A martial arts influencer has been found dead on a beach in Brazil after her friends reportedly left the scene and went home when she failed to return from swimming in the sea. Tamyris Teixeira Santos, 36, was last seen entering the water at Leblon Beach in Rio de Janeiro on April 18.
The influencer, who had over 18,000 followers on Instagram, had visited a beachfront kiosk with her friends before deciding to go for a swim at around 5pm. However, when she did not come back, her companions chose to go home instead of searching for her or alerting authorities.
Her family only learned of her disappearance the following day, when staff at the kiosk contacted them to inform them that her personal belongings had been left behind. A search operation was launched, and on April 21, her body was found on the shore at Botafogo Beach.
Her mother, Elisabeth Teixeira, expressed her bewilderment, insisting that her daughter was a capable swimmer. 'She said she was going there and never came back. No one has explained it. The beach was crowded. There's no way someone could drown, and no one would notice,' she said.
The family has also questioned why her friends did not raise the alarm sooner, noting that Santos had been taking photos and videos shortly before she disappeared. The Civil Police are investigating and reviewing CCTV footage to establish her final movements. No cause of death has yet been confirmed.
Firefighters reported that sea conditions were calm at the time, and no emergency calls were made from that stretch of beach. Santos's body has been sent for forensic examination at the Medical Legal Institute.
Santos worked as a lawyer and was also known as a fitness enthusiast. She trained in martial arts, including jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai, and often shared content from her training sessions on social media. Her Instagram profile depicted an active lifestyle, with images of workouts, beach outings, and everyday moments.
Following her death, Santos's friend Bianca Masello, a bodybuilder, posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram: 'My beautiful friend, I still can't believe it. We spoke here on Instagram less than 24 hours before you left. You were always such a loyal friend, such a partner, so present in my life, always holding my hand during these 16 years of friendship, and how we rooted for each other.'
