Nine-year-old Melina Frattolin died by drowning, according to a preliminary autopsy on the little Canadian tourist allegedly killed by her dad in upstate New York.
The Montreal girl’s body was discovered under a log in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga on Sunday afternoon, fewer than 24 hours after her father, Luciano Frattolin, reported she had been abducted.
Melina was determined to have died by “asphyxia due to drowning,” according to the preliminary autopsy conducted at Glens Falls Hospital, and reported by New York State Police on Tuesday afternoon.
Police arrested Luciano Frattolin after he claimed his daughter Melina had been abducted. Essex County Sheriff's Office
New York police released an image of Frattolin driving with his daughter on I-87. NYS PoliceHer death was officially determined to be a homicide.
Follow The Post’s coverage on Melina Frattolin
- Tragic Melina Frattolin’s dad charged with murder after he reported her missing, as new details hint at possible motive
- Melina Frattolin’s father hid 9-year-old’s body under log after killing her in upstate NY: cops
- Neat-freak alleged Lake George killer dad Luciano Frattolin admitted he struggled with daughter’s ‘messy art,’ ‘chaotic’ toys
- Luciano Frattolin may have been struggling to pay child support while over $200,000 in debt: reports
Pictures of Frattolin’s car, a 2024 gray Toyota Prius, were shared by state police Tuesday as they asked for help from the public to determine the route of the vehicle.
Melina Frattolin was found dead in a shallow pond after her father reported her missing. Instagram/Luciano FrattolinFrattolin is believed to have driven along the I-87 Northway between Exits 28 and 20 during the early hours of Saturday evening.
Melina’s father was charged with her murder on Monday, as well as with concealment of a corpse.
