A coffee company CEO has gone on trial accused of murdering his nine-year-old daughter, who was allegedly drowned in a marsh despite having begged her mother not to let her go on a trip with him. Prosecutors told the court the child was terrified in the lead-up to the outing, raising questions about why concerns raised beforehand were not enough to prevent the trip going ahead, and the case has drawn wide attention because of the father's professional standing and the harrowing nature of the allegations.

The trial heard that the girl, named as Melina Luciano Frattolin, drowned in a marshy area while in her father's care, with prosecutors alleging he was directly responsible for her death. Details of her earlier pleas to her mother were presented as evidence of foreboding before the fatal trip. The case continues, with further testimony expected as the prosecution builds its case against the defendant.