On Wednesday, New York-based Brazilian model Luciana Curtis was abducted in São Paulo. Luciana, her husband, Henrique Gendre, and their younger child, 11, were held hostage at gunpoint for 12 long hours.
The 47-year-old model, who was born in Brazil and reportedly lives in New York but often visits Sao Paulo and London, as out for a dinner with her family. A group of masked, armed men ambushed a family as they left a restaurant in the city. The bandits forced the family into their own vehicle, the GWM Haval SUV with a value of over $33,000.
They took them away to a run-down shack on the outskirts of Brasilândia, where they were held hostage for the night.
According to police and media reports, the shack was hardly habitable. It had only a mattress, a sink, and a toilet. The family was held captive for 12 hours, during which Curtis and Gendre were forced to transfer all their funds to the gang’s bank accounts. The criminals also stole the family’s car.
The horrific experience was eventually discovered when the couple’s eldest child, who remained at home, grew worried due to their failure to come back and alerted relatives. The police were informed by the relatives, and a search was conducted. On Thursday, the kidnappers escaped, taking the family with them as they left in the shack, but Curtis, her husband, and their child were still able to call for locals to guide them to safety.
A spokesperson for Curtis later confirmed that the family was unharmed but shaken by the traumatic experience. “The family has been released, and they are safe and well,” the statement read.
Luciana Curtis is a star in the fashion world. Born to a British father and Brazilian mother in São Paulo, Luciana won the title of Brazilian Supermodel of the World in 1993. She has appeared on the covers of Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan, as well as modeled for H&M, Harrods, and Victoria’s Secret.
Police are continuing their investigation, but no arrests have been made yet.
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