As Gabby Petito became a hashtag during the fall of 2021 after she disappeared on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend and was later found dead, a singer claimed that Petito was part of a music video filmed to commemorate another tragedy that occurred years before.
The music video for the song "Irreplaceable" was sung by Deb Henson and filmed over two days in 2013. It commemorated a December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which resulted in the killing of 20 schoolchildren and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary. The video shows children holding signs that call on others to "be kind" and say "I deserve a future."
At around 3:27, we see a young girl drawing, and then holding, a sign saying, "Irreplaceable." According to Henson, that girl was Petito.
Henson told The Independent that Gabby and her brothers were a part of the video after her stepmother, Tara Petito, gave permission when a mutual friend connected them. At the time, Gabby was only 14 years old.
She added, "Gabby's an artist, that's why we had her drawing under the tree in the video. She was destined to do great things. Great things will happen from this."
Henson also told People magazine: "Working with Gabby was awesome. She was just a sweet girl who wanted to help and be involved. She was full of love for everyone. I think that's why this story has resonated. You can feel her love for life [ …] It's profound and ironic that she was in this specific video. Her family are good people and don't deserve such agony and tragedy, no one does. I know her family will find the positive eventually and do great things in the name of Gabby."
The funeral home where Gabby's memorial service took place uploaded a video of photographs of her over the years that was put together by her family.
We should also note that Gabrielle Petito, her brothers and her stepmother Tara are mentioned in the credits of the video as well.
On that basis, we originally deduced that it was likely the girl in the "Irreplaceable" music video was Petito. Confirmation finally arrived in the form of a belated message from a family friend in July 2025. We have changed the fact-check rating of this claim from unproven to true.
Maija Polsley, the family friend who connected Tara Petito to Henson and who is also in the credits of the music video, responded to us over Facebook, confirming that she had suggested Gabby be a part of the project: "That's me and Gabby and her brothers on her fathers side are playing [with] my sons."
Gabby's story gained national attention earlier in September after her then-boyfriend Brian Laundrie returned alone from a cross-country trip they were taking together. A few days later, her family reported her as missing. On Sept. 19, 2021, her remains were found in a national park in Wyoming. A few days later, the FBI confirmed that she had been killed by someone. Authorities began searching for Laundrie, who was considered a person of interest in the case, and was reported missing by his family on Sept. 17, 2021. Laundrie's remains were found in October 2021, and police concluded he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. According to the FBI, in writings in his notebook, he claimed responsibility for Gabby's death.