The father of a nine-year-old Canadian girl Melina Frattolin who was found dead in upstate New York was arrested and charged with her murder on Monday — amid revelations that he only had weekend visitation rights, while the child primarily lived with his ex-wife. The father had previously filed a false kidnapping report of his daughter.
Luciano Frattolin, 45, was charged with second-degree murder and improper disposal of a body after his daughter, Melina, was found dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, near Lake George, on Sunday afternoon. Authorities say Frattolin had previously filed a false kidnapping report. He was booked into Essex County Jail at 2:04 a.m. on Monday.
Killed His Own Child
Frattolin and his daughter had been on a weekend trip through Connecticut and New York during a scheduled custody visit granted by his ex-wife, whom he separated from in 2019, the New York State Police said at a Monday press conference.
The pair were last seen on surveillance video in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, police said.
Young Melina sounded completely normal when she spoke with her mother on the phone around 6:30 p.m., just before she and her father were supposed to catch a flight back to Quebec, police said.
Later that night, her father reported her missing, alleging that she had been kidnapped by someone in a white van around 7:40 p.m.—about an hour after the call with her mom.
At first, authorities issued an alert warning that the child was in "imminent danger," but they later said there was no evidence of a kidnapping and pointed out inconsistencies in the father's story.
Police now claim that the father killed his daughter shortly after her phone call with her mother, then left her body in shallow water near the New York-Vermont border, where it was found on Sunday.
Motive Still Unclear
Authorities said the exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed, with an autopsy scheduled for later on Monday. No possible motive has been suggested at this time. According to police, the father had legal permission to travel with his daughter and had no prior criminal record or history of domestic violence.
Police also said that Melina's mother had never expressed any concerns about her daughter's safety.
Frattolin, originally from Ethiopia, is listed as the founder of Gambella Coffee, a Montreal-based business, according to the company's website.
In his bio on the site, he referred to his "beautiful" daughter as "the light of his life" and his greatest "inspiration."
"His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood," the bio reads.
"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."
