Additional Coverage:
- Teen who went missing after chilling ‘help me’ text during Florida family vacation found dead (themirror.com)
Tragedy struck a North Carolina family vacationing in Florida as 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier was found deceased in a retention pond, just a week after disappearing. The discovery came after a frantic search that began when the teen’s mother received a cryptic “help me” text message from him.
Pelletier had been visiting relatives in Englewood, Florida, and was driven by cousins to their home in Mims, Florida, in the early hours of August 1st. According to his aunt, Desiree Pelletier, the cousins reported that Pelletier, after smoking marijuana with them, became panicked and exited their vehicle along Interstate 75 near State Road 70. This behavior was described as uncharacteristic of the young man.
His mother, not seeing the text until morning, immediately contacted authorities when she couldn’t reach her son. Pelletier’s backpack and phone were later located, but the teen remained missing.
The search ended tragically on August 8th when a family member discovered his body in a nearby retention pond in Bradenton, Florida. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identification through dental records, noting the body’s condition necessitated additional forensic testing.
While the autopsy revealed no signs of foul play or trauma, the cause of death remains undetermined pending toxicology results. Authorities believe Pelletier’s body had been in the pond for several days before surfacing.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the teen’s death. A GoFundMe page set up by the family describes Pelletier as “smart, kind, and full of life.”