THE month-long search for a Hawaii woman who disappeared in Los Angeles after missing her connecting flight has ended.
Hannah Kobayashi, who became the subject of national attention after her loved ones begged for help last month, was found safe after she crossed into Mexico on November 12, her family confirmed.
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“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” her family confirmed on Wednesday.
“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.
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
Sara Azari, the family’s attorney, did not confirm where Kobayashi was found or why she traveled to Mexico and has not responded to a request for comment.
Kobayashi had a layover in Los Angeles, where she was expected to catch a connecting flight to New York City on November 8.
She failed to board on time due to a small 42-minute window, according to her family.
The 30-year-old stayed in Los Angeles and waited for the next opening flight to New York, which family members said Kobayashi described as a “bucket list trip.”
Kobayashi, an art fan and aspiring photographer, had an itinerary planned out for her stay in the Big Apple, including stops at the Museum of Modern Art, absorbing Manhattan’s art scene, and visiting her aunt, Geordan Montalvo.
However, Kobayashi used her free time to go sightseeing in Los Angeles, as her social media activity showed her visiting The Grove shopping center in Beverly Hills, about 12 miles from LAX airport, on November 10.
The following day, Kobayashi sent a concerning message to a friend, who shared a screenshot of the text exchange with her family members.
Kobayashi had told a friend that she “got tricked pretty much into giving away all her funds.”
“For someone I thought I loved. I’ve been on the streets,” she added in follow-up messages.
The desperate search for Kobayashi lasted a month and garnered national attention as the case saw multiple twists and turns.
Tragically, Kobayashi’s dad Ryan Kobayashi died by suicide weeks after the search kicked off in Los Angeles.
The disappearance of Hannah Kobayashi
HANNAH Kobayashi sparked a massive search after missing a flight to New York during a layover in Los Angeles. Here is a timeline of events in the case.
Friday, November 8: Hannah leaves her home in Maui and arrives in Los Angeles for a connecting flight to New York City. She has 42 minutes to make the flight at 11 pm.
Saturday, November 9: Hannah is meant to land at JFK airport in New York City at 7 am but never arrives. She is seen at a bookshop at The Grove, an hour from the Los Angeles airport.
Sunday, November 10: Hannah sends a message saying she’s scared and worried about someone trying to steal her money and identity, alongside several other cryptic texts. She’s later seen at a Nike event at The Grove in Los Angeles.
Monday, November 11: Hannah’s phone data puts her back at LAX. She posts a picture on her Instagram account from the Nike event. Her phone is then turned off.
Tuesday, November 12: Unbeknownst to her family, Hannah catches a bus from Union Station down to San Ysidro, San Diego, and crosses the border into Tijuana, Mexico.
Wednesday, November 13: Family files missing person’s report and flies to LA to search for her. They are informed she was last seen at Pico Station in Downtown Los Angeles with an unidentified male.
Sunday, November 24: After scouring LA’s Skid Row and other areas for nearly a week, Hannah’s dad Ryan takes his own life and is found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot.
Monday, December 2: Cops announce Hannah was spotted in surveillance footage crossing into Mexico from the US on November 12 and say she wanted to step away from modern connectivity. The investigation is paused.
Tuesday, December 3: Hannah’s family vows to keep looking for her in a statement released by their attorney.
Wednesday, December 11: The attorney of the Kobayashi family announced Hannah was located safe.
It’s unclear whether Kobayashi has learned of her dad’s death.
Last Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department announced that Kobayashi crossed into Mexico alone on November 12.
Cops deemed her disappearance as “voluntary” due to surveillance footage showing she made the trip alone, with her luggage and passport.
After the LAPD closed the case, her family insisted that her initial behavior before she went off the grid was too bizarre to ignore.
Azari told The U.S. Sun last week the search would continue in Mexico – and that the family planned to keep up the controversial GoFundMe fundraiser, which social media users demanded should be taken down because her disappearance was determined to be voluntary.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised over $48,000 and is still active.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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