GUILTY COSTA RICA - Carla Stefaniak, 36, American tourist, San Antonio de Escazú, 27 Nov 2018

[JerseyGirl]

36-year-old Carla Stefaniak traveled to Costa Rica with her sister-in-law on November 22 to celebrate her birthday. The sister-in-law flew back on November 27 and Stefaniak had planned to fly out the next day. She hasn't been seen or heard from since Tuesday.

The last thing the family knew about Stefaniak was that she was returning to an Airbnb in San Antonio de Escazú. "Last time we heard from her was on 11/27 around 8 p.m. when she said it was raining crazy and power went out. She continued with “It's pretty sketchy here." She was staying at a villa she found on Airbnb. She had a flight next day (11/28) at 1:30 p.m., but she never showed up. She has shown no sign of online presence since 11/27 at 8 p.m. US Embassy in Costa Rica and FBI is already alerted."

Tampa family desperate for answers after woman goes missing during trip to Costa Rica
OIJ Organismo on Twitter

Tampa native Carla Stefaniak disappears in Costa Rica

 

[JerseyGirl]

Stefaniak took an Uber around 1 pm on Tuesday. She traveled from a car rental company to an Airbnb in San Antonio de Escazú.

The Uber driver waited for her for approximately 50 minutes, before taking her on a tour of San José. She returned to her Airbnb between 4 and 5 pm. The last time the family heard from her was on Tuesday around 8 pm when she said it was raining heavily and that the electricity was gone.

Policía Judicial alerta sobre desaparición de turista venezolana de 36 años

 

[JerseyGirl]

Venezolana que paseaba en suelo tico desapareció desde el martes

 

[GraceG]

Anyone can rent out a room or home on Airbnb. I'd be legitimately cautious of renting one in a foreign country. You have no idea if the neighborhood you are in is even safe or if the landlord is not a criminal. Most hotels in Central America recommend not traveling outside the hotel after dark unless with a large group. I fear for this young woman.

 

[rainynights]

Her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/carla.margarita2

Her IG:
Carla Margarita (@carla_margarita) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[rainynights]

Riverview family desperately searching for woman who vanished during trip to Costa Rica

Carla Stefaniak, 36, was supposed to fly home from her trip to Costa Rica on her birthday, Nov. 28, but she never made it.

"She totally went missing, ghosted on her birthday, which is totally unlike her," said [AA] adding that Stefaniak’s social media accounts have gone silent, which is very unusual.

[AA] said she has contacted the Miami FBI, the US Embassy and Senator Marco Rubio’s office about Stefaniak’s disappearance.

[AA] said her husband and a friend flew to Costa Rica this morning to search for Stefaniak.

[AA] said her sister-in-law lived in Tampa for 12 years.

(*more at link)

 

[Inthedetails]

Stefaniak took an Uber around 1 pm on Tuesday. She traveled from a car rental company to an Airbnb in San Antonio de Escazú.

The Uber driver waited for her for approximately 50 minutes, before taking her on a tour of San José. She returned to her Airbnb between 4 and 5 pm. The last time the family heard from her was on Tuesday around 8 pm when she said it was raining heavily and that the electricity was gone.

Policía Judicial alerta sobre desaparición de turista venezolana de 36 años

I want to know where that uber driver was later in the night.

jmo

 

[Cryptic]

Anyone can rent out a room or home on Airbnb. I'd be legitimately cautious of renting one in a foreign country. You have no idea if the neighborhood you are in is even safe or if the landlord is not a criminal.

And that goes double when the traveler is a woman travelling alone. Even knowing the local language and culture, why bother with an unknown Airbnb and unknown owners?

 

[Tee7077]

Anyone can rent out a room or home on Airbnb. I'd be legitimately cautious of renting one in a foreign country. You have no idea if the neighborhood you are in is even safe or if the landlord is not a criminal. Most hotels in Central America recommend not traveling outside the hotel after dark unless with a large group. I fear for this young woman.

True but all you have to do is read reviews of the places you are looking at and you will be fine. I've stayed at multiple Airbnb's in foreign countries and had no problem figuring out what kind of neighborhood they were in.

 

[Shin Masamura]

Just got home and its all over the local news. Bay News 9 had an interview with the sister and Father. She mentioned that in the morning of the 28th, a security guard stated she checked out at 5:30am. Her sister(inlaw?) stated it made no sense because her flight was @1pm
Tampa Family Seeking Answers As Woman, 36, Goes Missing in Costa Rica

 

[human]

I live in a foreign country ( not Costa Rica) and I can tell you that in the country I am in, I see glowing reports of airbnb’s I would not stay in here. There is no regulation. No license. No insurance. No inspection.

You have no idea of a neighborhood because you have no way of knowing if two blocks away there are numerous issues. You have no idea who the people are you are renting from.

The people who have licenses and insurance list now on airbnb as well. They have no choice. Look to see if it is someone who has been in business for a number of years. Then it is a place that is reputable.

Everyone sees this as a way to make a buck. Beware

 

[Inthedetails]

I live in a foreign country ( not Costa Rica) and I can tell you that in the country I am in, I see glowing reports of airbnb’s I would not stay in here. There is no regulation. No license. No insurance. No inspection.

You have no idea of a neighborhood because you have no way of knowing if two blocks away there are numerous issues. You have no idea who the people are you are renting from.

The people who have licenses and insurance list now on airbnb as well. They have no choice. Look to see if it is someone who has been in business for a number of years. Then it is a place that is reputable.

Everyone sees this as a way to make a buck. Beware

I've stayed in airbnbs when traveling with a group of women. We found some super cute places to stay that really made the trip fun, but I admit I was nervous because of security. At a hotel, there is the front desk, staff, etc. At an airbnb, there is just....you.

I know bad things can happen in hotels, certainly. And all of us stay in homes all the time without a security desk at our front door. But, I admit, it feels vulnerable because you're just there on your own, not knowing who could be watching the house and the guests that come and go, etc.

Having said that, Carla is missing and if she is a victim of foul play, that is not her fault but the fault of the perp alone. Please no one infer that I am blaming the victim because I am not. No one has the right to hurt another person just because they stayed at an airbnb. Of course.

jmopinion, might not match others' opinion.

 

[Vedder]

I hope they're investigating the Uber driver who gave her a tour on 11/27.
From Tampa family desperate for answers after woman goes missing during trip to Costa Rica
According to Burton, the last thing they knew about Stefaniak was that she was inside her Airbnb in San Antonio de Escazú on the night of the 27. A security guard at the Airbnb reported seeing her leaving in an Uber at 5 a.m. but her family says they can't confirm that.

 

[Satchie]

I hope they're investigating the Uber driver who gave her a tour on 11/27.
From Tampa family desperate for answers after woman goes missing during trip to Costa Rica
According to Burton, the last thing they knew about Stefaniak was that she was inside her Airbnb in San Antonio de Escazú on the night of the 27. A security guard at the Airbnb reported seeing her leaving in an Uber at 5 a.m. but her family says they can't confirm that.

Scary news.

I'd be looking at that security guard. Perhaps she did leave at 5:30 am, but not in an Uber and not of her own free will. Hopefully, since the place had a security guard, they also had cameras.

 

[Inthedetails]

Scary news.

I'd be looking at that security guard. Perhaps she did leave at 5:30 am, but not in an Uber and not of her own free will. Hopefully, since the place had a security guard, they also had cameras.

Agreed. I'm comforted to know there was a security guard, but at the same time skeptical of the story.

If she did leave that morning in an Uber, there should be a record of it, right?

jmo

 

[mickey2942]

Quite honestly, I would not even take an Uber and stay in an airbnb alone in the United States, let alone Costa Rica. Call me super cautious...crime is escalating like crazy against single women.

 

[Satchie]

Agreed. I'm comforted to know there was a security guard, but at the same time skeptical of the story.

If she did leave that morning in an Uber, there should be a record of it, right?

jmo

Yes, if she called Uber they would know. If she'd made another private arrangement with the driver, they wouldn't. I looked it up, and sunrise was just after 5:30 am.

Seemed she was an incessent texter tho, surely she'd have sent a text to her sister if she was heading off on another adventure.

 

[zecats]

Quite honestly, I would not even take an Uber and stay in an airbnb alone in the United States, let alone Costa Rica. Call me super cautious...crime is escalating like crazy against single women.

Not sure about AirBNB, though my daughter's in-laws swear by them when they come north to visit her and their son. But I recently used Uber for the first time by myself just last weekend, and my son-in-law called it for me. Driver comes with credentials, a rating and description of how long he/she's been operating. It was a pleasant experience. Then you in turn can rate him/her immediately. Driver told me a story of dropping off some folks at a concert and then an hour later realized one guy had left his wallet. The driver went back to the concert and tracked down the owner of the wallet.

Of course, a foreign country might make me hesitant to use Uber or AirBnB. I hope sincerely she is ok and will be found safe. This is pretty scary to consider the possibilities.

 

[Satchie]

Just to comment from my one visit to Costa Rica, Escazu is an uncrowded suburban area outside the capital, close to the airport. Popular place for expats and upper-class locals to live. But massive security is a way of life: high walls with razor wire, steel doors that come down at night, steel bars on the windows, guard dogs, security guards with machine guns outside the banks. It's just what you do when you are well off.

So I can't imagine it was someone who broke in.

 

[kay74]

Quite honestly, I would not even take an Uber and stay in an airbnb alone in the United States, let alone Costa Rica. Call me super cautious...crime is escalating like crazy against single women.

AMEN