Gabby Petito: Police ban flowers at Brian Laundrie home as search scaled back
The makeshift memorial for Gabby Petito has been a constant reminder of her death for Christopher and Roberta Laundrie
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Authorities have banned members of the public from leaving flowers at a makeshift Gabby Petito memorial at the Laundrie family home in Florida.
A delivery worker from a local florist in North Port who tried to leave flowers at the home on Monday afternoon was ordered to remove them by police.
The exchange was caught on video by reporter Brian Entin.
More flowers arriving for makeshift Gabby Petito memorial on swale in front of Laundrie house – but police just said in this video it is not allowed and “it is all going to go in the garbage.” They prefer people send flowers to official memorial near city hall. pic.twitter.com/d2XWC7NahX
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 27, 2021
“There’s no memorial here,” the police officer says. “Public works are going to come here and throw it in the garbage.”
After police left, more members of the public arrived and were able to leave flowers at the address.
Meanwhile, the search of the alligator-infested Carlton Reserve near the Laundrie home has been officially taken over by FBI.
North Port Police said on Monday the search of the reserve was likely to be scaled back, as torrential rainfall had left trails under waist-deep water, hindering search efforts.
“I don’t think you’re going to see those large-scale types of efforts this week,” North Port Police Department spokesperson Josh Taylor said.
“Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access.”
The Laundrie home has attracted a large presence of members of the public and media since Brian Laundrie disappeared two weeks ago.
Protesters with loudhailers have turned out each day to call for Mr Laundrie’s parents Christopher and Roberta to tell authorities what they know about his whereabouts.