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 not ruled out the possibility she deliberately cut ties
Detectives investigating the disappearance of British journalist Charlotte Peet in Brazil have revealed that her mobile phone is still switched on – but calls are not being answered.
The new information may give renewed hope to the family of the 32-year-old, who has been missing for 11 days. Charlotte, who had worked for two years as a reporter in Brazil, was last heard from on February 8 after she messaged a friend on WhatsApp telling her she was in Sao Paulo but planning to travel to Rio de Janeiro, 200 miles north.
Days later, the family contacted her friend to say they had lost contact. According to Brazil’s Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, Charlotte’s family passed onto police the details of her bank account as well as the IMEI number of her mobile phone to assist in their investigations.
After she was reported missing on Monday, detectives from Rio de Janeiro’s tourist police department (DEAT) reportedly made several calls to her mobile phone but none were answered. However, the fact her mobile is still switched suggests the phone has been recharged.
The case is now being investigated by 5th Missing Persons Division of Sao Paulo’s State Department of Homicides And Personal Protection (DHPP). Police sources told the newspaper that they haven’t ruled out the possibility that she has deliberately cut ties with her family and friends.
They also revealed details of the friend’s interview with police when she reported the disappearance. She said Charlotte had called her saying she would be travelling to Rio and needed a place to stay, but the friend told her that her house was full and could not accommodate her. After that, they did not speak again.
According to friends, Charlotte, who had worked as a freelance journalist in Brazil since 2020, returned to London at the end of 2023 at her family’s request. She arrived back in Brazil in November last year.
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.
