HANNAH Kobayashi’s sister has made disturbing revelations about the cryptic messages the traveller sent to her family before disappearing.
Hannah, last seen on November 11, vanished after leaving her home in Hawaii for a trip of a lifetime to New York.
The 30-year-old traveller failed to make her connecting flight at LAX to New York – but was later mysteriously seen at an event in Los Angeles.
Hannah’s family received a slew of cryptic texts sent from her phone, sparking huge concern.
One of the messages said she had been tricked into giving away money to someone she loved.
It read: “I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds for someone I thought I loved.”
Other messages seemed to suggest that Hannah was scared.
Hannah’s heartbroken sister Sydni Kobayashi has now said that the texts may have been sent by someone else.
She admitted she was starting to feel uneasy in light of the text messages.
Speaking to NewsNation CUOMO, she said; “[It] feels like someone was controlling her.
“Intuitively knowing her and being so close to her my entire life, I just know this is absolutely not like her.”
Her aunt Larie Pidgeon also said the messages sent from Hannah’s phone didn’t sound like her niece.
She said: “Strange, cryptic messages – things about the matrix, it was so unlike her.”
Hannah had been expected to fly into New York from Los Angeles and meet an aunt at her hotel before heading out to a show.
She failed to arrive and instead, those bizarre messages were sent from her phone.
Her mum Brandi Yee, who lives in Hawaii, messaged her to see if she had landed in the city, but received a two-word reply saying “Not yet”.
The mystery continues to surround Hannah’s disappearance – almost three weeks after she was captured on surveillance footage inside Los Angeles airport.
The disappearance of Hannah Kobayashi
HANNAH Kobayashi has been missing since she missed her connecting flight to New York.
HANNAH Kobayashi has been missing since she missed her connecting flight to New York.
Friday, November 8: Kobayashi leaves her home in Maui and arrives in Los Angeles for her connecting flight to New York City. She has 42 minutes to make the flight at 11 pm.
Saturday, November 9: Kobayashi 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 away from LAX.
Sunday, November 10: Kobayashi 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 an event at The Grove again in Los Angeles, attending a Nike event.
Monday, November 11: Kobayashi’s phone puts her back at LAX. She posts a picture on her Instagram account from the event. Her phone is then turned off.
Wednesday, November 13: Family files missing person’s report.
They are informed she was last seen at Pico Station in Downtown Los Angeles with an unidentified male.
Sunday, November 24: Hannah’s dad Ryan found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot after taking his own life.
After failing to catch her connecting flight to New York where she reportedly planned to attend various events, the young traveller was instead spotted at a LeBron James event in Los Angeles.
The footage was taken on November 11 – which was also the day Hannah’s cell phone last pinged.
Hannah’s family, who said they had seen surveillance footage of her near a metro station, said the young explorer didn’t look well in the video, which has not been released to the public.
Her father Ryan travelled to LA to help authorities locate his daughter — but police confirmed he was tragically found dead on the morning of Sunday, November 25, 2024.
The LA County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Hannah’s family has voiced fears she has been abducted or trapped in a human trafficking scheme.
Now Hannah’s aunt Larie has claimed there are “new sightings of her“.
“The police are following really, really credible leads,” she added.
Larie told Maui News how she is hopeful the new sightings could eventually bring Hannah home.
Sydni, who is still reeling from her father’s tragic death, said: “I want to stay hopeful, but with these back-to-back [loses], I feel lost. I feel devasted. I feel heartbroken.”
FAMILY’S AGONY
Dad Ryan spent his final days anxiously searching for his 30-year-old daughter.
Speaking with The U.S. Sun at the rally, Ryan called the search for his daughter “every parent’s nightmare”.
He said: “Time is of the essence, and we’re trying to push as hard as we can.
“This is very out of character. Her sister, her mom, her aunties, she wouldn’t do this to them.”
The dad said he had lost touch with Hannah in recent months and wished he had reached out sooner.
He added: “I wish I could have been closer to her. We haven’t spoken for a little bit, maybe a few months.”I regret that.”
Ryan, a photographer, was last seen hours before his death.
His body was found in a Los Angeles parking lot on Sunday morning – near where his daughter’s final cell phone ping came from.
The U.S. Sun reported how Ryan broke down at a rally days before his death.
Aunt Pidgeon previously told the Daily Mail that the day Ryan died was spent handing out flyers.
“We think that Ryan bottled it up. He didn’t want to make anyone else worry,” she added.
A statement shared online from the Kobayashi family said they were dealing with a “devastating tragedy” following Ryan’s death.
“This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably,” it read.
Heartbroken Sydni added: “[Dad] wasn’t sleeping, he wasn’t eating, and he cared so much about others’ feelings and taking care of the rest of the family.
“He didn’t want to speak out on his own, about how he was feeling.”
MYSTERY PAYMENTS
The U.S. Sun exclusively reported how missing Hannah made two Venmo payments to a man and a woman.
Her family said they didn’t recognize the names of the people who were wired money.
Other messages sent from Hannah’s phone claimed she had undergone a spiritual awakening.
“I’m charging my phone and heading back to the airport to get to NYC, the message continued.
“I might need some help getting there, it’s a long story.”
The message was sent to Larie, and a second text said: “I think I still have my hotel room.”
A handwritten note revealed what Hannah planned to do in New York.
She had set aside time to see family and attend concerts.
A missing person’s report has been filed, but Hannah’s family has blasted Los Angeles cops.
They claimed officers didn’t question them for 10 days. “It’s not that I have anything against the LAPD; I just want them to hear us; I want them to listen to our voices that this is not like her,” Larie told The U.S. Sun.
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.