Luciano Frattolin, the father who allegedly drowned his nine-year-old daughter and hid her body, made an appearance in a U.S. court on Wednesday to formally address the charges against him. Judge Tatiana Coffinger stated that Frattolin will be held without bail to ensure his presence at future court proceedings. This was Frattolin’s second court appearance following his arrest on July 20 when he falsely claimed his daughter, Melina, had been abducted. Subsequently, Melina’s body was discovered in a pond near Ticonderoga, N.Y.
Appearing at the Essex County courthouse in a grey suit and glasses, Frattolin, 45, remained in custody as he faced charges of second-degree murder and concealing a human corpse. Despite the accusations, he pleaded not guilty. The formal arraignment marked the official filing of charges that had been approved by a grand jury in New York.
According to authorities, Frattolin and his daughter, who resides with her mother in Montreal, were traveling in the U.S. before he reported her missing on the evening of July 19. He claimed that she vanished while he briefly left the car to urinate in a wooded area, mentioning a white van speeding away from the scene. Initially, he alleged that two unidentified men had abducted Melina and forced her into the van.
Frattolin is being represented by a state-appointed public defender, and the case is scheduled to resume in court on August 19.