A teenager who went missing while on vacation in Florida sent a text message reading, “Help me” before disappearing, according to ABC News.
Eighteen-year-old Giovanni Pelletier was on vacation in Englewood, Florida, with his mother and her fiance and made plans to see cousins on his father’s side of the family, ABC News reported. Pelletier’s cousins picked him up at 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 and were going to drive him to their house in Mims, Florida, which is three hours away. Within 25 minutes of leaving, Pelletier sent his mother a text reading, “Help me,” the outlet reported.
The teen also sent texts to his grandfather and an aunt asking for help. After not being able to get in touch with her son, Pelletier’s mother contacted the authorities and the cousins with Pelletier. The cousins claimed the group had been smoking marijuana when Pelletier purportedly began to panic and pulled out a knife. The cousins also told police that Pelletier “began to act erratically before exiting the vehicle,” the outlet reported, citing a statement from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Pelletier’s aunt, Desiree Pelletier reacted to his disappearance, telling WRAL she believes “something happened” to her nephew.
“Something is wrong. Something happened,” Desiree said.
The teen’s aunt also expressed concerns that her nephew’s cousins may be involved in his disappearance and might have changed their story.
“How on earth are we supposed to be okay with these three boys saying this is what happened and then they change it? Then someone lies about their name as well? How are we supposed to be okay and not go for the possibility of something happened to him?” Desiree explained to WRAL.
Desiree said her nephew’s mother had his location on her phone, and the phone last pinged near a highway in Manatee County, Florida. A truck driver purportedly picked up a bag found on the side of the road, turning it over to police, the outlet reported, citing the teen’s aunt.
Pelletier was last seen in a white Chevy Malibu, FOX 13 reported. His family is offering a $25,000 reward to anyone who has information on his whereabouts, according to the outlet.