British Journalist Charlotte Peet Found Safe in Brazil After Months Missing

June 04, 2025 – UK/Brazil – 

Charlotte Alice Peet, a 32-year-old British journalist, has been found safe in Brazil nearly four months after she was reported missing. Known for her coverage of South American affairs for outlets like The Independent, Al Jazeera, and The Times, Peet had been living in Brazil and returned to the country in November 2024. She last communicated with her family on February 8, 2025, telling them she was headed to Rio de Janeiro in search of accommodation. After that, she went silent, prompting growing concern.

Peet’s family filed a missing person report on February 17, and Brazilian authorities launched a joint search with support from the British embassy. Her disappearance triggered wide concern among international journalist communities, with the Brazilian Association of Foreign Correspondents calling for urgent efforts to find her.

After weeks of tracing phone activity and credit card use, police located Peet on March 27 at a hostel in the Jardins neighborhood of São Paulo. Authorities said she was not in danger and was living voluntarily under the radar. According to officials, Peet made it clear she did not want to return home or reestablish contact with her family. As a result, the case was officially closed.

Peet’s disappearance and reappearance raise sensitive questions about personal autonomy and public concern. While her father previously described her silence as “not normal,” investigators found no signs of foul play. Fluent in Portuguese and experienced with Brazil’s complex social landscape, Peet had been staying in various hostels in Rio’s Copacabana and Botafogo neighborhoods before moving to São Paulo.

Officials emphasized that Peet’s decision to cut contact was her own and that she was in full control of her actions. Despite the relief at her being safe, the case highlights the fine line between personal privacy and family or institutional worry when journalists working abroad suddenly go silent.

The incident also illustrates how journalists’ lives can be misunderstood in high-risk or unfamiliar settings, where independence can sometimes be misread as distress. Peet has not made any public comment.

Reference – 

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/british-journalist-found-brazil-charlotte-peet-b2762866.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/police-find-british-journalist-reported-missing-brazil-2025-06-02/

https://people.com/journalist-is-found-safe-in-brazil-months-after-she-disappeared-11747493