Essex County, NY – A tragic case that began with an Amber Alert over the weekend has ended with the arrest of a Canadian man following the discovery of his 9-year-old daughter’s body in upstate New York.

Authorities have confirmed that Luciano Frattolin, the father of Melina Galanis Frattolin, has been taken into custody and is being held at the Essex County Jail.

Melina, who had been reported missing by her father late Saturday evening, was found deceased on Sunday approximately 35 miles from the area where she was initially reported missing.

The case was initially treated as a suspected abduction after Frattolin contacted authorities around 10 p.m. Saturday claiming his daughter had been kidnapped.

Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada launched an urgent search, issuing a regional Amber Alert and focusing attention on the Lake George and Ticonderoga areas of New York.

Melina was first believed to have last been seen around 7:40 p.m. traveling in a white van on Interstate 87 southbound near Exit 22. That time was later updated to 9:40 p.m. as the investigation progressed. Authorities said the girl was considered to be in “imminent danger” at the time.

However, as the investigation continued, New York State Police identified multiple inconsistencies in Frattolin’s statements and timeline.

By Sunday, officials stated there was “no indication that an abduction had occurred” and assured the public that there was “no threat to the community.”

Melina’s body was located later that day, ending the search under devastating circumstances.

According to publicly available information, Frattolin is a Montreal-based entrepreneur and the founder of Gambella Coffee.

His company’s biography and other personal writings painted a picture of a devoted father.

Melina was described in online profiles as “the light of his life,” with Frattolin often highlighting his daughter’s importance in shaping his worldview and inspiring his advocacy for social justice.

A now-poignant excerpt from his biography reads:

“Luciano currently spends as much time as he can in Montreal, Canada, with his beautiful daughter Melina. As the light of his life, she is the inspiration for… everything. His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood.”

Frattolin, described as the son of an Ethiopian mother and Italian father, claimed to draw strength and purpose from his cross-cultural upbringing, which he said was the foundation for his personal and professional ethos.

As of now, authorities have not released the specific charges Frattolin is facing in connection to Melina’s death.

The case remains under active investigation, and further details, including cause of death, are expected to be released pending autopsy results and prosecutorial decisions.