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Authorities have discovered a body near the area where missing teen Giovanni Pelletier was last seen in Florida

The 18-year-old has been missing since Aug. 1

Giovanni's mother said her son expressed interest in reconnecting with paternal relatives and arranged to be picked up by some of them before he disappeared

A body has been discovered near the area where missing teen Giovanni Pelletier was last seen in Florida.

The decomposing body of what appears to be a male was found in a retention pond off of I-75 and State Road 70 on Friday, Aug. 8, according to spokesperson Randy Warren of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), per WWSB and WRAL .

Warren said authorities cannot confirm the identity of the body at this time. He added that police were keeping Giovanni

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