New York police diver testifies about discovery of nine-year-old Montreal girl’s body

A New York State Police sergeant has testified about how officers discovered the body of a nine-year-old Montreal girl submerged in shallow, muddy water in a rural area last summer.

Joseph Moeller was part of the police dive team that found the body of Melina Frattolin who died in July 2025.

Moeller’s testimony opened the latest day of a trial that began last week.

The girl’s father, Luciano Frattolin, is facing charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in the case.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been held without bail since his arrest last July.

The girl’s mother, Kali Galanis, took the stand on Tuesday to testify about events before her daughter’s death.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2026

By Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.