A woman who disappeared while traveling to her “bucket list” vacation has been found safe, but her father tragically died while searching for her
A woman who disappeared while traveling has been found safe and well, according to her family.
Hannah Kobayashi, a 23-year-old woman from Maui, Hawaii, went missing in November while traveling to New York. She was supposed to take a connecting flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) but never got on the plane. This worried her family, who then traveled to Los Angeles to search for her and reported her as missing.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed they had seen her on security footage.
Chief Jim McDonnell explained that they reviewed video from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which showed her walking across the border from the United States into Mexico.
On Wednesday, December 11, Hannah’s family shared the news that she had been found. In a statement, they said, “We are very relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe.” However, they did not share any details about where she had been or what she had been doing over the last month.
Before she disappeared, police said Hannah intentionally missed her connecting flight on November 8. She stayed in touch with her family for a few days and even posted on Instagram. However, her family received some concerning messages from her on November 11, and after that, they could no longer reach her. On November 13, her family went to Los Angeles and officially filed a missing person report.
On November 15, the LAPD’s missing person’s unit took over the investigation. They worked hard by checking video footage and using different investigative methods to find her. Her family also continued searching on their own.
Sadly, during this search, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, passed away. He was found dead on November 24, and police believe he died by suicide. This tragic event made the situation even harder for the family.
The police also addressed rumors about Hannah’s disappearance. They said there was no evidence that she was involved in any criminal activities, was a victim of human trafficking, or had been harmed. They added, “She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her decisions. However, we also understand why her family and loved ones were so worried.”
Even though Hannah has been found safe, many questions remain unanswered about why she disappeared and what happened while she was missing. Her family is relieved, but the situation has been very difficult for them.
