A MISSING woman who went missing for a month after flying to Los Angeles has been found safe, according to her family.
Hannah Kobayashi has been missing since November 11, and her father was so distraught by her disappearance that he killed himself while searching for her on the streets of Los Angeles.
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Kobayashi pictured on surveillance camera footage at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving on a connecting flight to New York from Hawaii on November 8 Credit: facebook/Roamandconquer1
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Hannah Kobayashi described her visit to New York as a ‘bucket list trip’Credit: Instagram/midorieve
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The search for missing Hannah Kobayashi has endedCredit: Instagram/midorieve
Kobayashi, who became the subject of national attention after her loved ones pleaded for help to find her last month, was found safe after crossing into Mexico on November 12, her family confirmed.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” her family confirmed on Wednesday.
“The past month has been an unimaginable trial for our family and we kindly ask for privacy as we take time to heal and process everything we have been through.
“We want to thank everyone who supported us in this difficult time from the bottom of our hearts. Your kindness and care meant everything to us.”
READ MORE ABOUT HANNAH KOBAYASHA
Sara Azari, the family’s attorney, would not confirm where Kobayashi was found or why she traveled to Mexico and did not respond to a request for comment.
Kobayashi, 30, initially had a layover in Los Angeles, where she was expected to catch a connecting flight to New York City on November 8. However, she missed her 42-minute boarding deadline.
The search began after she sent cryptic messages to her family before going offline, prompting scores of volunteers to scour the city for clues to Kobayashi’s disappearance.
The case took a tragic turn when Kobayashi’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, died by suicide in a Los Angeles garage on November 24 after weeks of searching for his daughter.
It is not clear if Kobayashi has already learned about her father’s death.
TRIP TO MEXICO
Last Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department announced that Kobayashi had crossed into Mexico on his own on November 12.
Missing woman Hannah Kobayashi’s father pictured crashing at rally just days before body found in car park
Officers deemed her disappearance “voluntary” because of surveillance footage showing she traveled alone from San Diego to Tijuana, with her luggage and passport.
Kobayashi’s disappearance in Mexico further fueled theories that the traveler was involved in a green card marriage scam.
Green card marriage fraud usually involves a non-US person marrying a US citizen in order to obtain legal residency through a green card.
Speculation began to swirl after a picture of Kobayashi marrying an Argentinian before her trip to Los Angeles circulated online.
Statement from the family of Hannah Kobayashi
Hannah Kobayashi was found a month after she flew to Los Angeles and disappeared. Her family released a statement through their lawyer on Wednesday, confirming that she is safe.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” they wrote.
“The past month has been an unimaginable trial for our family and we kindly ask for privacy as we take time to heal and process everything we have been through.
“We want to thank everyone who supported us in this difficult time from the bottom of our hearts.
“Your kindness and care meant everything to us.”
However, Azari told the US Sun last week that the family was completely in the dark about any alleged marriage.
After the LAPD closed the case, her family vowed to continue searching for Kobayashi, insisting her strange behavior was too bizarre to ignore.
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
After Kobayashi missed her Nov. 8 flight, she remained in Los Angeles waiting for the next first flight to New York, which family members said Kobayashi described as a “bucket list trip.”
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Ryan Kobayashi, center, holds a picture of his missing daughter Hannah Kobayashi on Nov. 21, three days before her suicide in Los Angeles Credit: AP
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CCTV footage of Hannah Kobayashi with her luggage and passport on November 11 Credit: KKTV
Kobayashi, an art fan and aspiring photographer, had an itinerary planned for her stay in the Big Apple, including a stop at the Museum of Modern Art, soaking up the Manhattan art scene and visiting her aunt, Geordan Montalvo.
However, after missing her flight in Los Angeles, Kobayashi used her free time to see the city.
Her social media activity showed her visiting The Grove mall in Beverly Hills, about 12 miles from LAX Airport, on November 10.
The disappearance of Hannah Kobayashi
HANNAH Kobayashi launched a massive search after she missed her flight to New York during a layover in Los Angeles. Here’s 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. There are 42 minutes for the 23:00 flight.
Saturday, November 9: Hannah was scheduled to land at JFK Airport in New York at 7am, but never arrives. She was seen at a bookstore in The Grove, an hour from the Los Angeles airport.
Sunday, November 10: Hannah sends a message saying she’s scared and worried that someone is trying to steal her money and identity, along with several other cryptic messages. She was later seen at a Nike event at The Grove in Los Angeles.
Monday, November 11: Hannah’s phone information traces her back to LAX. He posts a picture from the Nike event on his Instagram profile. Her phone was then switched off.
Tuesday, November 12: Unbeknownst to her family, Hannah takes a bus from Union Station to San Ysidro, San Diego and crosses the border into Tijuana, Mexico.
Wednesday, November 13: The family files a missing person’s report and flies to LA to look for her. They were informed that she was last seen at the Pico station in downtown Los Angeles with an unidentified man.
Sunday, November 24: After searching LA’s Skid Row and other areas for nearly a week, Hannah’s dad Ryan took his own life and was found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot.
Monday, December 2: Officers announced that Hannah was spotted on surveillance footage crossing into Mexico from the US on November 12 and say she wanted to get away from modern connections. The investigation has been stopped.
Tuesday, December 3: Hannah’s family vows to keep looking for her in a statement released by their lawyer.
Wednesday, December 11: The Kobayashi family’s attorney announced that Hannah is safe.
The next day, Kobayashi sent a worrisome message saying she was “well tricked into giving away all her funds.”
“For someone I thought I loved. I was on the street,” she added in subsequent messages.
‘NOT THOUGHTFUL’
Azari strongly condemned the officer’s labeling of Kobayashi’s disappearance as voluntary.
“I think it’s very reckless for the LAPD to call this voluntary,” she told The US Sun last week.
“You don’t have to be pulled by the hair for it to be against your will.
“I just have a problem with closing the books and calling it voluntary when it’s very unusual behavior for someone.”
The family planned to continue their search in Mexico, Azari said.
She added that the family planned to continue with the controversial GoFundMe fundraiser, which social media users had called for to be canceled due to questionable circumstances.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised over $47,000 and is still active.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues mentioned in this story, call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat at 988lifeline.org or text Crisis Text Line to 741741.
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Kobayashi, who was found safe Credit: Instagram/midorieve
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