TICONDEROGA, N.Y. — A preliminary autopsy has determined that 9-year-old Melina Frattolin, found dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, New York, on Sunday, July 20, 2025, died from asphyxia due to drowning, with her death ruled a homicide, according to New York State Police. The autopsy, conducted by Dr. Michael Sikirica at Glens Falls Hospital on Monday, July 21, awaits final confirmation pending further laboratory testing.
Melina, a Montreal resident, was reported missing by her father, Luciano Frattolin, 45, on Saturday night, July 19, after he claimed she was abducted from a parking lot near Lake George, prompting an Amber Alert. Authorities later found inconsistencies in his account, with no evidence supporting the abduction claim. State forest rangers discovered Melina’s body hidden under a log in a pond off State Route 74 in Ticonderoga, approximately 30 miles north of Lake George, on Sunday afternoon.
Luciano Frattolin, who had been vacationing with his daughter in the U.S. since July 11, was arrested on Monday and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Ticonderoga Town Court and is being held at Essex County Jail. Court documents allege he killed Melina sometime after her 6:30 p.m. phone call with her mother on Saturday and before his 911 call reporting her disappearance around 10 p.m. that night.
New York State Police are seeking public assistance to trace the movements of a 2024 gray Toyota Prius the father and daughter traveled in from July 11 to July 19, particularly along Interstate 87 between Exits 28 and 20 on the evening of July 19. Anyone with video footage or eyewitness accounts is urged to contact police at (518) 873-2750 or email crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.
The investigation remains ongoing, with no motive yet disclosed. Melina lived full-time with her mother in Montreal, who has been estranged from Luciano since 2019. A candlelight vigil to honor Melina’s life was held Tuesday evening at Percy Thompson Bicentennial Park in Ticonderoga, reflecting the community’s grief over the tragic loss.
