Hannah Kobayashi located safely after disappearance, family confirms

Hannah Kobayashi, a Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted an extensive search, has been found safe, her family announced in a statement. Her vanishing led to the emergence of conspiracy theories after she arrived in Los Angeles from Hawaii last month and missed her connecting flight to New York. During the search, her father traveled to Los Angeles and was discovered deceased in what authorities classified as a suicide. However, police ultimately determined Ms. Kobayashi had “voluntarily” gone missing. The family did not specify where she was located or her current whereabouts. “We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” their statement reads. “This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.” Ms. Kobayashi journeyed from Maui to Los Angeles on 8 November and was scheduled to continue to New York to visit her aunt, but she never boarded the flight for the subsequent segment of her trip. Surveillance camera footage showed her exiting the airport and at various sites around Los Angeles with an unidentified man, who was later questioned by law enforcement. After several days of a comprehensive search operation, the Los Angeles Police Department reclassified her as a voluntary missing person. Police stated that surveillance footage indicated she independently crossed the border into Mexico, and they were discontinuing the search for her. Authorities report Ms. Kobayashi used cash and her passport to buy a bus ticket at Union Station in Los Angeles, to reach the southern U.S. border where she crossed on foot into Tijuana, Mexico. Upon her arrival in Los Angeles, Ms. Kobayashi’s family members reported receiving unusual text messages from her phone before all communication ceased. On 11 November, her mother texted to inquire if she had arrived in New York, to which Ms. Kobayashi replied “no”. She also sent messages to friends expressing concerns for her safety and worries that someone was attempting to steal her identity. But her friends and family had not heard from her since, and police believe she did not take her phone into Mexico. Her family initially voiced apprehension that she might have been a victim of human trafficking. However, police said the investigation had not yielded any evidence that Ms. Kobayashi was the victim of foul play, or that she was being trafficked. “She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern loved ones feel for her. A simple message could reassure those she cares about,” said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell. Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, also traveled to Los Angeles to aid in the search for his daughter, but he was later found dead in a car park near the airport. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be suicide. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised you can visit the BBC’s Action Line pages, or contact Samaritans in the UK. If you’re in the US, call 988, or contact Lifeline. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.