**Headline: Wake County Teen Found Dead in Florida Pond During Family Vacation**

**RALEIGH, N.C.** – A family vacation ended in tragedy this week when an 18-year-old from Wake County was found dead in a Florida pond on Tuesday morning. The teen, identified as Giovanni Pelletier, disappeared after exhibiting erratic behavior, according to local authorities.

The incident occurred in Manatee County, Florida, where Pelletier was vacationing with his family. According to a statement from Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, Pelletier’s cousin reported that the teen began “tripping” after smoking marijuana, which allegedly led to the events that followed.

Authorities pieced together Pelletier’s final moments using surveillance footage from the area near Interstate 75 and a Lowe’s home improvement store. The video captured Pelletier running south across the busy interstate, where he was nearly struck by a truck. The footage then shows him continuing on his own, eventually running down a hill and into a nearby pond.

Sheriff Wells confirmed that the video evidence shows Pelletier was by himself during the incident. “There’s no one in this area with Giovanni; there’s no one that’s chasing him, he’s by himself,” Wells stated.

While the video shows Pelletier entering the water, the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear. “What we don’t know is what happened when he hit that pond,” Sheriff Wells added. “I don’t know.”

The investigation into the specific cause of death is ongoing. No further details have been released at this time.