Brazil journalist stumbles on girl's body in water while reporting her disappearance: 'Will never forget'

Search teams recovered the body of the missing girl at the exact site the journalist had pointed out.

A Brazilian television reporter inadvertently made a tragic discovery while filming a segment about a missing 13-year-old girl, who had vanished in the Mearim River in Maranhao state. The girl, identified as Raissa, had gone missing on June 30 while swimming with friends in the river near the city of Bacabal.

Local journalist Lenildo Frazao was filming a piece on the teenager’s disappearance when he stepped into the river to demonstrate the current and illustrate the challenges rescuers were facing in their search efforts. As he moved into the water, he suddenly recoiled, believing he had come into contact with something unusual beneath the surface.

In the footage that has since circulated widely on social media, Frazao can be seen wading through chest-deep water and narrating the scene when he abruptly stops and says: “I think there’s something down here at the bottom of the water.”

He then hesitates, appearing visibly disturbed by the sensation, and retreats from the spot.

“No, I’m not going, I’m scared. It looked like an arm – could it be her? But it might be a fish, too, I don’t know.”

Although he did not confirm anything at that moment, he alerted rescue teams about what he felt in the water. Acting on his instinct, firefighters and divers from the local search-and-rescue unit returned to the location Frazao indicated.

Shortly afterwards, search teams recovered the body of the missing girl at the exact site the journalist had pointed out. Authorities later confirmed the body to be Raissa’s and stated that a post-mortem examination revealed no signs of violence or foul play. Her cause of death was determined to be accidental drowning.

Frazao, visibly shaken by the incident, later described his experience to the media, saying he had a gut feeling that something was not right the moment he stepped on what felt like an arm.

“It was terrifying. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but something told me we needed to alert the firefighters immediately.”

Brazilian journalist discovers body of missing 12yo girl while filming report about her disappearance pic.twitter.com/73ygG2tGYh

— RT (@RT_com) July 21, 2025

The girl had reportedly entered the river with a group of friends to cool off from the intense summer heat, a common activity in the region. However, the Mearim River is known for its strong current and hidden underwater sinkholes, making it extremely dangerous for swimmers unfamiliar with the terrain.

Frazao had mentioned these hazards in his report moments before making the shocking discovery. “This area is full of uneven ground, hidden holes – it’s easy for someone to slip under and not come back up.”

According to local reports, the girl’s body was recovered later that day and returned to her family. She was buried the same evening in Bacabal.

The incident has drawn widespread attention across Brazil, not only for the heartbreaking nature of the loss but also for the eerie timing of the discovery. Many viewers expressed shock that the journalist unknowingly walked over the missing teen’s remains while filming a segment about her disappearance.

On social media, some users commended Frazao for his quick thinking, saying that had he ignored the strange sensation, the girl’s body might have gone undiscovered for even longer. Others highlighted the importance of better safety signage and community awareness regarding hazardous swimming zones.

Meanwhile, Frazao, while deeply affected by the incident, has resumed his reporting duties, but said the experience has left a lasting impact.

“You never expect something like this to happen while doing your job. I’ll never forget what I felt that day in the river.”