The mother of Melina Frattolin, a 9-year-old girl, testified in Essex County Court about her daughter’s reluctance to travel overseas with her father. Her testimony provides insight into the events and concerns leading up to her daughter’s tragic death during a trip to New York.
Kali Galanis, Melina’s mother, shared with jurors that Luciano Frattolin, her ex-partner, proposed taking Melina to Ethiopia, his native country, for two weeks in January 2025. According to Galanis, the trip was canceled after Melina expressed opposition to the idea.
“She didn’t want to go,” Galanis stated during her testimony, emphasizing her unease regarding the proposed journey.
Galanis revealed that her concerns regarding international travel grew after the couple’s separation in 2019. Her legal counsel had warned her about cases where estranged parents took children abroad and refused to bring them back. This apprehension was further heightened when Frattolin suggested extending the Ethiopia trip.
These conversations ultimately led Galanis to cancel the overseas trip. In lieu of an international vacation, Frattolin planned a tour through the northeastern United States with Melina.
Authorities later reported that Frattolin took Melina through Connecticut and New York. On the day Melina was to return home to Quebec, Frattolin falsely claimed she had been abducted by two men in a white van, triggering an Amber Alert. The report was promptly dismissed after no evidence supported the kidnapping claim.
Tragically, Melina’s body was discovered partially submerged in shallow water near Eagle Lake in Ticonderoga. Frattolin faces charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse but has pleaded not guilty to both.
Daniel Mauro, a New York State Police investigator, testified earlier in the trial about an unsettling remark made by Frattolin. Frattolin suggested that it would have been easier to kill his daughter overseas, a comment made during questioning about any motive to harm his daughter.
The trial continues as Luciano Frattolin remains on trial in Essex County Court.