Luciano Frattolin, the father charged in connection with his child's death, sat emotionless Thursday as Manhattan prosecutors played video evidence that they said contradicted his account of being kidnapped from the scene where authorities discovered his child's body.
The state presented footage during the hearing that appeared to show Frattolin's movements inconsistent with his claim that masked men abducted him near the location where his child was found dead in their apartment, according to court proceedings.
Frattolin has been charged in connection with his child's death. He has maintained through his legal team that he was the victim of a kidnapping and had no involvement in whatever happened to his child.
The defense argued during Thursday's hearing that the video evidence does not tell the complete story and that their client should be released from custody while awaiting trial.
Prosecutors countered by presenting additional surveillance footage they said showed Frattolin wandering through the neighborhood hours before emergency services were called to the family's residence, undermining his timeline of events.
The defendant's attorneys have maintained their client's innocence, arguing that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and fell victim to a violent crime himself before discovering his child's condition upon returning home.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene D. Miller has scheduled additional hearings as both sides prepare for trial proceedings expected to begin later this year.
Background
Frattolin first came under suspicion after authorities responded to a 911 call from the family's apartment in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood, where his child's body was discovered by emergency responders who found the father at the scene upon their arrival.
According to court documents, Frattolin initially told investigators that he had been kidnapped at gunpoint by masked men while visiting a convenience store near his home and held for several hours before being released.
However, law enforcement sources indicated that surveillance footage from multiple locations did not corroborate his account of leaving the apartment building during the alleged timeframe of his supposed abduction.
The medical examiner's office has ruled the manner of death as homicide, though full autopsy findings remain sealed pending completion of the investigation and preparation for trial.
The Investigation
Frattolin was arrested following an intensive investigation by NYPD detectives who spent weeks reviewing surveillance footage from more than a dozen locations in the neighborhood surrounding the family's residence.
Prosecutors allege that physical evidence recovered from the apartment, combined with digital forensics from Frattolin's cellular phone, contradicted his account of events on the night authorities say his child died.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has charged Frattolin with second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Investigators have declined to release specific details about what led them to focus their investigation solely on Frattolin, citing the ongoing nature of the case and sensitivity surrounding evidence that will be presented at trial.
Key Takeaways
- Frattolin remained stoic throughout Thursday's court proceedings as prosecutors played video evidence they said contradicted his kidnapping claim
- The state presented surveillance footage allegedly showing his movements inconsistent with his account of being abducted near their apartment building
- He has been charged with second-degree murder and child endangerment, pleaded not guilty
- NYPD detectives reviewed footage from more than a dozen locations before making the arrest
- Defense attorneys argue additional evidence supports their client's version of events and that he was himself a crime victim
What's Next
Justice Miller has scheduled another hearing for August 15 to hear arguments on defense motions challenging several pieces of physical evidence prosecutors intend to present at trial.
Trial proceedings are expected to begin in October, with both sides currently conducting depositions of witnesses who may be called to testify about the events surrounding the child's death.
Prosecutors have indicated they may call additional expert witnesses to testify about forensic analysis conducted on evidence recovered from the apartment.