The death of a 9-year-old girl whose father initially reported she was missing and possibly abducted is being investigated amid “inconsistencies” in his account, police said Sunday after the girl’s body was found in New York state.
Melina Frattolin was reported missing from near Lake George in northeast New York late Saturday evening by her father, Luciano Frattolin, according to New York State Police. Both father and daughter were identified by authorities as residents of Canada.
No charges have been announced in the case.
The girl’s body was discovered Sunday in the area of Ticonderoga, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of Lake George near the state line with Vermont during a search, state police said. Police said K9 and aviation units were involved in the search.
Ticonderoga also is about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of New York City in a popular resort area in the Adirondack Mountains.
“As the case progressed, law enforcement identified inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided,” state police said in a statement.
“At this time, there is no indication that an abduction occurred, and there is no threat to the public,” the agency added. The agency did not elaborate.
Law enforcement officials said a news conference is scheduled for Monday. Luciano Frattolin’s whereabouts weren’t clear late Sunday.
Frattolin, 45, did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent via LinkedIn, Instagram and his company website.
Frattolin describes himself as a “loving father” on his Instagram profile.
On the website of a coffee company said to be founded by Frattolin, a post says that his daughter Melina is “the light of his life.”
“She is the inspiration for … well, everything,” it added.
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