Cause of Death Revealed for Melina Frattolin, 9, as Father Faces Charges By Nicole Acosta 43

The cause of death has been revealed for Melina Frattolin, the 9-year-old girl who was found dead over the weekend in upstate New York after police allege her father falsely reported her missing.

A preliminary autopsy completed by Dr. Michael Sikirica on Monday, July 21, determined Melina died of asphyxia due to drowning and her death was ruled a homicide, New York State Police announced in a press release on Tuesday, July 22.

The final determination and report are pending further laboratory testing, state police said.

On Sunday, July 20, hours after officials issued an Amber Alert for Melina, state police said that she was found dead in Ticonderoga, N.Y. The girl was initially reported missing on the night of Saturday, July 19, by her father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin, who said he believed his daughter had been kidnapped.

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The father and daughter had been visiting Lake George in upstate New York, on vacation from Montreal, Canada, state police said at a press conference.

Police later alleged that authorities “identified inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided” and determined that there was no evidence of an abduction.

Frattolin was then arrested on Monday, July 21, and charged with his murder and concealment of a corpse, with state police alleging he killed Melina and dumped her body in a remote area. According to the Associated Press, the suspect has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Frattolin and his wife, Melina’s mother, have been separated for several years, state police said, noting that the girl’s mother maintained custody.

As the investigation continues, New York State Police are asking for the public’s help in gathering additional video evidence or eyewitness accounts of the silver car the father and daughter traveled in from July 11 until July 19 on I-87, per the press release.

Anyone with information is urged to call 518-873-2750 or email [email protected].

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.