Body of Missing Teen Found in Florida Pond — What Happened to Giovanni Pelletier?

The body of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier was found in a retention pond in Manatee County, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2025. Giovanni's body was discovered in the pond near I-75 and State Road 70. The teen had been reported missing on Aug. 1 near the area where he was found.

According to ABC7 News, Giovanni was last seen walking away from a vehicle near the highway while traveling north on I-75 after he “began acting erratically, exited the vehicle, and walked away.” His family told the authorities that Giovonni had been traveling with his cousins to visit more relatives when he disappeared.

According to Giovanni's mother, Bridgette, her son was found by a private investigator hired by the family in an area the police had already claimed to have searched. The 18-year-old, his mother, and her fiancé, Jeremy Brown, had been visiting Englewood, Fla., from North Carolina, so that Giovanni could reconnect with his father's side of the family — including his three cousins. The cousins picked up Giovanni at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1.

They were planning on driving three hours to their house in Mims, Fla., and Bridgette was going to pick him up the following day. Giovanni sent his mother a text message 20 minutes after getting into his cousin's vehicle.

"Mom, help me," read the text. He also reportedly sent messages to his aunt and grandfather, per ABC11 News. It was the last time the family heard from Giovanni. His aunt, Desiree Pelletier, said that "somewhere along the ride, something happened."

Desiree added that "something is not told right" with the cousins' story. They claimed Giovanni began acting erratically after the group smoked marijuana. They also claimed he panicked and pulled out a knife. His mother's fiancé, Jeremy Brown, can't understand why the group would leave Giovanni on the side of the road.

"Whatever it is, I can't fathom somebody leaving a family member on the side of the road," he said. "It's just crazy to me. Only they know his state of mind and whether they're telling us the truth, I don't know, and that's what's been hard on this search is some of the information we're getting, we're not 100 percent sure if it's true or not."

Bridgette noted on Facebook that a private investigator had found Giovanni, not the police.

"My son was recently found after a desperate search by our family alone, and we are still facing an active investigation into his death,” she wrote. I am living every parent's worst nightmare, trying to find the strength to give him the goodbye he deserves. We ask that you please respect our privacy at this time as we try to navigate this for his four younger siblings."

"It doesn't make sense," said Desiree. "Why would he say 'Help me' three different times to three people?"

Giovanni's backpack and phone were found on the side of the road on the day he disappeared and were found by a truck driver. His family set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses as they searched for Giovanni, and they noted the lack of help from the authorities.

"Giovanni is smart, kind, and full of life," read the statement. "He didn’t deserve this. Our family is devastated, terrified, and doing everything in our power to bring him home — but we’re receiving very little help from officials, and we are being forced to search on our own."

According to WRAL News, the medical examiner noted that "no foul play or trauma was found" during the autopsy, and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office is still investigating as they await the toxicology report.