Montreal girl allegedly killed by father was drowned, initial autopsy finds

CBC

4 days ago

'This is her soul's resting place,' says organizer of vigil honoring Melina Frattolin in Ticonderoga, N.Y.
An autopsy has found that a nine-year-old Montreal girl allegedly killed by her father over the weekend was drowned.
The preliminary findings of the autopsy, which were released on Tuesday by New York State Police, found Melina Frattolin died by asphyxia due to drowning and her death was a homicide.
The results will have to be confirmed by further laboratory testing.
Melina's body was found Sunday in the shallow water of a pond in Ticonderoga, N.Y., about 50 kilometres east of Lake George, near the New York-Vermont border. Her father, 45-year-old Montrealer Luciano Frattolin, was charged on Monday with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse.
He appeared at the Ticonderoga town court on Monday. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment, according to court officials. His case is expected to return to court on Friday.
Father 'fabricated' abduction: police
In a news conference on Monday following Frattolin's arrest, New York State Police outlined the timeline of events.
They say Frattolin first reported his daughter's disappearance to local police at around 10 p.m. last Saturday while they were travelling in the United States. An Amber Alert was triggered.
Police say he told investigators that he'd left his car to urinate in a wooded area and that his daughter was gone when he returned. He reported a white van fleeing the scene southbound.
In a subsequent interview, he mentioned two unknown men who forced Melina into the white van.
New York State Police confirmed that the father had "fabricated the initial report of the abduction."
'She will be one of us'
Details about how Melina died were released just hours before people gathered for a vigil at Percy Thompson Centennial Park in Ticonderoga — a small town of about 4,700 people located about 200 kilometres south of Montreal.
There were speeches and solemn music, while candles were lit and people joined together in prayer.
With her voice shaking, Bridgette Cruz, a Ticonderoga resident who organized the vigil, told the crowd that "no child should be left on the side of the road."
"If this is where her sweet soul was found, then this is her soul's resting place," Cruz said. "She will be one of us."
Prior to the event, Cruz told CBC News the vigil was meant to highlight the collective grief felt by people, including parents, on both sides of the border.
"I feel like we kind of need a little closure here in this town for her," she said.
Photogallery | Vigil for Melina Frattolin held in Ticonderoga, N.Y.
Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages.
Police seek public's help
In addition to the preliminary autopsy findings, police released images of a grey 2024 Toyota Prius, the car in which the father and daughter travelled.
They are urging anyone who saw it to contact authorities by calling 518-873-2750 or emailing [e-mail].
They said they were specifically looking for people who may have come across the car driving in the areas of I-87 north between exits 28 and 20 on Saturday evening.
Details of Frattolin's financial situation began to surface on Monday.
He owes more than $150,000 to Scotiabank, according to two separate court cases. The bank alleges he entered into credit agreements between 2023 and 2024 related to his business, Gambella Coffee.
Frattolin is also seeking more than $115,000 in damages from business partners whom he says he entrusted to run an Airbnb on Bernard Street in Montreal in 2022, according to court documents.
On Monday, police said the investigation had not yet uncovered a possible motive for the alleged murder.