A nine-year-old girl, Melina Frattolin, was reported missing by her father, Luciano Frattolin, late Saturday (July 19) at about 9:40 pm. He told authorities she had been abducted in a white van from a rest stop off Interstate 87 near Lake George, near the New York-Vermont border. Within 24 hours, she was found dead.
Luciano Frattolin called the Warren County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) and described his daughter's alleged abduction. Melina was last seen wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt, white shorts, and white Adidas sneakers.
After receiving the report, New York State Police (NYSP) promptly issued an Amber Alert on Saturday, believing Melina was in imminent danger. Amber Alerts are reserved for the most serious child-abduction cases, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
"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 description read.
Missing Girl Found Dead
The possible abduction took place in the area of Exit 22 in Lake George, upstate New York. It is a small waterside town in the Adirondack region of upstate New York, around 60 miles north of Albany, on Saturday. A massive search took place in the area by New York State Park Rangers, State Police K-9 and aviation units, the New York State Department of Conservation, the Essex and Warren County sheriff's offices, and the Ticonderoga Police Department.
"The child was taken under circumstances that led police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious bodily harm and/or death," police said in an initial statement issued with the amber alert.
However, less than 24 hours after the officials issued the alert, police issued a heartbreaking update that the child was found dead. Melina was discovered in Ticonderoga, New York, on Sunday (July 20). It is around 45 miles south of where her father said she was snatched away.
"The Warren County Sheriff's Office initially led the investigation. As the case progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline he provided. There is no indication that an abduction occurred and there is no threat to the public," NYSP said on Sunday (July 20).
Investigation Underway
Frattolin described the kidnapper as a five-foot-tall person who weighed 100 pounds. He also described the abductor as an Indian descent with brown eyes and brown hair. Both Melina and her father are Canadian residents.
NYSP will hold a press conference on Monday (July 21) to share more details about the incident. No charges have been made yet.
The missing child's father, Frattolin, is the owner of Gambella, an organic coffee brand. On the product's website, he is described as an experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record of building diverse, high-performance businesses.
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