A 9-year-old Canadian girl whose father reported she had been kidnapped in upstate New York was discovered dead Sunday afternoon, with investigators claiming she had not been abducted and questioning inconsistencies in her father’s story, according to authorities.
The girl’s body, identified by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office as Melina Galanis Frattolin, was found in Ticonderoga, New York, near the New York-Vermont border, about 15 miles from Lake George, where her father initially claimed she was kidnapped on Saturday by a man driving a white van.
The report from the father prompted the New York State Police to issue an Amber Alert earlier on Sunday. A massive search was launched that included State Police K-9 and aviation units, New York State Park Rangers, the Essex and Warren County sheriff’s offices, the New York State Department of Conservation, and the Ticonderoga Police Department.
“As the case progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided,” a State Police statement read.
The investigation was still ongoing Sunday afternoon, after State Police took over from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
The State Police did not immediately comment on whether Melina’s father, 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin of Canada, had been arrested in her death.
Melina’s cause of death was not disclosed by state police.
“At this time, there is no indication that an abduction occurred, and there is no threat to the public,” the State Police statement read.
Luciano Frattolin called 911 in Warren County late Saturday night, claiming his daughter had been kidnapped by a stranger, police said. According to police radio dispatches obtained by Broadcastify, the father claimed the girl was kidnapped around 9:40 p.m. at a rest stop off Interstate 87 near Lake George, where he claimed they pulled over to use the restroom.
According to police, the father reported that his daughter was wearing light-colored shorts, a blue-and-white striped shirt, and white Adidas sneakers.
“The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious bodily harm and/or death,” authorities said in an initial statement that accompanied the Amber Alert.
