The mystery over the disappearance of British investigative journalist Charlotte Alice Peet has deepened, with police maintaining that there is 'no evidence she is in danger' despite not hearing from her for weeks.

Peet, 32, whose work has appeared in Al Jazeera, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, The Times, and The Independent, was last seen leaving a hostel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 24.

CCTV footage shows her entering the lobby at 6:38 pm, wearing a white top and carrying a small rucksack, appearing to be alone. No trace of her has been found since.

Peet, originally from Oxfordshire, was known for her investigative reporting on corruption, human rights, global finance, and political lobbying.

Colleagues noted she had been working on a 'sensitive' investigation involving offshore funds and lobbying networks in Brussels earlier in the year. It remains unclear whether the story was ever submitted for publication.

Friends said she was due to meet an editor that day, but never showed up. Initially, her absence raised no alarm as it was not unusual for her to disconnect while working.

One close associate said it was not new for Peet to drop out of contact while working in the field.

They said: 'When she was working on a trafficking story in Hungary, she went off-grid for almost a week. But she always came back. This time, she didn't.'

Since her disappearance, emails have gone unanswered, her phone has gone straight to voicemail, and her social media account has remained inactive. She also missed two scheduled appointments in the following days.

Peet's flat showed no disturbance, though her passport, laptop charger, and wallet were left behind. A travel toothbrush was missing, but no other major items appeared to be taken. Her bank accounts and cards have not been used since March 3.

A police spokesman said: 'At this stage, there is no indication of foul play. We are in contact with Ms Peet's family and are continuing to make enquiries.'

Peet's career has included reporting in Belarus, Ukraine, and East Africa, where she was briefly detained in 2022 while covering Chinese-backed infrastructure developments. In 2021, she narrowly avoided arrest in Belarus after filming political protests.

Journalist Amira Mzali, who worked with Peet in Ukraine in 2023, said: 'She wasn't reckless, but she wasn't afraid either.

'She always said, 'If something happens to me, follow the bylines—my stories will explain everything.' But right now, we don't even have the stories.'

Mzali added that Peet had recently voiced dissatisfaction with the media industry.

'She was tired of clickbait, tired of editors killing serious stories. She'd mentioned wanting to take a break. But not like this.'

Recently, digital privacy experts assisting her friends reported that Peet's laptop appeared to have been remotely wiped a few days after her last known sighting.

Cybersecurity consultant Ben Falk described the erasure as 'highly unusual and professionally executed.'

Falk added: 'She had the skills to disappear if she wanted to. She used encrypted messaging, changed devices frequently, and had a deep understanding of surveillance avoidance. But the motivation is the missing piece.'

Peet's parents, who have declined to speak publicly, released a short statement through a family friend: 'We hope our daughter is safe and will return to us soon. We ask for privacy at this time.'

Her flat remains untouched. Sources say unfinished notes, draft articles, and a half-written pitch to The New Yorker were found on her iPad. Her scarf was still hanging by the door.

Peet's X account, last active on March 2, includes several cryptic retweets and replies, mostly relating to press freedom, encrypted technology, and surveillance legislation in the UK and EU.

One February 25 tweet reads: 'Sometimes you have to get very quiet to be heard.'

Despite growing public interest, authorities said there have been no confirmed sightings since March 4, no digital communication, and no evidence indicating voluntary travel or an emergency situation.