Luciano Frattolin, 45, has been charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse after his 9-year-old daughter, Melina, was found

dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, New York. The pair had traveled from Montreal for vacation, and Melina was due to return to her mother on Sunday.

Frattolin first claimed Melina was abducted, but his conflicting accounts quickly raised suspicion. Surveillance footage showed

Melina dining calmly in Saratoga Springs on Saturday and later speaking with her mother by phone. Hours afterward,

Frattolin reported her missing near Lake George, citing a white van and kidnappers—claims investigators found false.

On Sunday, search teams found Melina’s body hidden under a log. The autopsy determined she died from drowning,

and her death was ruled a homicide. Authorities believe the crime happened between her last phone call and the 911 report.

Frattolin, a Canadian coffee entrepreneur with no prior record, pleaded not guilty and remains in custody. His felony hearing is set for July 25.

Melina’s death has sparked grief and outrage online, with many mourning the loss and demanding justice

in a case that began as a missing child alert and ended in tragedy.