Vigil Held for Teen Who Died After Texting Mom 'Help'. His Girlfriend Says What Happened Is Still 'Very Confusing'

A vigil has been held for a teen who was recovered dormant days aft texting his mom “help” while retired of authorities to reconnect pinch family.

Giovanni Pelletier, 18, was found dead successful a pond successful Florida successful August, authorities antecedently announced.

The teen was seen connected video sprinting down an embankment adjacent wherever he was later recovered dead, they said. He had precocious traveled pinch family to Florida from Raleigh, N.C., successful July.

A vigil for Giovanni was held connected Saturday, Sept. 13, astatine Hope Community Church successful Apex, N.C., according to CBS connection WNCN. His girlfriend Arden said nan business remains “very confusing and very difficult to process.”

“No matter what, he was ever spitting immoderate jokes, uncovering thing funny, he was ever conscionable being nan brightest personification successful nan room,” Arden said, according to WNCN.

His maternal relative Morgan Hall added, “We’re conscionable trying to support pushing forward, support our heads precocious and do what he would want america to do and observe him nan champion we could.”

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells antecedently said Giovanni was picked up successful Englewood — wherever he had been staying — by a paternal relative and 2 of nan cousin's friends astatine astir 1:30 a.m. section clip connected Aug. 1. The group was going to return Giovanni to Brevard County.

Bridgette Pelletier, Giovanni’s mom, antecedently told PEOPLE that her boy texted her doubly astir 30 minutes aft he was picked up. One of his messages read, "Mom help."

Giovanni was seen connected video sprinting down an embankment adjacent wherever he was later recovered dead, authorities said a news convention connected Aug. 19.

"He's coming down there, almost [at an] uncontrollable sprint," Wells said of nan footage. "The important point that I want you to spot — there's nary 1 chasing him. There's nary 1 astir him."

He added, "He's by himself. And what we don't cognize is what happened erstwhile he deed that pond."

At nan clip Giovanni was seen moving down nan embankment, nan car he had been picked up successful was 2 miles away. The 3 individuals who had been pinch Giovanni were “cooperative” pinch investigators and turned complete nan conveyance to authorities who searched it, Wells said.

Authorities believed Giovanni was successful nan pond for days earlier his assemblage was located. No foul play is suspected successful relationship pinch nan teen’s death.

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Additionally, investigators judge Giovanni whitethorn person smoked marijuana pinch his cousins earlier getting successful nan car, according to WNCN. Family and friends are still awaiting nan results of a toxicology trial connected nan teen’s remains.

“As of correct now, we’re still conscionable successful nan waiting process, which makes it harder to grieve but it gives you a small dream astatine nan extremity of nan time that we mightiness get a amended solution successful nan end,” Hall said.