A Canadian father on trial for allegedly drowning his 9-year-old daughter made a chilling comment to police about how it would have been easier to kill her outside the United States, according to testimony presented in court.

Luciano (also referred to as Lucian) Frattolin, 46, a coffee entrepreneur from Montreal, is charged with second-degree murder and concealing a human corpse in the death of his daughter, Melina Frattolin. Prosecutors say he drowned the girl on July 19, 2025, during a vacation in the Lake George area of New York, then filed a false kidnapping report.

Melina’s body was found the next day hidden under a log in a shallow pond near Short Swing Trail in Ticonderoga. The cause of death was ruled asphyxiation due to drowning.

During questioning the morning after he reported her missing, Frattolin spoke with New York State Police investigator Daniel Mauro. According to Mauro’s testimony on Monday, Frattolin was asked about the possibility of harming his daughter and replied that he would never do it in the United States because “it would have been a lot easier” in his native Ethiopia or in Italy, where he holds dual citizenship.

Frattolin has pleaded not guilty. The defense has suggested issues related to memory and other factors. Prosecutors allege the killing was intentional and linked in part to ongoing custody tensions with Melina’s mother.

The trial is underway in Essex County, New York. If convicted of second-degree murder, Frattolin faces a possible life sentence.

Sources

• New York Post