International Model Luciana Curtis and Family Held Hostage for 12 Hours in Brazil
Luciana Curtis, a 47-year-old international model, her photographer husband Henrique Gendre, and their 11-year-old child were kidnapped and held hostage for 12 hours in her home country, Brazil, on Wednesday night. The armed criminals approached the victims outside a restaurant in an upscale neighborhood in São Paulo and took them captive.
According to reports, the family was forced to drive to a shack on the outskirts of the city, where they were held overnight with minimal amenities, including a mattress, toilet, and sink. They were released early Thursday after the kidnappers stole money from their bank accounts.
Curtis, who was born in Brazil, has had a successful modeling career, appearing on the covers of magazines such as Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan and working with celebrities like Beyoncé. The family was forced to go into hiding after police failed to find them initially. The couple’s oldest child, who did not accompany them to dinner, alerted authorities when they did not return.
The family has been released and is safe and well, according to a representative. However, no arrests have been made as yet in connection with the kidnapping.
