Authorities say they received a 911 call around 10 p.m. Saturday from a father who claimed his daughter, Melina, may have been abducted near Exit 22 on I-87.
New York State Police said Melina and her father legally entered the U.S. on July 11 for a vacation from Canada. They were scheduled to return to Montreal on Sunday, July 20.
Melina lives in another state with her mother. Her father and mother have been estranged since 2019, police said. Surveillance video shows Melina with her father in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m., and she spoke with her mother on the phone around 6:30 p.m.
On Sunday morning, authorities searched an area in the upstate town of Ticonderoga—near the Vermont border—where the father was believed to have been with Melina.
The motive remains under investigation, officials said. Police noted that the father has no criminal record or history of domestic violence. They also said the vacation included stops in Connecticut and New York City.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Additional Guests
- Dr. Chloe Carmichael – Clinical Psychologist, Author: ‘Nervous Energy: Harness The Power of Your Anxiety;’ X: @DrChloe, drchloe.com
- Dan Murphy-Former NYPD Detective-Sergeant, Joint Terrorism Task Force, Former Chief Security Officer, US Bancorp, Co-Host of “Gold Shields” Podcast, and Author: “Workplace Safety: Establishing an Effective Violence Prevention Program”
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[Feature Photo: Luciano Frattolin Essex County Jail and Melina Frattolin/Police Handout]
