British model Luciana Curtis and her terrified family were kidnapped from a restaurant by a gang of armed thugs before they were held captive for 12 hours last week. Ms Curtis, husband Henrique, 53, and their 11-year-old daughter were taken from an unnamed restaurant in Sao Paolo before being held hostage in a snake and scorpion infested shack.
The armed thugs are understood to have pointed guns at the family and forced the horrified parents to make bank transfers against their will. Local police have vowed to catch the criminals and charge them with kidnapping, extortion and robbery.
Chilling new images show the derelict shack the family were forced to stay before they were allowed to leave and walk to freedom. The disturbing photos show a ramshackle building with holes in the roof, muddy floors, a horrible toilet and rubbish everywhere.
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Scorpions and snakes were also present in the building with the family, according to local media, and the police said the model was threatened with guns by their captures.
A spokesman for Luciana confirmed the kidnaping to the local press. They said: “The family has been released and they are safe and well.”
The police said they are going through CCTV footage around the unnamed restaurant where the gang abducted the family on a street named Avenida Pio XI. They are also investigating whether a burned out car found in the locality belonged to Luciana and her husband.
The model, whose husband is a photographer, was born in Sao Paolo to a Brazilian mother and English father.
Her parents are understood to be Art and Modern History professor Katia Maria Furtado de Mendonca Curtis and insurance broker Malcolm Leo Curtis.
Luciana, who is reportedly based in New York, has appeared in adverts for Harrods, H&M, Victoria's Secret, L'Oreal and Revlon. She has been married to her husband for 22 years and have two daughters together.
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