Drowning in debt: Canadian dad charged with killing daughter in US struggled with child support; deleted company bio hints 'affected will-being'

Time of India

5 days ago

A Canadian father charged with murdering his 9-year-old daughter faces substantial financial difficulties and had trouble meeting child support obligations, whilst making unsettling posts about his daughter's impact on his daily routine.
During his Monday court appearance for allegedly killing his daughter Melina in upstate New York, Luciano Frattolin, 45, who portrayed himself as a successful coffee company proprietor, declared his inability to afford legal representation and even offor child support, reported the NY Post.
Frattolin, Ethiopia-born, praised Melina on his Montreal-based Gabella Coffee company's website, describing her as "beautiful" and "the light of his life.''
However, the corporate biography revealed concerning insights into his mental state.
He acknowledged adjusting to his daughter's "messy art projects" and "chaotic" toys despite his fixation with maintaining "perfect order" in his residence.
His biography, now removed from the internet, referenced personal hardships, including experiences with "incidences of racism," "feelings of isolation" and losing his father during his teenage years.
He referenced an "unfortunate event" in 2019 that "severely affected his well-being" requiring a "long and arduous" recovery period. Police confirmed his estrangement from his former wife that year.
Beyond personal struggles and marital discord, Frattolin accumulated over $200,000 in business-related debt in Montreal. Since 2020, he rented property in Montreal's Mile End district, operating it as an
Airbnb
. He employed two property managers to handle operations and rent payments, using the proceeds for child support payments, according to court documents.
His landlord terminated the lease in August 2024 following $26,000 in unpaid rent. He lost access to the property containing his daughter's winter clothing and toys. He initiated legal action against the two managers for $115,000, alleging unauthorised property exploitation and failure to make promised rent payments, as reported by Le Devoir.
The managers countered that Frattolin intended to empty his accounts and leave the country, which he denied.
A Dépanneur Café employee reported Frattolin, who still owes Bank of Nova Scotia $83,000, had been dividing his time between Italy and Canada for 18 months.
The bank cited additional unpaid credit card debts of $97,000 from Café Gambella, another establishment sharing his online coffee business name.
As he drowned in debt, his
Instagram
presence portrayed affluence, featuring exotic travels and luxury vehicles, including statements like "I am truly addicted to Porsche."
Prior to his daughter's death, they were holidaying near Lake George, approximately 30 miles from where her body was discovered.
Before authorities found the child's remains, Frattolin falsely reported her kidnapping by two men in a white van near I-87's Exit 22, shortly after she contacted her mother before their scheduled return to Quebec.
He entered a not-guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder, potentially carrying a life sentence in New York, and concealment of a human corpse.
His next court appearance is scheduled for July 25.
Case background:
The Canadian father and his nine-year-old daughter arrived in the US for a vacation on July 11, touring parts of Connecticut and New York, including New York City. On Saturday evening, around 5:30 pm (local time), surveillance footage showed them at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs. It was the final day of their trip, with plans to be in Montreal the following day.
At approximately 6:30 pm, Melina contacted her mother and assured her that she was safe. Police believe she was killed sometime between that phone call and a 911 call made by her father at 9:58 pm. During the call, Luciano Frattolin claimed he had stopped his vehicle to relieve himself in the woods, and upon returning, found Melina missing. He told police that two men had abducted her in a white van.
An Amber Alert was issued, sparking an urgent search for the missing girl.
But investigators soon began to question the abduction story. By 10:50 am on Sunday, Melina's body was found in the shallow end of a pond in Ticonderoga, concealed under a log. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
So far, no motive has been established. Despite being under her mother's custody, Melina was permitted to travel with her father. Luciano Frattolin had no prior criminal record in Canada, and his estranged wife reportedly did not consider him a danger to their daughter. The couple had separated in 2019, with the mother receiving full custody and the father retaining visitation rights, including travel privileges.