healthcare
Finance
Degree
Skills you'll gain:
Programming Proficiency
Data Handling & Analysis
Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Duration:
24 Months
Vellore Institute of Technology
VIT Master of Computer Applications
Starts on
Aug 14, 2024
Get Details
The alert described Melina as 5 feet tall, approximately 100 pounds, with brown hair and eyes, last seen wearing a striped shirt and Adidas sneakers. Frattolin claimed the van was heading south on the interstate. Responding to the alert, multiple agencies, including K9 units, aviation support, and forest rangers, launched an intensive search.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Top Most Expensive Luxury Cars - Nobody in Sichon Has One!
LuxuryLevels.com
Undo
However, within hours, inconsistencies began to emerge in Frattolin's story. Investigators could find no evidence to support the reported abduction. After analyzing surveillance footage, timelines, and physical evidence, police dismissed the kidnapping theory. On Sunday morning, the Amber Alert was canceled, and the case quickly shifted direction.
By Sunday afternoon, authorities had located Melina's body in a wooded area along Route 74 in Ticonderoga, about 15 miles east of Lake George and close to the New York-Vermont border. Her remains were discovered in a shallow, swamp-like pond. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Live Events
Frattolin was arrested early the following morning and booked into the
Essex County Jail
on charges of murder and
concealment of a human corpse
. At his initial court appearance in Ticonderoga Town Court, a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and he remains held without bail.
During a press briefing, New York State Police Captain Robert McConnell confirmed that Frattolin had "fabricated the initial report of the abduction" and was now the sole suspect in Melina's death. McConnell stated that investigators believe the child was killed sometime Saturday evening, shortly after speaking with her mother by phone to say she and her father were heading back to Montreal following a 10-day road trip through New York and Connecticut.
Melina's mother, who had been estranged from Frattolin since 2019, reportedly had no objections to the trip and was in regular phone contact with her daughter. She told officers that the call Saturday night was typical and raised no red flags. Canadian authorities are closely coordinating with their American counterparts as the investigation continues.
Authorities have not released the official cause of death, pending a full autopsy report from the medical examiner. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the incident was isolated and posed no ongoing threat to the public.
'This is a profoundly tragic and disturbing case,' said Captain McConnell. 'Our deepest sympathies are with Melina's family and community. We are committed to ensuring justice is served.'
A scheduled press conference was held in Latham, New York Monday morning, where state officials reiterated that all investigative leads now point to Frattolin acting alone. No other suspects are being sought.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Mysterious disappearance' of young US inventor: Who is 21-year-old Julian Brown? What did he discover?
A young US inventor reportedly gone missing, his fans claimed, after he converted plastic into usable gas. A 21-year-old Chicago inventor was reportedly missing since early July, though there has been no official confirmation of his missing. But social media users raised alarm that Julian Brown who invented fuel from plastic and had his DIY gas station, had not appeared on his social media accounts for the past two weeks. And his last message was ominous -- that he was in some trouble. What did Julian Brown invent? According to reports, the Black young inventor discovered Plastoline, a solar-powered reactor which is capable of turning everyday plastic into clean-burning fuel. Social media users expressed dismay that he might have been killed in an example of another Black scientist being silenced but there is no report of any such thing. It is also possible that he has withdrawn from social media to concentrate on his work. What is Plastoline? Julian Brown was nicknamed as the backyard scientist in Alabama. On social media, Brown goes by the name NatureJab and his company's name of Jab's Pyrolysis & Energy Recovery. In his backyard, he had half a dozen or more sonal panels. His invention is plastic pyrolysis which creates a lot of carbon emissions but less than recycling plastic, he said. In 2024, he suffered second-degree burns during his experiments in which an explosion took place. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Niles: Pro-Level Welding Goggles Darkening Welding Goggles Shop Now Undo Why social media users think Julian Brown is dead It is a conspiracy theory based on his last social media post in which he said some very, very odd stuff was happening to him. 'Something is happening keep me in your prayers please SCREEN RECORD THIS. I don't know," he said. Brown had a GoFundMe page to fund his invention and it raised more than $18,000. 'I have dedicated the last 5 years of my life, starting in high school to this journey. I begun this journey because I saw a huge lack in the industry of all things recycling. We are told recycling is occurring, yet any observance to our natural world would show otherwise," Julian said in March. 'When I was five years old, I told my mom that I was gonna create something that would change the world,' he recalled. 'It's always been within me — I just never knew what it was gonna be," he said in that interview.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'I am certainly...': Atlanta inventor Julian Brown 'missing' for two weeks, his last post triggers suspense
Where is Julian Brown, a young Atlanta inventor. According to reports, he has been missing for past two weeks. A young inventor from metro Atlanta, Julian Brown, has gone missing for nearly two weeks shortly after he posted a cryptic message that he was "certainly under attack". Brown recently rose to fame for his ingestion of 'Plastoline' a technology that converts plastics into gasoline or other usable fuels like diesel, jet fuel etc. Brown, on his social media, posted that some "very, very odd stuff" was happening to him and he was "certainly under attack". This tell-tale post was shared from his account on July 9. He asked his followers to keep their eyes open as he could not reveal anything else at that time. He said he was still working and building and nothing would stop him. Social media users raised alarm that something bad might have happened to Julian because of what he was creating. "The influencer and scientist Julian Brown also known as naturejab did not post anything after around 2 weeks. His last post was a leak of his drivers license. He produced gasoline out of plastic waste and was concerned people will try to stop him," one wrote. FBI director Kash Patel and deputy director Dan Bongino were tagged on social media posts urging the FBI leadership to look for Julian Brown. Not much is known about the disappearance of the young inventor. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo It is also not confirmed whether his disappearance is only from social media as there is no report of any missing report filed so far. Who is Julian Brown ? Julian Brown is a 21-year-old inventor from Chicago, known for developing a process to convert plastic waste into fuel, specifically an alternative to diesel called "Plastoline." He is the founder of Naturejab, a company focused on environmental solutions, and Jabaroma, a business producing 100% natural body products. Brown has been recognized as a 776 Climate Fellow and is based in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. His work involves microwave pyrolysis of plastic waste to create fuel, which he showcased on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Embarassing behaviour'UK screening fiasco lands T'wood's Fan culture in A big mess
Cineworld halted a Pawan Kalyan film screening in the UK after unruly fan behavior involving confetti throwing. This incident, along with others, prompted the MEA to advise Indian citizens abroad to respect local laws. What Happened A video clip showing staff at the UK theatre chain Cineworld halting a screening of Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu after sections of the audience threw confetti has put the spotlight on unruly Tollywood fan behaviour abroad. The screening was paused as staff addressed the disruption, prompting some moviegoers to argue that no prior notice had been displayed prohibiting such celebrations. However, the staff called it out for what it was: 'a lack of common sense' and the backlash was instant. MEA's advisory for Indians overseas to follow local laws The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently issued an advisory urging Indian citizens residing abroad to respect local laws and 'create a good image' of themselves and the country. The advisory comes in the wake of two unrelated incidents in the United States — one involving the detention of an Indian woman for allegedly shoplifting items worth over $1,300 (approximately ₹1.12 lakh) in Illinois, and another involving an Indian man detained on charges related to child pornography in Washington. 'Fans should absolutely enjoy the film, a film's release is a moment of joy and excitement for fans, and that spirit of celebration is a beautiful part of cinema culture. However, it's important to remember that the cinema is a shared space. While cheering for your favourite stars it should never come at the cost of others' experience' — Jithendra, Distributor 'Audiences, especially fans of stars, should carry themselves with decency and uphold a strong sense of responsibility. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo For those who have moved abroad, it becomes even more important to respect local laws and follow their guidelines, thereby representing India positively on the global stage. Fandom can and should be expressed with pride and enthusiasm — but not at the cost of others' enjoyment.' — Prasanna Kumar, Treasurer, TFCC When fans went overboard Jan 2023: In January 2023, the screening of Balakrishna's Veera Simha Reddy in the USA was halted midway due to a major ruckus caused by fans. feb 2024: Fans lit paper scraps inside a theatre during Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu re-release. May 2025: A Mahesh Babu fan brought a live snake to a Khaleja re-release screening. Jan 2025: Nandamuri Balakrishna's fans sacrificed a goat at a theatre in Tirupati to celebrate the release of Daaku Maharaaj May 2025: Mahesh Babu's fan brought a live snake to a theatre in Vijayawada during the Khaleja re-release Feb 2024: Pawan Kalyan's fans lit paper scraps inside a theatre in Nandyala during the screening of Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu
