Photo: Jeremy Hogan / Photodisc / Getty Images
A North Carolina teen who went missing in Florida earlier this month has been confirmed dead, per PEOPLE.
18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier initially went missing on August 1 after traveling to Englewood, Florida with his mother, Bridgette, her fiancé, and his siblings. According to Bridgette, the teen was picked up by relatives on his father's side and taken to his grandfather's home in Brevard County.
Pelletier sent a message to his mother just 30 minutes after being picked up, reading, “Mom, help.”
On Friday (August 8), Pelletier's body was found in a retention pond in Manatee County, near where he was last seen. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said there's no immediate evidence of foul play. An autopsy has been scheduled, and the investigation remains ongoing.
“I’m living every parent's worst nightmare, trying to find the strength to give him the goodbye he deserves," Bridgette said on social media.
Bridgette said she had concerns about her son reconnecting with his paternal relatives prior to his disappearance. One cousin reportedly alleged that Giovanni panicked after the group smoked marijuana. The cousin said Giovanni pulled a knife during an altercation and then ran into the woods.
Bridgette said such behavior would be uncharacteristic of her son.
“I believe he felt threatened and outnumbered," she said.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.