The shootout death of 9-year-old Melina Frattolin, for whom an Amber Alert was issued in New York, has resulted in the arrest of her father, Luciano Frattolin. Melina was discovered dead in Ticonderoga, on the New York-Vermont border, around 35 miles from where her father said he had last seen her.
Luciano, 45, contacted authorities in Warren County shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday to report his daughter missing. He allegedly suggested that Melina may have been abducted in the Lake George area.
However, law enforcement officials quickly identified ‘inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided’, according to a New York State Police report.
When the Amber Alert went out, officials said Melina was “in imminent peril of serious bodily injury and/or death.” While investigating, authorities came to a decision that the father’s tale of being abducted was an invention.
Father Arrested, No Abduction Confirmed
Luciano Frattolin has since been arrested and held in custody at Essex County Jail. The case, which was initially handled as a kidnapping, has now been left to the New York State Police because of jurisdictional reasons.
In a statement, the department explained, “At this time, there is no indication that an abduction occurred, and there is no threat to the public.”
Luciano and Melina are both Canadian citizens. The circumstances of the death of the child are still under investigation.
Who Is Luciano Frattolin?
On his Instagram page, Luciano identifies himself as a ‘loving father’. He was born in the far-flung village of Gambella to an Italian father and an Ethiopian mother. In his line of work, he specializes in mining, real estate, and construction. He also established Gambella Coffee, a Montreal company named after the village of his birth.
A posting on the firm’s website characterizes Melina as ‘the light of his life’, then continues, “She is the inspiration for, well, everything.
