A preliminary autopsy has confirmed that Melina Frattolin died from asphyxia due to drowning, and her death has been ruled a homicide, according to New York State Police.
Authorities have confirmed the cause of death for 9-year-old Melina Frattolin, who was found dead in upstate New York after her father allegedly reported her missing during a family trip.
A preliminary autopsy conducted by Dr. Michael Sikirica determined that Melina died from asphyxia due to drowning. Her death has been officially ruled a homicide, New York State Police announced in a statement on Tuesday, July 22. Additional lab results are pending as part of the ongoing investigation.
Melina’s body was discovered on Sunday, July 20, in Ticonderoga, N.Y., just hours after an Amber Alert had been issued for her. Her father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, had reported her missing the night before, claiming she had been kidnapped while they were vacationing in the Lake George area from their home in Montreal, Canada.
However, police quickly found discrepancies in his story. Investigators noted “inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided,” ultimately determining there was no evidence to support his claim of abduction.
Frattolin was arrested the following day and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. Authorities allege he killed his daughter and dumped her body in a secluded location. According to the Associated Press, Frattolin has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
State police also revealed that Frattolin and Melina’s mother—his estranged wife—had been separated for several years and that the child’s mother had legal custody.
As the investigation continues, New York State Police are asking the public for help in locating potential video footage or witnesses who may have seen the silver vehicle Frattolin and his daughter were traveling in between July 11 and July 19 along Interstate 87.
Anyone with information is urged to contact New York State Police as they work to piece together the events leading up to Melina’s tragic death.
