A British journalist who went missing in Brazil four months ago has been found in the city of São Paulo.
Charlotte Alice Peet, 32, had been missing since early February after flying to Brazil without telling anyone.
The freelance reporter, who has worked with Al Jazeera and various British news outlets, was found in a hostel in Sao Paulo, police confirmed on Monday, per the Daily Mail.
Authorities stated that Charlotte “expressed her desire not to have contact with her family,” and with that, the case into her disappearance has officially been closed.
What initially sparked concern was Charlotte’s decision to leave the UK without notifying loved ones. Her family only learned she had boarded a flight to Sao Paulo after her mother filed a missing persons report and police traced her to Gatwick Airport.
“I wouldn't say that it was normal, there was something on her mind obviously otherwise she would have let us know,” her father, Derek Peet, told Sky News.
“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.”
The search took a turn in February when Brazilian media picked up the story. Charlotte had been spotted boarding a bus from Sao Paulo's Tiete Bus Terminal to Rio de Janeiro.
Later, she was seen in a beach bar near Copacabana—more specifically, on Gustavo Sampaio Street, close to Leme Beach.
A photo reportedly taken on February 15 showed her at the unnamed beach bar. Police sources confirmed she reached Rio on February 8 and stayed at a hostel in Copacabana until February 17.
After that, she moved to another hostel in the nearby neighborhood of Botafogo.
Though the initial missing persons report was filed in Rio, the case was bounced between jurisdictions before it landed with Rio’s missing persons unit, once it was confirmed she had made it to the city.
One particularly puzzling detail: just four days before leaving Sao Paulo, Charlotte had posted in a London housing group on Facebook. Her message seemed entirely routine:
“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.”
Despite sounding upbeat, she disappeared not long after. A female friend in Rio was the last person to hear from her directly.
On February 8, Charlotte messaged her saying she was heading to Rio and looking for a place to stay. The friend couldn’t help and became alarmed when Charlotte didn’t respond to follow-ups. Her family’s efforts to reach her also went unanswered.
Charlotte had spent two years working as a journalist in Brazil and reportedly returned to the country in November—again, without notifying her family.
For now, authorities are respecting her wishes. She’s safe, she’s alive, and she doesn’t want contact.