A father’s desperate midnight call to 911 shattered the silence in Lake George. His nine-year-old daughter had vanished. Abducted, he claimed. The story would soon crumble under scrutiny.
Police discovered Melina Frattolin’s body after her father falsely reported she had been kidnapped. The tragic case began Saturday night when 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin contacted authorities. His daughter was missing from Exit 22 of Interstate 87 near Lake George, New York. An abduction had occurred, he insisted.
Inconsistencies in Timeline Lead to Tragic Melina Frattolin Discovery
Law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office initially handled the investigation. As hours passed, Frattolin’s story began unraveling. Details didn’t align. The timeline shifted.
A 9-year-old Melina Galanis Frattolin is believed to be in "imminent danger" after police say she was abducted in Lake George, New York, on Saturday night. She was last seen at 9:40 p.m. on I-87. pic.twitter.com/gFtOrf2BVc
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 20, 2025
Authorities found Melina’s body Sunday in Ticonderoga, New York, about 50 kilometers from Lake George. The discovery ended the search that had prompted an Amber Alert. Multiple agencies had joined the hunt for the Canadian girl. Authorities swiftly canceled the alert.
New York State Police confirmed no abduction had occurred and declared no threat to public safety. The fabricated kidnapping story collapsed entirely. Investigators took control of the case from local authorities. The focus shifted from rescue to homicide investigation.
The case exposes the devastating consequences of deception in missing person reports. Luciano Frattolin, who once described his daughter as “the light of his life” on his coffee company’s website, now faces questions about her death. Authorities scheduled a Monday news conference. The father’s whereabouts remained unknown as investigators continued their work.
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