Dad Arrested For Killing Daughter, 9, After Claiming She Was Snatched By A White Van

A father from Canada has been taken into custody and formally charged in the death of his nine-year-old daughter during what was meant to be a weekend visit with him in upstate New York.

Luciano Frattolin, 45, was arrested early Monday morning (July 21) and is now facing charges of second-degree murder along with unlawful disposal of a corpse.

This comes after authorities discovered the lifeless body of his daughter, Melina Galanis Frattolin, in a shallow pond close to Ticonderoga on Sunday afternoon.

Originally, Frattolin had told police on Saturday night that his daughter had gone missing. He claimed she was kidnapped by someone driving a white van, shortly after he stopped near Lake George to use the restroom.

But investigators say they quickly found “inconsistencies” in his version of events. Eventually, they accused him of being responsible for Melina’s death. The New York Post reports this shocking turn in the case.

Weekend Visitation Ends in Tragedy

Melina was spending the weekend with her father as part of a regular custody visit. Her parents had been divorced since 2019 and shared custody, although the girl lived full-time with her mother in Montreal. Frattolin had legal permission to take his daughter across the border, and officials confirmed that there had been no previous reports of violence or any kind of criminal history connected to him.

The New York State Police said the father and daughter were last captured on security cameras in Saratoga Springs at about 5:30PM on Saturday. Just an hour later, around 6:30PM, Melina spoke with her mother on the phone before they were supposed to fly back to Quebec. Her mother shared that Melina sounded completely normal and showed no signs of distress during their call.

By 7:40PM that same evening, Frattolin had contacted the authorities to report Melina missing. He said he had stepped into the woods near Lake George to relieve himself and returned moments later to discover that his daughter was gone. He also mentioned seeing a white van driving away from the location.

Roughly four hours later, an Amber Alert was issued by police. They expressed concern that the child had been taken “under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious bodily harm and/or death.”

A Grim Discovery and Criminal Charges

Only a day later, the tragic outcome was confirmed when Melina’s body was located in a shallow part of a pond near Ticonderoga. This isolated area is close to the Vermont state line and lies roughly 40 miles north of the spot where she was first reported missing.

By the time Sunday evening came around, authorities publicly stated they no longer believed a kidnapping had taken place. Investigators said there was “no indication that an abduction occurred”, and they confirmed that Frattolin’s story had not stood up to detailed questioning.

On Monday morning, Frattolin was officially charged with second-degree murder as well as concealment of a human corpse. He was booked into the Essex County Jail shortly after 2:00AM. According to law enforcement, they believe he killed his daughter not long after she had that last phone call with her mother, and then left her body in a secluded area.

An autopsy was planned for Monday to determine exactly how she died and what the cause of death was.

So far, the police have not suggested any clear motive. The investigation remains open and ongoing as officials work to piece together what happened.

Frattolin, who was originally born in Ethiopia, is known as the founder of Gambella Coffee, a Montreal-based business that he named after his birthplace. According to his company’s website, he had previously been portrayed as a caring father who was passionate about social justice and deeply moved by his daughter’s presence in his life.

“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.” reads his bio, as reported by The Post.

“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.”

Elsewhere on the Gambella Coffee website, Frattolin spoke of Melina as “the light of his life” and “his inspiration.”

Police confirmed that Melina’s mother had never raised any concerns about her daughter’s safety when she spent time with her father during their scheduled visits.

This case has sent shockwaves through communities in both Canada and the United States. The shift from an urgent Amber Alert to a heartbreaking homicide case happened quickly and it’s left many stunned by the death of a young girl who had sounded completely fine just hours earlier when she spoke with her mom.