Canadian Girl Found Dead in Upstate New York: Father Charged

<img src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/07/21/multimedia/22xp-lakegeorge/21XP-Missing-cqjw-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale" alt="Melina Galanis Frattolin">

Nine-year-old Melina Galanis Frattolin from Montreal, Canada, was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York. An autopsy revealed she died from asphyxia due to drowning, and her death has been ruled a homicide.

Her father, Luciano Frattolin (45), initially reported her abduction at Lake George. However, inconsistencies in his story led to his arrest and subsequent charge with second-degree murder and concealment of a corpse. He pleaded not guilty.

Authorities found Melina's body hidden under a log in a shallow pond. The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking for the public's help in retracing the movements of Melina and her father on Saturday evening.

The family was finishing up a vacation in New York and Connecticut before the incident. Melina had spoken to her mother earlier that evening, seemingly unharmed. The parents were estranged.

The Essex County Public Defender’s Office declined to comment on the case. A candlelight vigil was held in Ticonderoga in Melina’s memory. Police are seeking videos or accounts from anyone who might have seen Melina and her father in their gray Toyota Prius near Lake George and Ticonderoga on Saturday night.

Key Details:

• Cause of Death: Asphyxia due to drowning
• Charges Against Father: Second-degree murder and concealment of a corpse
• Location: Ticonderoga, NY
• Police Appeal: Seeking witnesses and videos from Saturday night near Lake George and Ticonderoga