Canadian girl, 9, found dead in New York after father claimed she was kidnapped
Published July 20, 2025 2:09pm EDT | Updated July 20, 2025 6:21pm EDT
A 9-year-old Canadian girl who was previously the subject of an Amber Alert after her father said she was kidnapped was found dead in New York on Sunday, New York State Police confirmed.
The girl, Melina Frattolin, was reported missing by her father, Luciano Frattolin, near Exit 22 on I-87 around 9:58 p.m. on July 19. Initial claims of a possible abduction prompted a regional Amber Alert and a wide-scale search involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
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Authorities later identified "inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline he provided" and the child was tragically found dead in Ticonderoga, about 35 miles away.
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"At this time, there is no indication that an abduction occurred, and there is no threat to the public," state police said in a statement.
It's unclear how Frattolin died.
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A media briefing is scheduled for Monday, July 21.
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