LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. — A 9-year-old Canadian girl reported missing in what was initially described as a possible abduction was found dead in Ticonderoga, and investigators have shifted their focus after identifying inconsistencies in the account given by her father.
On Saturday at approximately 9:58 p.m., Warren County 911 received a call from Luciano Frattolin, 45, who reported his daughter, Melina Frattolin, missing near Exit 22 of I-87 in Lake George. The father claimed the child may have been abducted.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office launched an immediate investigation, but as the case developed, law enforcement found discrepancies in Frattolin’s timeline and narrative.
Melina was later found deceased in Ticonderoga with the assistance of multiple agencies, including the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Ticonderoga Police Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Forest Rangers, and New York State Police K9 and Aviation units.
Following the discovery, jurisdiction of the investigation was transferred to the New York State Police. Officials said there is currently no evidence that an abduction occurred and no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.
Authorities have not released the cause of death or stated whether any charges have been filed.
The 9-year-old girl’s disappearance, initially treated as an abduction, is now under state police investigation following the discovery of her body.
