Month: July 2025

A Canadian man who initially reported that his 9-year-old daughter had been abducted while they were they were vacationing in upstate New York was charged Monday with her murder. The girl, Melina Frattolin, was found dead in a shallow, wooded pond. Police said the father and daughter had been vacationing since July 11 in the U.S. and were expected back in Montreal that weekend where the girl lived with her mother, who had been estranged from the suspect since 2019.

New York State Police Captain Robert McConnell announced Monday that Luciano Frattolin, 45, of Montreal was arrested and charged with murder and concealing of a corpse in the death of his daughter. was arrested on counts of murder in the second degree and concealment of a human corpse. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment Monday, according to court officials. Police said Frattolin had no prior criminal or domestic violence history, and the public defender’s office has been assigned to defend Frattolin, per The Associated Press.

Police from several agencies searched the town of Ticonderoga in New York’s Essex County on Sunday in response to a 911 call received Saturday from Luciano Frattolin, who reported that his child was missing and possibly abducted from a parking lot near Lake George, a resort town in the Adirondack region. That missing report led officials to issue an Amber Alert overnight to enlist the public’s help in finding the girl, however as authorities said there were inconsistencies in the father’s account, and that they concluded there was no evidence she had been taken. While Frattolin initially said he could not find his child after he stepped out of a wooded area of the parking lot near Lake George, Captain McConnell said that “during a subsequent interview, he then reports two unknown males forced her into a white van. That lead was thoroughly investigated and disproven.”

Surveillance video shows the father and daughter in another nearby resort town, Saratoga Springs, at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Police said the girl spoke on the phone with her mother about an hour later and did not indicate she was under duress; authrotieis believe Frattolin killed the girl after the phone call and before he made the 911 call.

Members of the New York State Forest Rangers soon after found Melina’s body on Sunday afternoon in the shallows of a pond about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Lake George, in Ticonderoga, authorities said. The criminal complaint said Frattolin concealed her body under a log. An autopsy has been scheduled.

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A U.S. Border Patrol agent who was off duty was shot late Saturday night in a New York City park located beneath the George Washington Bridge. The incident took place at 11:51 p.m. on Saturday in Fort Washington Park, situated in the Washington Heights section of upper Manhattan.

The New York Police Department reported that they have detained one person who is being investigated in connection with the shooting. According to law enforcement, the victim is a 42-year-old federal Border Patrol agent. He was shot in both the face and the arm during what investigators believe may have been a robbery attempt. The agent, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, was rushed to Harlem Hospital, where he underwent treatment. Officials said on Sunday that he is expected to survive.

Investigators from the NYPD were seen combing the area for evidence in the aftermath of the shooting, which occurred near the Little Red Lighthouse, a well-known landmark in Fort Washington Park located directly beneath the bridge. Police have taken one individual into custody and are working to determine whether that person played a role in the attack. The exact motive is still unclear, but authorities are looking into the possibility that the shooting was tied to a robbery.

This incident follows another attack involving the Border Patrol earlier this month. On July 7, a man opened fire at the entrance of the Border Patrol sector annex at McAllen International Airport in Texas. In that case, 27-year-old Ryan Louis Mosqueda allegedly fired numerous shots at the federal facility, where two police officers and a Border Patrol staff member sustained injuries, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The reason behind the Texas shooting is still being investigated.

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One person was killed and two people are still missing after a group of six people were swept over a waterfall in Oregon on Saturday afternoon, prompting a search and rescue mission. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said it rescued three people from the Deschutes River who were transported to the hospital, while another person was declared dead at the scene.

The group went over Dillon Falls, which are rapids along the Deschutes River in central Oregon, near the city of Bend. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the area is popular location for visitors participating in water activities like boating. First responders in Bend are still looking for two people missing after a group of six tumbled over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River west of Bend.

Authorities have not shared details about the circumstances surrounding Saturday’s incident. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said it was initially reported just before 3 p.m. local time, prompting a response from deputies along with local fire officials and search and rescue teams.  Emergency responders used drones to look for survivors near Dillon Falls after receiving an emergency call in the afternoon and plan to resume search efforts on Sunday after pausing overnight.

Dillon Falls has a 15-foot (4.5-metre) drop that turns into “churning rapids in a quick, step ladder-like pattern”, (per Visit Central Oregon.)  The falls over the Deschutes River are near the city of Bend in the Deschutes National Forest, where thousands of people boat, kayak or float on inner tubes on the river, which boasts whitewater areas as well as trout and salmon fisheries.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that President Trump, 79, has been diagnosed with the vein condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, after undergoing testing when noticing swelling in his legs. Photos of the president at the Cup World Cup soccer final in New Jersey over the weekend fueled speculation over his health, after he was seen with noticeably swollen ankles.

According to Johns Hopkins and the Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs struggle to allow blood to flow back up to the heart. Leavitt said the president underwent a thorough health examination after he noticed mild swelling in his legs, and the examination revealed no evidence of more serious conditions like deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Leavitt said the president’s physician says he remains in excellent overall health.

At the White House briefing on Thursday, Leavitt read a note from the president’s physician, which stated that the president was “thoroughly evaluated” by the White House medical unit “out of an abundance of caution” after noticing swelling in recent weeks: “the president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed, and reformed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” The letter said there was “no evidence” of blood clots or arterial disease.

The president underwent multiple tests, including a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and coagulation profile, with “all results were within normal limits.” Leavitt added that an echocardiogram was performed and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function, where “no signs of heart function, renal impairment or systemic illness were identified.”

The White House press secretary also referred to photos which have shown minor bruising on the president’s hand. Reading from the physicians letter, Leavitt said: “this is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”

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One person was killed and 13 others – including 8 children – were injured after being struck by lightning at an archery club in Jackson Township, New Jersey on Wednesday.

About half of the people injured at the archery club were juveniles that belonged to the Jackson Scouts Troop 204, a Scouting America-affiliated organization (per CNN). Thirteen other people, including a 7-year-old, were injured in the lightning strike at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery range in Jackson Township.

Jackson Township Mayor Michael Reina told New York ABC station WABC that the strike hit the ground near a group at the archery range, a well-known community site that regularly hosts events. The Jackson Township Police Department said it received a call shortly after 7 p.m. reporting multiple people struck by lightning, resulting in a male being administered CPR, while multiple other victims were being triaged.

Jackson Township Police Chief Matthew D. Kunz saidin a statement that “A 61-year-old male did succumb to his injuries”. Kunz added that those injured suffered burns as well as “non-specific complaints of not feeling well”. Police Public Safety Director Joseph Candido said that all those injured transported to area hospitals, adding that none of the injuries were life threatening.

USA Archery said Thursday it was “heartbroken” by the death of Robert Montgomery after the lightning strike at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery club, adding the group stands in solidarity with the “entire archery community during this difficult time. We are relieved to hear that those who were injured are on the road to recovery, and our thoughts are with them as they rebuild and regain strength. A moment of silence will be held for the victims at a youth archery competition in Albuquerque Thursday.”

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