Latest news with #NYSP
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
Cause of death revealed for Melina Frattolin, 9-year-old killed in NY
Melina Frattolin, the 9-year-old girl from Canada who police allege was killed by her father in Upstate New York, died in a drowning, an autopsy revealed. New York State Police announced on July 22 that Frattolin died from asphyxia due to drowning. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The results of the autopsy, which was conducted at Glens Falls Hospital, are preliminary. A final determination and report are pending further laboratory testing, NYSP said. Frattolin was found dead in Ticonderoga on July 20, hours after her father, Luciano Frattolin, reported her abducted. He has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in her death. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Melina Frattolin death: Missing girl found dead in NY; father charged What happened to Melina Frattolin? Luciano and Melina Frattolin, of Montreal, entered the United States on July 11 for a vacation and planned to return to Canada on July 20, police said at a press conference on July 21. On July 19 at around 5:30 p.m. local time, Luciano and Melina Frattolin were seen on video surveillance in Saratoga Springs. An hour later, the girl spoke to her mother on the phone and said she and her father were on route back to Canada, police said. Luciano Frattolin reported his daughter missing around 10 p.m. local time that night; he told authorities they were driving on I-87 in Lake George when he pulled over to urinate in a wooded area. When he returned to the vehicle, his daughter was missing, he said. The following morning, police activated an Amber Alert for the missing girl. Police later said, "there is no indication that an abduction occurred." At around 5 p.m. ET on Jul 20, police announced Melina Frattolin was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York, which is about 100 miles north of Albany by the Vermont border. Her body was found in the shallow portion of a pond in a wooded area, police said. Who is Luciano Frattolin? Luciano Frattolin has been estranged from his daughter's mother since 2019. Melina Frattolin lived full-time with her mother in Canada, police said. According to his LinkedIn, Luciano Frattolin is an entrepreneur. Before his arrest, he owned a coffee company, according to an archived website. He also owned a mining company, according to an Ethiopian newspaper. He is Ethiopian and Italian, according to his website bio. On his since-archived website, Luciano Frattolin called his daughter "the light of his life." "Melina has also taught Luciano to let go of his rigid tendencies to keep everything in 'perfect order'—his love for Melina's messy art projects and chaotic ensemble of toys supersedes his love for a meticulously spotless home," the website said. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
Indianapolis Star
8 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Cause of death revealed for Melina Frattolin, 9-year-old killed in NY
Melina Frattolin, the 9-year-old girl from Canada who police allege was killed by her father in Upstate New York, died in a drowning, an autopsy revealed. New York State Police announced on July 22 that Frattolin died from asphyxia due to drowning. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The results of the autopsy, which was conducted at Glens Falls Hospital, are preliminary. A final determination and report are pending further laboratory testing, NYSP said. Frattolin was found dead in Ticonderoga on July 20, hours after her father, Luciano Frattolin, reported her abducted. He has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in her death. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Melina Frattolin death: Missing girl found dead in NY; father charged Luciano and Melina Frattolin, of Montreal, entered the United States on July 11 for a vacation and planned to return to Canada on July 20, police said at a press conference on July 21. On July 19 at around 5:30 p.m. local time, Luciano and Melina Frattolin were seen on video surveillance in Saratoga Springs. An hour later, the girl spoke to her mother on the phone and said she and her father were on route back to Canada, police said. Luciano Frattolin reported his daughter missing around 10 p.m. local time that night; he told authorities they were driving on I-87 in Lake George when he pulled over to urinate in a wooded area. When he returned to the vehicle, his daughter was missing, he said. The following morning, police activated an Amber Alert for the missing girl. Police later said, "there is no indication that an abduction occurred." At around 5 p.m. ET on Jul 20, police announced Melina Frattolin was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York, which is about 100 miles north of Albany by the Vermont border. Her body was found in the shallow portion of a pond in a wooded area, police said. Luciano Frattolin has been estranged from his daughter's mother since 2019. Melina Frattolin lived full-time with her mother in Canada, police said. According to his LinkedIn, Luciano Frattolin is an entrepreneur. Before his arrest, he owned a coffee company, according to an archived website. He also owned a mining company, according to an Ethiopian newspaper. He is Ethiopian and Italian, according to his website bio. On his since-archived website, Luciano Frattolin called his daughter "the light of his life." "Melina has also taught Luciano to let go of his rigid tendencies to keep everything in 'perfect order'—his love for Melina's messy art projects and chaotic ensemble of toys supersedes his love for a meticulously spotless home," the website said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Missing girl Melina Frattolin, 9, is found dead after dad claimed she was snatched away in a white van
A nine-year-old girl has been found dead less than 24 hours after her father claimed she had been abducted in a white van. New York State Police (NYSP) issued an 'amber alert' on Saturday for Melina Frattolin after Luciano Frattolin, 45, told them he thought his daughter had been kidnapped. He called the Warren County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) reporting the 'possible abduction' in the area of Exit 22 in Lake George, upstate New York. However, on Sunday afternoon police issued a heartbreaking update saying 'there is no indication that an abduction occurred' and the little girl had been found dead. 'The Warren County Sheriff's Office initially led the investigation,' NYSP said. 'As the case progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline he provided.' NYSP said Melina was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York, around 45 miles south of where her father said she had last been seen. They added that 'there is no indication that an abduction occurred' and 'there is no threat to the public'. Frattolin was described as five feet tall, weighing 100 pounds and being of Indian descent with brown hair and brown eyes. Police said that both she and her father are Canadian residents. Lake George, where her father claimed she was last seen, is a small waterside town in the Adirondack region of upstate New York around 60 miles north of Albany. No charges have yet been made. NYSP said they will be holding a conference to give more information about the tragedy on Monday. Frattolin is the founder of an organic coffee brand called Gambella, according to the product's website. 'Luciano Frattolin is an experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record of building diverse, high-performance businesses,' the website reads. 'With a background in the humanities and social sciences, his formal education, together with his pragmatic understanding about the complexities of life, motivates him to maintain an understanding of the world grounded in a distinct cross-cultural ethos. 'The son of an Ethiopian mother and an Italian father, Luciano was born in the small, remote village of Gambella. 'With a childhood spent running between rows of crimson coffee buds on the Ethiopian family plantation, and the neoclassical architecture of his father's Milano, his vision of the world and his pursuits within, reflect these hyphenated cultures.' Police issued an amber alert at the time of Melina's alleged abduction, warning that they believed the child was in 'imminent danger'. Amber alerts are activated in 'the most serious child-abduction cases,' according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) website. 'The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of a missing child. 'These alerts are broadcast through radio, TV, road signs, cellphones, and other data-enabled devices.' The nonprofit said that 1,268 children have been 'recovered' thanks to their assistance in 2025 alone.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Canadian father murdered daughter, 9, on New York trip before kidnapping claim near Lake George: police
A Canadian man has been charged with murdering his 9-year-old daughter after she was found dead in a wooded area of upstate New York, state police said. Luciano Frattolin, 45, was arrested early Monday and charged with murder in the second degree and concealment of a human corpse, New York State Police (NYSP) Trooper Robert McConnell said Monday in a news conference. Authorities said "inconsistencies" in Frattolin's account of his daughter Melina Galanis Frattolin's disappearance triggered an investigation. He is being held in the Essex County Jail pending arraignment in Ticonderoga Town Court, NYSP said. Melina was reported missing Saturday night while the pair were visiting Lake George, New York, from Canada. Canadian Girl, 9, Found Dead In New York After Father Claimed She As Kidnapped Authorities allege that the 45-year-old father murdered Melina and left her body in a remote area where she was later discovered by law enforcement. Read On The Fox News App Frattolin initially claimed that Melina had been abducted, prompting law enforcement to issue an Amber Alert shortly after midnight on Sunday. The father, McConnell said, initially told authorities that a "suspicious white van" was in the area at the time of his daughter. McConnell said Monday that the white van claims were "proven to be untrue." By Sunday morning, the Amber Alert was canceled, and NYSP investigators said they had identified "inconsistencies" in Frattolin's statements and timeline. State Police launched a multi-agency search for the 9-year-old that included aviation, K9 units, forest rangers and uniformed patrols, the department said. Melina's body was discovered on Sunday, July 20, in a wooded area near State Route 74 in Ticonderoga, the agency confirmed. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Suspected Serial Killer May Have Abducted News Anchor Who Vanished 30 Years Ago: Doc In their release, NYSP said the Essex County District Attorney's Office is involved in the case, and additional updates will be provided pending the autopsy and further investigation. Melina's cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy, which is scheduled for later Monday. Fox News' Tamara Gitt contributed to this article source: Canadian father murdered daughter, 9, on New York trip before kidnapping claim near Lake George: police
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Missing girl Melina Frattolin found dead in NY; father charged
Luciano Frattolin has been charged with murdering his 9-year-old daughter Melina Frattolin, New York State Police officials announced July 21. Melina Frattolin was found dead in Upstate New York on July 20 after Luciano Frattolin reported her abducted the previous night, NYSP said in a release. Officials allege that Luciano Frattolin murdered his daughter after the pair, who live in Montreal, traveled to the United States for a vacation this month. He has been charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse and is being held at the Essex County Corrections facility pending an arraignment scheduled for Monday morning, police said. "This is certainly a difficult case, a heartbreaking investigation," Robert McConnell, NYSP captain, said at the press conference. "On behalf of the New York State Police and our law enforcement partners, I want to offer our condolences to the family of Melina." Here's everything we know so far. More news: Millions of swimming pools recalled following the deaths of 9 children Luciano and Melina Frattolin entered the United States on July 11 for a vacation, officials said. They planned to return on July 20 to Canada, where Melina lived full-time with her mother, according to police. Melina's parents have been estranged since 2019, police said. At around 5:30 p.m. local time on July 19, officials said Luciano and Melina Frattolin were seen on video surveillance in Saratoga Springs, New York. At about 6:30 p.m., the girl spoke to her mother on the phone and told her she and her father were on route back to Canada, police said. Sometime after Melina spoke to her mother on the phone and before Luciano Frattolin reported her missing, he allegedly killed her, according to authorities. Her body was found in the shallow portion of a pond in a wooded area, police said. Her cause of death is pending autopsy results. Luciano Frattolin reported his daughter missing around 10 p.m. local time on July 19. He told authorities he and his daughter were driving on I-87 in Lake George when he pulled over to urinate in a wooded area. When he returned to the vehicle, his daughter was missing, he told authorities. The Warren County Sheriff's Office activated an Amber Alert for the missing girl on the morning of July 20, noting that she was last seen in a white van on I-87 southbound. Police confirmed on July 20 around 5 p.m. ET that Melina Frattolin was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York, which is about 100 miles north of Albany by the Vermont border. Officials noted at the time that they found "inconsistencies" in Luciano Frattolin's timeline of events and added that "there is no indication that an abduction occurred." The Warren County Sheriff's Office turned over the investigation to the state police. Contributing: James Powel and Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY
