On Saturday, July 19, 2025, at approximately 9:58 p.m., Luciano Frattolin, a 45-year-old Canadian resident, called Warren County 911 to report his 9-year-old daughter, Melina Galanis Frattolin, missing, claiming a possible abduction near Exit 22 of Interstate 87 in Lake George, New York. The report prompted the New York State Police (NYSP) to issue an Amber Alert early Sunday morning, describing Melina as a 5-foot-tall girl weighing about 100 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing light-colored shorts, a blue-and-white striped shirt, and white Adidas sneakers. The alert initially suggested she was taken in a white van heading southbound, under circumstances that led authorities to believe she was in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death.
A multi-agency search was launched, involving the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Ticonderoga Police Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Forest Rangers, and NYSP K-9 and Aviation units. However, as the investigation progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in Luciano Frattolin’s account of events and the timeline he provided. By Sunday afternoon, July 20, 2025, the Amber Alert was canceled at 4:18 p.m. after Melina’s body was discovered in Ticonderoga, New York, approximately 35 miles northeast of Lake George.
Contrary to the initial abduction claim, the NYSP determined there was no indication that a kidnapping had occurred, and there was no ongoing threat to the public. Melina’s body was found in Ticonderoga, but authorities have not disclosed the cause of her death or the exact location where she was found. Luciano Frattolin, who had reported the alleged abduction, was arrested on Sunday evening, July 20, 2025, in connection with his daughter’s death, though specific charges have not yet been detailed publicly.
Luciano Frattolin, a Canadian businessman with ties to Montreal, is described as the founder of an organic coffee brand, Gambella, with a background in architecture, real estate, construction, and mining. Both he and Melina were Canadian citizens, and it remains unclear how long they had been in the United States prior to the incident. The NYSP has taken over the investigation from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office due to jurisdictional considerations and is expected to provide further details during a media event scheduled for Monday, July 21, 2025.
This heartbreaking case has left the community in shock, as what began as a reported abduction has unfolded into a tragic investigation with unanswered questions about the circumstances of Melina’s death. Authorities continue to investigate, and more information is anticipated as the case develops.
