Found Deceased Giovanni Pelletier, 18, has been missing in Englewood, Florida August 01 2025

[kuromiiiilove]

"He was picked up by his cousin and two of the cousin's friends," Shelley Croft of We Are The Essentials said. "There were three individuals that came down from the Mims area to pick him up in Englewood at his grandparents' house."

Search underway for missing 18-year-old last seen in Manatee County | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

The search continues for a missing 18-year-old who was last seen in Manatee County, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

www.fox13news.com

 

[GraceG]

The Daily Mail article says he texted three different relatives asking for help. I wonder if he said anything else in those texts.

It also says his family claims the "cousins" are not helping look for him. If true, and if they are older than him, I can't say I'm very impressed. They had not even known him for a few hours and already suggesting smoking whatever, and he may have felt he had to go along with it. With cousins like these...

Reply DELETED BY ME. This was going to be a separate reply and then I realized it was already out there and didn't post but it "saved" when I went to reply to someone else. Below is what I intended to post - Grace

You are right - they drove. I must have been confused - I thought he was from out of state. Thanks!

He may have been from North Carolina - a couple of the articles implied that. Still that's not all that long of a drive when you compare multiple plane tickets and a rental car for a week.

 

[nao]

Moo...he is in a new area, with people he doesn't know. So maybe he's not used to smoking...it can make you very paranoid, it can start panic attacks. Pulling a knife is kinda over the top...but I did carry a knife in my teens early 20s...no idea how to use it, just for safety...moo

 

[PayrollNerd]

Somebody’s lying. It just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Look at the timing. 21 minutes.

I live in the area of north Sarasota. SR 70 is just north of me and Englewood is at least 45 minutes south of me.
1. There is no way on Gods Green Earth they made it from Englewood to SR 70 in 21 minutes. There are cameras along I-75.
2. If he knew he was in trouble and reached out after 21 minutes, they were still in town. I’m guessing a rider snatched his phone as soon as he texted.
3. They would not even have made it to I-75, even at 1:30am, in 21 minutes. While traffic might have been light then, there are numerous red lights, numerous cameras, curvy not well light roads, inlets from the GOM right along some of those curves. Construction is/was likely. That area is exploding with growth.
4. The “cousin & friends” are from Mims, FL about 3 to 3 1/2 hours east. They do not know these roads.
5. If there was an altercation along side I-75 near SR70, there are not many places to walk along side the road. That interchange has huge concrete barriers near the on/off ramps.
6. If this boy did walk away along I-75, he wouldn’t have to go very far to reach the off ramp and see businesses.


Snip:
He was picked up around 1:30 a.m. by individuals from his father’s side of the family - people he had never met in person, only spoken to by phone.
During the drive north on I-75, an argument reportedly occurred. Giovanni exited the vehicle near State Road 70 in Manatee County and has not been seen since.
Shortly after, at 1:51 a.m., Giovanni sent his mother a chilling text that simply read: “Help me mom.”

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

This is all quite bizarre, with such a short timeline. Hoping for a positive outcome. Assuming they are claiming they pulled over, then the altercation, then he walked away?

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Family raises reward to $25,000 for any information in case of missing North Carolina teen

Giovanni Pelletier’s family raised a reward of $25,000 for any information about the missing teen.

www.fox13news.com

Giovanni Pelletier’s family raised a reward of $25,000 for any information about the missing teen. "We are not going to stop looking for him."

*****
She’s been searching for answers that will lead to her 18-year-old son, and it’s been agonizing.

"We understand there are a lot of people who may be scared to speak up, or maybe there aren’t people who are willing to relay information, but this isn’t just a missing person. "This is our heart, and he’s part of our family," she said.

*****

 

[anonbringhimhome]

*

 

[anonbringhimhome]

The articles are saying it was 3 men. From my research, it was 2 men and 1 woman. One man is early 20s, the woman is early 30s. I believe all 3 of them are cousins (the woman and 1 of the men being brother and sister). You can see their instagrams but none have activity since approx 2016. Grandfathers Facebook had a post where he lists the names. Reddit has posts where the phone was last pinged.

 

[kmh1962]

Giovanni was vacationing with family in Englewood, Florida, when he left early Friday morning, August 1, 2025, to meet relatives in Mims, Florida. He was picked up around 1:30 a.m. by individuals from his father’s side of the family - people he had never met in person, only spoken to by phone.
During the drive north on I-75, an argument reportedly occurred. Giovanni exited the vehicle near State Road 70 in Manatee County and has not been seen since.
Shortly after, at 1:51 a.m., Giovanni sent his mother a chilling text that simply read:
“Help me mom.”
That was the last time anyone heard from him.
His phone and backpack were later found about half a mile up the road, reportedly by a truck driver near Bradenton, Florida.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating this case with assistance from Brevard County authorities.
If you have any information on Giovanni Pelletier’s whereabouts, please call the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office at (941) 639-2101. You can also contact your local authorities.

i think his cousins killed him

 

[truthfinder2019]

Summary of what is known so far

• Giovanni Pelletier, 18 yrs old from North Carolina, was visiting Englewood, Florida, in late July with his mother, Bridgette, her fiancé, and his siblings to reconnect with relatives on his father’s side
• His father is incarcerated, and Giovanni—born in Florida but raised in North Carolina since age 4—was eager to meet that part of his family
• On August 1, around 1:30 a.m., he was picked up by three cousins to drive to Mims in Brevard County
• Within 20–30 minutes after the ride began, at 1:51, Giovanni sent his mother a text: “Mom, help me.” He also tried calling and FaceTiming her, and later reached out to his aunt and grandfather
• Bridgette unfortunately didn’t see the messages and missed calls until around 6:20 am
• Giovanni’s paternal grandfather explained to his mother that an altercation occurred, allegedly over marijuana smoking; it was reported Giovanni pulled a knife and was left on the roadside in Bradenton (Manatee County) People.com
• The cousins on the other hand claim Giovanni began acting erratically, got out of the vehicle near State Road 70 on I‑75, and walked away
• Bridgette seems to strongly dispute that behavior aligns with Giovanni’s character—she believes his pleas for help indicate he was feeling threatened, not unstable
• Using GPS data from his “Find My iPhone,” Bridgette located Giovanni’s phone and backpack abandoned at the side of the road near Bradenton; she stated he would never leave those behind
• The ongoing search spans some 1,700 sq mi across Charlotte and Brevard Counties. Authorities continue to ask anyone with information to come forward
• The nonprofit search group “We Are The Essentials” has joined the effort alongside local law enforcement

Giovanni’s family seem to question the cousins’ shifting accounts and lack of involvement in the search. They also express dissatisfaction with the perceived slowness of the law enforcement response
Family underlines that Giovanni is the type of child who “eats, sleeps, breathes his phone” and that it makes no sense for him to vanish so abruptly and cry for help .

Teen Giovanni Pelletier sent haunting text to mom before vanishing on trip to see estranged dad’s family

A North Carolina teenager has been missing for six days while visiting his estranged dad’s family — vanishing soon after sending an alarming text to his mom.

nypost.com

Teen Disappears While Visiting Cousins. When His Mom Woke Up, She Had a Missed Text from Him: 'Help' (Exclusive)

Giovanni Pelletier, an 18-year-old from North Carolina, vanished last week during an out-of-state trip to reconnect with some relatives, according to his mom — and she says one of his last messages now haunts her amid his bizarre disappearance

people.com

'Mom, help': Last text from Fuquay-Varina teen before vanishing in Florida has family concerned

A family from Fuquay-Varina is pleading for help finding a missing 18-year-old after he went missing under suspicious circumstances in Florida.

www.wral.com

Missing boy sent final pleading texts as last people to see him 'change story'

THE frantically worried family of a missing teenager have revealed his heartbreaking and eerie final texts which have sparked an increasingly desperate manhunt. Fears are mounting for the safety of…

www.the-sun.com

Family raises reward to $25,000 for any information in case of missing North Carolina teen

Giovanni Pelletier’s family raised a reward of $25,000 for any information about the missing teen.

www.fox13news.com

'Mom, help me': Teen missing for nearly 1 week after going on vacation in Florida

A North Carolina family is in Florida searching for their missing 18-year-old son, who disappeared while on vacation.

abc7.com

Family searching for North Carolina 18-year-old who went missing while on vacation in Florida

"Somewhere along the ride, something happened."

abc11.com

Missing boy sent final pleading texts as last people to see him 'change story'

THE frantically worried family of a missing teenager have revealed his heartbreaking and eerie final texts which have sparked an increasingly desperate manhunt. Fears are mounting for the safety of…

www.the-sun.com

 

[LadyL]

mi opinión es que obvio esos parientes extraños que no conocía saben algo ,es imposible que de pronto se pelearon y la víctima se baje del vehículo para quedarse dónde ? El no conoce a nadie ni en lugar eso no lo hace uno ni borracho,es increíble que desaparezcan a alguien así nada más

Welcome to WS!

 

[LadyL]

Following.
This is sad and very odd !
Hoping for a good outcome but that last text was frightening.

Eta : Does this young man have a FB page ?
Was looking around and didn't see one ?

this looks like him but no activity (not unusual for someone his age) - just one public post

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Pelletier was visiting Englewood, Florida, with his mother and her fiance and wanted to reconnect with relatives from his biological father's family, Desiree Pelletier, who is Giovanni's aunt and a sister of his mother, told ABC News. While he was unable to see his father, who is incarcerated, he made plans to see three of his cousins on that side of the family, his aunt said.

With only a few days left in his vacation, Pelletier's cousins picked him up at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 to take him on the three-hour drive to their house in Mims, Florida, his aunt said. His mother was planning on picking him up the next day, according to Desiree Pelletier. But within 25 minutes of leaving, he sent his mom a text: "Help me," his aunt said.

Teen missing for nearly 1 week after going on vacation in Florida, texts mom 'help' before disappearing: Family

The search continues for a missing 18-year-old from North Carolina, who disappeared last week after vacationing with relatives in Florida, according to officials.

abcnews.go.com

 

[GraceG]

Waiting for LE to release names of any Persons of Interest. I'm sure they have already pulled the felony records for any and all parties that may be involved to see if such history is pertinent, and will conduct interviews accordingly.

 

[truthfinder2019]

The vehicle has since been seized by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Missing teen vanishes after texting ‘help me’ to mother

The search continues for 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, who texted ‘help me' to his mother and vanished while traveling with his cousin and friends to visit relatives across the state.

www.fox13news.com

 

[Kakidoll]

Still confused why Manatee county wouldn’t be involved…

Just to be clear: the ‘cousins’ who picked him up are from Mims. They picked him up in Englewood, and claim they were in the Bradenton area when the event occurred that made Giovanni leave the car.

And i'd love to know how he got out of a car on 75 at 1am in the morning. There would be no real traffic and no reason to stop. They'd have to be going 60 plus the whole way. Just doesn't add up. Unless they stopped at a gas station or something off the highway. But since they just left Englewood, no reason to stop at SR 70. From what i'm hearing, people are looking in Mims, so they think he had to have made it there. Also pretty strange for the cousins to drive 4 hours to pick him up and immediately go back. So 8 hours round trip in one day? Def. more to the story.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“He was craving the culture and the background from his dad's side of the family, and I couldn't give that to him,” said Bridgette, who is of Italian and Puerto Rican descent. “So I wanted him to have those opportunities with his dad's side.”
Before the trip, Giovanni joined a group text with some paternal relatives and arranged for three cousins to pick him up from Englewood, Fla., where he was staying. Bridgette says she had reservations, but trusted him.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1, Brown saw Giovanni leave with the cousins. Within 30 minutes, Giovanni twice texted his mother—including one that read: “Mom help.” He also called and FaceTimed her, and reached out to his sister and grandfather when she didn’t answer.

Bridgette, who had been asleep, says she didn’t see the messages until around 6:20 a.m., when she also noticed a missed call from one of the cousins placed about an hour after Giovanni was picked up. “He only called me that one time,” she said. “And then no effort was made to communicate with me. No effort was made to come back to the house to let me know.”

$10K Reward in Search for Teen Who Texted ‘Help Me’ Before Vanishing in Florida

Giovanni Pelletier was visiting family when he disappeared; his mother says she won’t stop looking until he’s found.

www.bet.com

 

[Chimera]

Somebody’s lying. It just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Look at the timing. 21 minutes.

I live in the area of north Sarasota. SR 70 is just north of me and Englewood is at least 45 minutes south of me.
1. There is no way on Gods Green Earth they made it from Englewood to SR 70 in 21 minutes. There are cameras along I-75.
2. If he knew he was in trouble and reached out after 21 minutes, they were still in town. I’m guessing a rider snatched his phone as soon as he texted.
3. They would not even have made it to I-75, even at 1:30am, in 21 minutes. While traffic might have been light then, there are numerous red lights, numerous cameras, curvy not well light roads, inlets from the GOM right along some of those curves. Construction is/was likely. That area is exploding with growth.
4. The “cousin & friends” are from Mims, FL about 3 to 3 1/2 hours east. They do not know these roads.
5. If there was an altercation along side I-75 near SR70, there are not many places to walk along side the road. That interchange has huge concrete barriers near the on/off ramps.
6. If this boy did walk away along I-75, he wouldn’t have to go very far to reach the off ramp and see businesses.


Snip:
He was picked up around 1:30 a.m. by individuals from his father’s side of the family - people he had never met in person, only spoken to by phone.
During the drive north on I-75, an argument reportedly occurred. Giovanni exited the vehicle near State Road 70 in Manatee County and has not been seen since.
Shortly after, at 1:51 a.m., Giovanni sent his mother a chilling text that simply read: “Help me mom.”

Rbm.
Good points, @PayrollNerd !
They need to pull those cameras and see if that car was driving on that road !

Sorry and I WISH Giovanni would somehow be found safe, but my mind is going to very dark places .
Picked up at 1:30 am; an odd time to be picked up for sure, imo.
Left by the road after an argument ?
No sight of him since ?
It sounds like he came from a family that loved him and I am 100 % certain he didn't run away, or is wandering and lost.
So what scenarios are left ?
My .02.

 

[Chimera]

The vehicle has since been seized by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Missing teen vanishes after texting ‘help me’ to mother

The search continues for 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, who texted ‘help me' to his mother and vanished while traveling with his cousin and friends to visit relatives across the state.

www.fox13news.com

So LE have their suspicions as well, regarding the account of that night ?
Omo.

 

[Rosiebones]

“He was craving the culture and the background from his dad's side of the family, and I couldn't give that to him,” said Bridgette, who is of Italian and Puerto Rican descent. “So I wanted him to have those opportunities with his dad's side.”
Before the trip, Giovanni joined a group text with some paternal relatives and arranged for three cousins to pick him up from Englewood, Fla., where he was staying. Bridgette says she had reservations, but trusted him.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1, Brown saw Giovanni leave with the cousins. Within 30 minutes, Giovanni twice texted his mother—including one that read: “Mom help.” He also called and FaceTimed her, and reached out to his sister and grandfather when she didn’t answer.

Bridgette, who had been asleep, says she didn’t see the messages until around 6:20 a.m., when she also noticed a missed call from one of the cousins placed about an hour after Giovanni was picked up. “He only called me that one time,” she said. “And then no effort was made to communicate with me. No effort was made to come back to the house to let me know.”

$10K Reward in Search for Teen Who Texted ‘Help Me’ Before Vanishing in Florida

Giovanni Pelletier was visiting family when he disappeared; his mother says she won’t stop looking until he’s found.

www.bet.com

When he FaceTimed his mother as mentioned above, what was the background of the picture? Was he in the back seat of the car or outside the car? It seems that it would have been difficult for him to use his phone to reach out to so many of his family if he was still in the car, wouldn't the cousins have noticed and tried to stop him? MOO MOO MOO