Freelance correspondent Charlotte Peet was last known to have been in Sao Paulo before losing contact with family and friends – but missing persons detectives say they have made a key discovery
Detectives searching for British journalist Charlotte Peet in Brazil have announced a new breakthrough which they hope may help them solve her mystery disappearance.
Charlotte was last heard from on February 8 after she messaged a friend on WhatsApp telling her she was in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo but planned to fly to Rio de Janeiro, 200 miles north. Family and friends haven’t heard from the 32-year-old for 12 days, while missing persons investigators in Brazil have tried to track her movements through her mobile phone and bank account, but so far without success.
Sao Paulo’s civil police has also searched in hospitals and morgues in the city, according to reports. Tonight, however, it has been reported that detectives from the force’s Department of Homicides and Personal Protection (DHPP) have found evidence that Charlotte bought a plane ticket from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, but didn’t board.
Officers are now trying to determine the reason she never took her planned flight, and are looking for CCTV images which might help track her movements and determine what happened. Brazil’s SBT news channel also reported how an American friend of the journalist told how Charlotte’s family had requested that she return to the UK at the end of 2023 because they were concerned about her “party life” in the country.
Charlotte, who had worked as a journalist in Brazil for two years, returned to the South American country in November last year, but without telling her family. But it appears she didn’t plan to stay long. Just four days before she went missing, Charlotte had shared a message in a Facebook group about renting apartments in London.
She wrote: “Hello. I’m looking for a double room in South West/East London: East Dulwich, Brixton, Herne Hill, Clapham, Balham, Streatham, Camberwell etc or would consider venturing east to the right place. I’m a 32-year-old journalist, friendly, respectful and organised. I love reading, keeping active and chatting to friends.
“Let me know if I sound like a good fit! Thanks!” Charlotte was reported missing on Monday by her friend in Rio de Janeiro after her family called her to say they had lost contact. According to Brazil’s Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, Charlotte’s family passed on to police the details of her bank account as well as the IMEI number of her mobile phone to assist in their investigations.
Detectives from Rio de Janeiro’s tourist police department (DEAT) reportedly made several calls to her mobile phone but none were answered. Police sources told the newspaper that they haven’t ruled out the possibility that she has deliberately cut ties with her family and friends.
Her father, Derek Peet, today told Sky News she flew back to the South American country without telling her family. “I wouldn’t say that it was normal, there was something on her mind obviously otherwise she would have let us know,” he said.
Days later her family contacted the friend saying they had lost contact with the journalist and her mother reported her missing to police. “She was then traced to Gatwick Airport and was found to have boarded a plane to Sao Paulo and then the trail went cold,” said Mr Peet.
“It’s very worrying but I don’t have any more to say, I’m very concerned but I just don’t know what’s going on, we’re just trying to pick up the pieces really.” In a statement, the British Embassy in Brazil said it is “assisting the British citizen’s family and in contact with local authorities.”
The Brazilian Foreign Press Association (ACIE) released a statement expressing their concern for Ms Peet’s disappearance on Tuesday. Association president Edmar Figueiredo said: “The Brazilian Foreign Press Association (ACIE) would like to publicly express its concern about the disappearance of 32-year-old British journalist Charlotte Alice Peet and show solidarity with her family and friends.”
“Charlotte spent more than two years in Rio de Janeiro where she worked as a freelance correspondent. After heading back to London, she returned to Brazil last November.” The statement continued that Ms Peet’s family had provided information about her flight to Brazil as well as a passport photo to help the investigation.
“As a freelance journalist Charlotte knew some of the foreign correspondents who are members of the Brazilian Foreign Press Association. She reported from Brazil for foreign media, including Al Jazeera and British and even Portuguese media outlets.
“The ACIE and its leadership calls on the relevant authorities to intensify their work to try to find the missing British journalist as soon as possible.” Charlotte described herself as fluent in Portuguese with nine years experience as a journalist, including four years reporting abroad.
