Hannah Kobayashi, who is currently in Tijuana, is now in contact with her family. Jonathan Gonzalez reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.
A woman from Hawaii who went missing in November after landing at LAX has been reported safe and has contacted her family, the family’s attorney said on Wednesday.
Hannah Kobayashi was reported missing on Nov. 11 after her relatives said they received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages from Kobayashi, after she missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York City.
The family released a statement on Wednesday, saying:
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe. 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."
Brandi Yee & Sydni Kobayashi
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At the beginning of December, the LAPD had classified Kobayashi’s case as a voluntary missing persons case, saying that she had willingly crossed the border into Mexico.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters Kobayashi appeared unharmed and that authorities have found no evidence she was being trafficked or the victim of a crime.
She was declared a “voluntary missing person” after the surveillance video review.
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Kobayashi’s family had not been happy with the decision, asking for police to release surveillance video of Kobayashi crossing the border.
The family hired their own private investigator and attorney, saying that they still believed she was in danger.
Kobayahi's father was among those who joined the search for her in Los Angeles.
On Nov. 24, he was found dead in a parking lot near LAX, according to the county medical examiner. Kobayashi’s family confirmed Ryan Kobayashi's death and said he died by suicide.
