A 9-year-old Canadian girl, Melina Galanis Frattolin, was found dead in Ticonderoga, New York, just a day after her father reported her kidnapped near Lake George. Authorities now say “there is no indication that an abduction occurred,” raising questions about the father’s story.
Her father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, claimed Melina was abducted by a man in a white van while they stopped at a rest area on Interstate 87 Saturday night. This led to an Amber Alert and a large search involving state police, K-9 units, helicopters, and local law enforcement.
However, as the investigation unfolded, “law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided,” according to New York State Police.
The child’s body was discovered Sunday afternoon near the New York-Vermont border, about 15 miles from where she was reportedly taken. Authorities have not revealed how she died, and no arrest has been confirmed.
“At this time, there is no threat to the public,” police said. The investigation has now been fully turned over to the New York State Police, who continue to question the father’s role in the case.
