Jurors in the murder trial of Luciano Frattolin were shown graphic photographs of his nine-year-old daughter, Melina Frattolin, whose body was found submerged in a stream in upstate New York. A forensics expert testified Tuesday that the child drowned in "fetid water," with her lungs, airway, and stomach filled with mud and plant debris.
Dr. Michael Sikirica, a medical examiner, told the court that Melina's lungs were "hyper expanded" and contained black plant material, indicating a blocked airway. He also noted a stone placed on her body and a large scratch on her stomach, along with bruises on her neck and shoulder. Sikirica confirmed the cause of death was drowning.
Luciano Frattolin, the accused killer, reportedly shielded his gaze from the courtroom screens displaying the images of his daughter's corpse and wrote on a legal pad. Melina Frattolin was found on July 20, 2025, a few miles from Lake George, by New York Forest Rangers. She was discovered in a knee-deep stream, partially covered by a log with a boulder on her torso.
Frattolin had reported his daughter missing, claiming she had been abducted by a stranger as they drove back to Montreal from a trip. Prosecutors are expected to continue presenting their case on Wednesday.
Melina's mother, Kali Galanis, previously testified that her daughter had expressed reluctance to travel with her father to Ethiopia, a trip he had planned earlier that year. Luciano Frattolin has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murdering his daughter.