A missing Hawaiian woman has been “found safe” more than a month after she disappeared, her family said in a statement.
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, was reported missing a day after she failed to board her flight from Los Angeles to New York in November, sparking a nation-wide search.
Two weeks into the search, her father, Ryan Kobayashi, was found dead near Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in what the family later confirmed was suicide.
In a statement posted to X on Wednesday, her family said they were “incredibly relieved” Kobayashi had been found and asked for privacy as they take time to “heal and process everything”.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” the statement said.
“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.”
The statement did not indicate where Kobayashi was or how the family determined she was safe.
Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, was heading to New York City on November 8 for a new job and to visit relatives when she missed a connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles International Airport.
She told her family she was sleeping at the airport that night and texted them the next day to say she was sightseeing in the city.
Her family reported her missing to police on November 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages, according to her aunt Larie Pidgeon.
“Once the family started pressing, she went dark,” Pidgeon said last month.
After the texts in November, her aunt said Hannah’s phone “just went dead”.
Family members, friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles, with her father being among those who flew in from Hawaii to help.
He was found dead in a car park near LAX on November 20, according to the county medical examiner.
Kobayashi’s family confirmed Ryan’s death in a statement the same day, saying they “endured a devastating tragedy”. Pidgeon told CNN at the time that he “died of a broken heart.”
Police said Kobayashi crossed the US-Mexico border on November 12, the day after her family reported her missing.
They declared her a voluntary missing person, adding that she had sought to “step away from modern connectivity.”
Authorities made the announcement after reviewing security video from US Customs and Border Protection.
“To date the investigation has not uncovered any evidence that Kobayashi is being trafficked or is the victim of foul play. She is also not a suspect in any criminal activity,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a news conference.
“She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her.”
How to get help if you have been affected by the issues mentioned in this article:
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) – Helpline: 0800 58 58 58
- MIND provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Information line: 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans is an organisation offering confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone 116 123 (a free 24 hour helpline).
- Shout is a 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone struggling to cope and in need of immediate help. Text SHOUT to 85258.
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