MYSTERY DISAPPEARANCE
Missing psychologist seen in CCTV boarding bus before she jumped over fence and vanished – as cops find her tote bag
COPS have released new CCTV in an urgent hunt for a missing Brazilian woman who vanished a week ago.
Vitoria Figueiredo-Barreto, 30, was last seen at the University of Essex campus, in Wivenhoe, on March 3.
Police have now released CCTV that shows the psychologist, originally from Brazil, boarding a local bus.
Footage captures her stepping onto a number 87 service at just after 1pm and arriving in Brightlingsea at 2.30pm.
Vitoria was last seen wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and black trainers.
More video appears to show her climbing over a nearby boatyard fence in the early hours of March 4.
A member of the public found a bag of the 30-year-old’s possessions in the area, on Copperas Road, yesterday afternoon.
Vitoria’s friend Liliane Silva said she had made plans to work on a project at the campus library before her disappearance.
The pair were also set to explore Cambridge together at the weekend.
She said: “In our opinion, she got [the bus] on the wrong side of the road, the Brazilian side.”
“It’s hard to eat, it’s hard to sleep. It’s hard to think at all.
“We know she is probably not in a good place. Probably worried out of her mind, upset, struggling.
“We don’t know really why and we don’t want to judge it now, we just want her with us.
“It was never her behaviour which is why we are so scared.
“Please help us to find this amazing person who makes such a huge difference in this world.”
Deputy Superintendent, Anna Granger, led a press conference at Hurst Green in Brightlingsea this afternoon.
She said: “Vitoria was reported as missing to us on Wednesday 4 March.
“She hadn’t been in contact with loved ones since the previous day, Tuesday 3 March, after she had met a friend at Essex University.
“We now know that after she met with her friend she got on the number 87 bus in Boundary Road, Wivenhoe, just after 1pm and got off 30 minutes later in Bellfield Avenue, Brightlingsea.
“Once off the bus, she was then seen on doorbell footage in the Hurst Green area shortly after 2.30pm.
“At that time, Vitoria was wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and dark trainers with white soles.
“She was also carrying a white shoulder tote bag with the words ‘people over profit’.
“We are now able to confirm a bag matching that description has been located on a greenspace, close to Copperas Road, in Brightlingsea.
“It was located by a member of the public shortly after 2pm yesterday. Vitoria’s family has been updated and continues to be supported by specialist officers.”
DS Granger said the force are continuing “their “detailed searches” in Brightlingsea today.
Specialist search dogs and volunteers from Essex Search and Rescue are assisting.
“And finally, to Vitoria’s loved ones – I promise we are doing all we can to find her,” the Detective added.
Vitoria, who hails from the city of Fortaleza in north-east Brazil, left her homeland in January to travel to Morocco for a conference before heading to Britain.
