LOS ANGELES, CA – Authorities and family members are still searching for Hannah Kobayashi, a 31-year-old woman from Maui, Hawaii, who disappeared after missing a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 8.
Kobayashi was reported missing on November 12, after failing to board her flight to New York City. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, she last contacted her family on November 9. A missing person alert describes Kobayashi as 5’10”, weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes, freckles on her face, and a knife tattoo on her forearm.
Kobayashi’s family has expressed growing concern over her safety, citing unusual text messages they received from her phone on November 11. The messages suggested she felt unsafe and believed someone was trying to steal her money and identity.
“These messages were uncharacteristic,” her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, said in a statement. “They included terms and language that weren’t how Hannah typically speaks. They alarmed us immediately.”
Security footage obtained by the family reportedly shows Kobayashi leaving LAX on November 8 wearing a black hoodie, tie-dye leggings, and a dark green backpack. Subsequent sightings place her at The Grove shopping center on November 9 and 10, where she reportedly attended a Nike and LeBron James event. Her last known communication was a troubling text to a friend, claiming she had been deceived into giving away her funds.
Family members stated Kobayashi returned to LAX on November 11, but did not board a flight. Her phone last pinged at the airport that same day. Over the weekend, the family shared that additional surveillance footage showed Kobayashi near the Pico Metro station close to Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. They noted that she appeared to be in poor condition and was not alone.
Kobayashi’s relatives, who have traveled to Los Angeles to aid in the search, are focusing their efforts near LAX and other locations where she was last seen. They have launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the search efforts.
The LAPD has confirmed this is an active investigation but has not released further details.
Anyone with information about Kobayashi’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
