A North Carolina teen has mysteriously vanished while visiting family in Florida, just moments after sending a haunting message to his mother.
The New York Post reports that Giovanni Pelletier, 18, disappeared in the early hours of Friday morning, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, after he exited a car traveling along Interstate 75 near SR70 in Englewood, roughly 45 minutes south of Sarasota.
He had been in the vehicle with cousins on his father’s side when he reportedly began acting erratically and suddenly got out of the car and walked off. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Investigators from both Charlotte County and Brevard County have launched a search, but so far there have been no confirmed sightings. Giovanni’s phone and backpack were found abandoned on the roadside, deepening the mystery and leaving his family desperate for answers, PEOPLE reports.
Giovanni’s mother, Bridgette, 34, told PEOPLE that she woke up to a series of alarming text messages from her son (one even reading: "Help, mom") and missed FaceTime and call attempts, all sent around 2 a.m. When she didn’t respond, he also texted his aunt and father.
She says one of Giovanni’s cousins made a single call to her, but after that, there was no effort from his relatives to update her or return to the house.
Bridgette shared that Giovanni had only recently reconnected with his father’s family. Born in Florida but raised in North Carolina, he had expressed a desire to explore his roots. “He was craving the culture and the background from his dad’s side of the family, and I couldn’t give that to him,” she said.
Since his disappearance, Bridgette says communication with his paternal relatives has been minimal. One message from Giovanni’s grandfather mentioned an altercation on the side of the road between the cousins but offered no further detail.
According to Bridgette, one cousin claimed they were smoking marijuana when Giovanni began panicking and allegedly pulled out a knife, behavior she insists is completely out of character.
Giovanni’s aunt, Desiree, has taken to Facebook and TikTok, urging the public not to assume her nephew ran away. She says Giovanni had been traveling with three boys he had never met in person before.
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a reward and search resources. "Giovanni is smart, kind, and full of life," the page reads. "He didn’t deserve this.”
Giovanni was last seen in a white Chevrolet Malibu, wearing a Carhartt beanie, white tank top, and black sweatpants. He’s about 5’11” and weighs 140 lbs.
Anyone with information is urged to contact local law enforcement, who will coordinate with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.