BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The remains of 18-year-old Giovanni Peletier, a North Carolina teen, were found in a retention pond near I-75 in Manatee County, Florida, days after he was last seen.
Peletier was positively identified through dental records after his remains were discovered about 160 miles southwest of Brevard County, where he was headed.
“There’s never been anything to lead me to believe that something negative would happen or I never would have let him get in that car,” said his mother, who is seeking answers.
Peletier was vacationing with his family near Fort Myers when he was last seen heading towards Brevard County.
His family reported that he began acting erratically and got out of the car.
The family has expressed dissatisfaction with the local law enforcement’s handling of the case and is asking the FBI to investigate due to what they perceive as a lack of urgency.
The cause of Peletier’s death remains undetermined, pending toxicology results, which are expected to take several weeks.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
