LOS ANGELES, CA – Hannah Kobayashi, a Hawaii woman whose disappearance last month sparked a wide-ranging search and numerous theories about her whereabouts, has been found safe, her family confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” the statement read. “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.”
Kobayashi’s disappearance garnered national attention after she traveled from Maui to Los Angeles on November 8 but failed to board a connecting flight to New York, where she was planning to visit her aunt. Her family’s concerns intensified after receiving unusual text messages from her phone, followed by complete silence.
Surveillance footage captured Kobayashi at various locations around Los Angeles, including Union Station, where authorities said she used cash and her passport to purchase a bus ticket to the U.S.-Mexico border. On November 12, she was recorded crossing into Tijuana on foot.
The Los Angeles Police Department later reclassified her case as a “voluntary missing person” after determining she had crossed the border independently. Despite extensive efforts to locate her, authorities stated there was no evidence of foul play or human trafficking.
Her disappearance was further marred by tragedy when her father, Ryan Kobayashi, traveled to Los Angeles to assist in the search but later died by suicide near Los Angeles International Airport. The family has since expressed deep sorrow over the compounded trauma.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell had previously urged Kobayashi to contact her loved ones, emphasizing, “She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her. A simple message could reassure those who care about her.”
The family declined to disclose Kobayashi’s current location or the circumstances under which she was found but expressed gratitude for the support they received during the search.
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