
Montreal girl found dead in New York state was drowned, autopsy shows
In a statement issued Tuesday, the police department said preliminary findings from an autopsy show Melina Frattolin died by asphyxia due to drowning.
The doctor who conducted the autopsy classified the death as a homicide.
'The final determination and report are pending further laboratory testing,' the police department said.
The girl's father, Luciano Frattolin, 45, was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree murder and concealing a body on Monday. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Police say Frattolin, a Montreal businessman, had initially claimed his daughter was kidnapped while on vacation in New York state. She was later found in the shallow end of a pond.
The police department is also asking the public for help in gathering any video evidence or eye witness accounts of the 2024 grey Toyota Prius they believe Frattolin drove between July 11-20.
More specifically, they're looking for accounts of the car Saturday evening in the area of the I-87 Northway between Exits 28 and exit 20.

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CTV News
2 days ago
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Case of Montreal father accused of killing daughter in U.S. moves to grand jury: What does that mean?
This undated booking photo provided by the New York State Police shows Luciano Frattolin, who is charged with murder and concealing of a corpse in the death of his daughter, Melina Frattolin. (New York State Police via AP) The court appearance for the Montreal man accused of killing his nine-year-old daughter in the United States has been cancelled. Luciano Frattolin, 45, was set to appear at the town courthouse in Ticonderoga, N.Y., Friday afternoon, but the court confirmed the appearance will no longer take place. 'The felony hearing for Friday at 1 p.m. is cancelled. The case is being held for grand jury action,' stated the courthouse's voicemail. 'The court has no further information.' 9-year-old daughter of Luciano Fratollin died from drowning, autopsy finds 9-year-old daughter of Luciano Fratollin died from drowning, autopsy finds What is a grand jury? Grand juries in the United States are groups of citizens called by the court to determine whether there's probable cause for a case to proceed to trial. They do not determine guilt or innocence and are usually composed of 16 to 23 people. Prosecutors present their evidence during grand jury hearings, which are private, and can include court documents and witness testimony. What happened Frattolin's daughter, Melina Frattolin, was found dead on July 20 in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, N.Y., about 50 km northeast of Lake George near the New York-Vermont boundary. The father and daughter entered the U.S. on July 11 for a vacation and were supposed to return the day her body was found. On Tuesday, New York State police revealed preliminary autopsy results into her death showed that Melina died of asphyxia due to drowning and ruled her death a homicide. Her father was charged a day earlier with second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse. The Associated Press reported that a plea of not guilty was entered on Frattolin's behalf on Monday morning.


Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Murder case against father of nine-year-old Montreal girl moves to a grand jury
MONTREAL — The case against the father of a nine-year-old Montreal girl found dead in Upstate New York will move directly to the grand jury stage. The court in Ticonderoga, N.Y., and the secretary for the district attorney both confirmed that the felony hearing scheduled to take place today for Luciano Frattolin has been cancelled. Instead the case will move to a grand jury, where its members will assess the prosecution's evidence to decide whether there is probable cause that Frattolin killed his daughter Melina and should stand trial. The 45-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse after his daughter's body was found in a shallow pond in New York state last weekend. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Police have said Frattolin originally reported his daughter missing and potentially abducted, but officers determined the story to be false. Preliminary autopsy results released this week concluded the nine-year-old Canadian girl died from asphyxia due to drowning, and the death was ruled a homicide. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .


Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Murder case against father of nine-year-old Montreal girl moves to grand jury in New York
Published Jul 25, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 1 minute read Melina Frattolin was reported missing by her father on July 19 in Lake George. On Monday, Luciano Frattolin, 45, was charged with second-degree murder and concealing a body. Image on left via Facebook, image on right via Gambella Coffee MONTREAL — The case against the father of a nine-year-old Montreal girl found dead in Upstate New York will move directly to the grand jury stage. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The court in Ticonderoga, N.Y., and the secretary for the district attorney both confirmed that the felony hearing scheduled to take place today for Luciano Frattolin has been cancelled. Instead the case will move to a grand jury, where its members will assess the prosecution's evidence to decide whether there is probable cause that Frattolin killed his daughter Melina and should stand trial. The 45-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse after his daughter's body was found in a shallow pond in New York state last weekend. Police have said Frattolin originally reported his daughter missing and potentially abducted, but officers determined the story to be false. Preliminary autopsy results released this week concluded the nine-year-old Canadian girl died from asphyxia due to drowning, and the death was ruled a homicide. Read More Hockey Toronto & GTA Sports Toronto & GTA Columnists