BRADENTON, Fla. - The search for missing 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier entered its eighth day on Friday, with his family offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts.

Disappearance of Giovanni Pelletier

The backstory:

Pelletier was on vacation in Englewood with family from North Carolina when he left around 1:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1, to go visit relatives on Florida’s east coast.

He got into a white Chevy Malibu with a cousin from his biological father’s side of the family, along with two of the cousin's friends, but according to relatives, Giovanni had never met the men in person. He had only spoken to one cousin on the phone before.

Roughly 25 minutes into the trip, Giovanni sent a chilling message to his mother: "Help me." He also messaged other fami

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