A 9-year-old girl from Montreal has been found dead in upstate New York, and her father is now facing murder charges in connection with her death.
According to New York State Police, Melina Frattolin, 9, was reported missing on the night of Saturday, July 20, near Lake George, New York. Her father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, was taken into custody on Monday.
While driving back to Montreal from New York City, Frattolin called police just before 10 p.m. Saturday, claiming his daughter had been abducted. He said he stopped near Lake George to use the bathroom, and when he returned, she was missing and a suspicious white van was seen leaving the area.
However, investigators say surveillance footage and inconsistencies in Frattolin’s account led them to question the story. Police later discovered Melina’s body in a remote area in Ticonderoga, about 50 kilometres northeast of Lake George. Frattolin was charged with murder after Melina’s body was discovered on Sunday.
“This is certainly a difficult case, a heartbreaking investigation,” Robert McConnell, NYSP captain, said at a Monday press conference, as per USA TODAY. “On behalf of the New York State Police and our law enforcement partners, I want to offer our condolences to the family of Melina.”
According to a Global News report, the pair had entered the U.S. on July 11 for a vacation that included stops in Connecticut and New York City before arriving in upstate New York on Saturday. Around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Melina had spoken with her mother on the phone. She told her she was on her way home to Montreal.
Frattolin was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. He is currently being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in New York pending arraignment.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.