The daughter of a British businessman was kidnapped along with her husband and kids outside a restaurant in Brazil.
Model Luciana Curtis, her husband Henrique Gendre, and their 11-year-old son were imprisoned in a shack during the heinous incident.
Armed thieves ambushed the family and detained them for about 12 hours, allegedly snatching their car and money from their bank accounts before letting them go.
The three was leaving a restaurant in Alto do Lapa, Sao Paulo, on Wednesday night when they were apprehended by the group.
According to local accounts, the couple’s eldest kid discovered that her family had not come home the next morning and alerted authorities.
The horrified girl contacted a relative, who alerted the authorities.
The model, who has worked with Beyonce and been on the covers of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, was detained in a shack with her family overnight, according to sources.
HORROR ORDEAL
The wooden home in Brasilandia, one of San Paulo’s 96 districts, contained only a mattress, a toilet, and a sink.
Luciana, her husband, and their youngest kid were released by their captors while police searched for the family.
The terrified family sought assistance from locals after their attackers fled the hideaway and stole the model’s car.
They were quickly transported to safety, and a spokesman for the 47-year-old model confirmed the incident to local media, stating, “The family has been released and they are safe and well.”
While they were imprisoned, their kidnappers are believed to have transferred funds from the couple’s bank accounts to their own.
A specialist police anti-kidnapping team is investigating, and officers have been reviewing CCTV footage from the nameless eatery where the gang struck.
In a statement, police stated that “armed criminals approached the victims outside a restaurant and took them captive.”
“During the search by specialist police teams, the gang abandoned the family and fled.”
Neither Luciana nor her husband have made any comments about the incident.
Brazilian-born Luciana is the daughter of Malcolm Leo Curtis, a British businessman, and Katia Maria Furtado de Mendonca Curtis, a teacher.
She was born in São Paulo but resides largely in New York.
The lovely brunette reached the final of the Brazilian Supermodel of the World in 1993, having started modelling at the age of 14.
While she was shopping, a scout approached her and handed her an invitation to the tournament.
Luciana finished in the top four and went on to appear on the cover of several magazines.
She also appeared in a global commercial for L’Oreal’s “True Match” powder and foundation alongside Beyoncé.
Earlier this year, she appeared on the cover of ELLE Brazil, alongside other models.
The publication consisted of a “ode to Brazilian supermodels who, from the late 1990s to the present day, have been taking the profession abroad, appearing on catwalks for major brands, and becoming muses of legendary stylists and established photographers” .