Melina Frattolin‘s preliminary cause of death was asphyxiation due to drowning, according to the New York State Police. Melina’s father, Luciano Frattolin, initially reported her missing, but was later arrested and has now been charged with her murder.
On July 20, New York State Forest Rangers located 9-year-old Melina’s body in the shallow end of a pond in Ticonderoga, NY, concealed under a log. Melina’s preliminary cause of death suggests she was conscious when she was placed there. However, it’s important to note, Melina’s preliminary autopsy did not say that was the case.
