GABBY PETITO INVESTIGATION
Instagram account of missing woman returns after being deactivated
Sep 15, 2021, 9:12 AM | Updated: Jun 8, 2022, 1:45 pm
The Instagram account of Gabrielle Petito, 22, was briefly taken down Wednesday morning.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Instagram account of missing 22-year-old Gabrielle Petito is back online after it was briefly deactivated Wednesday morning.
A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, said the account was removed in error and has been reinstated.
Family members told KSL’s Garna Mejia they nor the FBI took the account down, and officials with the North Port Police Department in Florida added they did not request a change in the account’s status.
Suffolk County authorities declined to comment while the account was down.
@NorthPortPolice tell me they did not deactivate or delete #GabbyPetito’s @instagram account. @SCPDHq declined to comment. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/VZX2uaXFXP
— Garna Mejia (@GarnaMejiaKSL) September 15, 2021
The Instagram account has been key in putting together a preliminary timeline on Petito’s whereabouts during a cross-country trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie.
Laundrie released a statement through his attorney Tuesday, which said, “This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family.”
NEW STATEMENT:
Brian Laundrie's attorney released this about Gabrielle Petito's disappearance. Laundrie hasn't released any info publicly about why he went back to Florida without her.
I've asked North Port PD if they've made contact with his attorney yet.#MissingPerson pic.twitter.com/GoJeSCuIvC
— Morgan Wolfe (@MorganWolfeNews) September 14, 2021
Earlier Tuesday, officials with the Moab Police Department said they responded to a 911 call regarding the couple on Aug. 12.
The call was phoned in by a third party, and Chief Bret Edge with the Moab City Police Department said officers investigated and found “insufficient evidence” to make criminal charges.
The department released a report Wednesday afternoon detailing the incident, which officers said would be more accurately described as a “mental/emotional health ‘break’ than domestic assault.”
Laundrie’s attorney said a search for Petito is underway in Grand Teton National Park.
“On behalf of the Laundrie family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family.”
Petito’s family issued a statement to NBC-affiliate WNBC, begging Laundrie to not “remain in the background” and help find the woman he called the love of his life.
#Breaking Gabby Petito’s family responds to Brian Laundrie’s statement. #nbc4ny #wheresgabby #FindGabby pic.twitter.com/pnpvrsmIRx
— Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) September 14, 2021
