RAFU WIRE SERVICE AND STAFF REPORTS
A Hawaii woman who went missing after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8 while en route to New York was seen on video crossing the border into Mexico — apparently of her own volition — and there are no signs of foul play, police announced Dec. 2.
LAPD Chief Jim Mc-Donnell, joined by Chief of Detectives Alan Hamilton and Lt. Douglas Oldfield, told reporters at an early evening news conference that the case of 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi has been reclassified as a “voluntary missing person.”
According to McDonnell, Kobayashi traveled from Union Station to the San Ysidro border crossing on Nov. 12, and she crossed into Mexico on foot shortly after noon that day.
“She was alone with her luggage and appeared unharmed,” McDonnell said.
Police also said their investigation turned up indications that Kobayashi had previously expressed a desire to disconnect from modern technology, and she is not believed to have taken her cell phone with her to Mexico.
McDonnell stressed that police “have not been able to determine any crime has been committed.”
According to her family, Hannah Kobayashi was traveling to New York City to visit family when she disappeared. She landed at LAX on Nov. 8 but did not board her connecting flight, and she apparently spent the night at LAX.
She traveled the next day to The Grove shopping center and returned to LAX that night, according to the family. She was spotted back at The Grove on Nov. 10 attending a Nike/LeB-ron James event, and likely returned to LAX again.
She was spotted around 5 p.m. on Nov. 11 speak-ing to a ticketing agent at LAX, but she did not board a flight, according to the family.
The family says Kobayashi boarded an eastbound Metro C Line train at the Century/Aviation Station the night of Nov. 11, transferred to a northbound A Line train at the Rosa Parks Station, accompanied by an “unknown individual,” with whom she was seen at about 10 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Metro Pico Station near Crypto.com Arena.
The family says she was spotted early the next morning, Nov. 12, at the Union Station bus terminal in Downtown Los Angeles.
The family said earlier the last communications they received from Kobayashi were in strange text messages, including one in which she said she was feeling scared, and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity.
McDonnell insisted, however, that there was no evidence of a crime. Police also noted that they were able to identify and interview the man who was spotted on video with Kobayashi after meeting her at LAX, and he is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
McDonnell also said Kobayashi did not miss her connecting flight to New York, but chose not to board it “for unknown reasons.” He noted that while her luggage was checked through to New York, she asked that it be returned to her at LAX, and she was seen on video picking up her lug-gage at an airport baggage carousel on Nov. 11. She was seen carrying the same luggage when she went into Mexico, police said.
“LAPD’s Missing Persons Unit has conducted extensive witness interviews, reviewed video surveil-lance and collaborated with local and federal law enforcement agencies on this case,” McDonnell said. “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.
“Additionally, the investigators noted that before departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity.
“Our priority is ensuring Miss Kobayashi’s safety and well-being, and we urge Miss Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know that she is safe,” he said. “She has a right to her privacy and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her. A simple message could reassure those who care about her.”
McDonnell added, “While the LAPD investigation will not continue into Mexico, if anyone has credible information about Hannah’s whereabouts, please contact local law enforcement. If Kobayashi returns to the United States, law enforcement will be notified. The missing person case will remain active in the missing and unidentified persons system until her safety is confirmed by law enforcement.”
The heavily publicized search effort by the family took a tragic turn on Nov. 24, when Kobayashi’s father, Ryan, 58, killed himself. He was found near an LAX parking structure from which he may have jumped.
“After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life,” according to a statement from the family at the time. “This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
“I’m very sorry to the family for all that they’ve been through throughout this ordeal,” McDonnell said during the press conference. “We’re very sorry for their loss. And I don’t know that words can express the feelings that they’re going through during this very difficult time. But there’s a lot of people very much in support of what they’re going through.”
Prior to the press conference, the family took issue with the LAPD’s conclusion that Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight. “These alleged findings have yet to be relayed to my mother and I directly from the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department or any detective involved in Hannah’s case,” Sydni Kobayashi, Hannah’s sister, told Fox11.
“The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments. However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah.”
A Facebook page that had been set up to provide updates on the search was suspended over the weekend.
“Unfortunately, the Facebook page which I created to help in the search to find my sister, and with nothing but good and pure intentions, (will) soon be shutting down at this point for the sake of the safety and protection of my family,” Sydni Kobayashi said in a statement. “This was the best decision for us …
“I have received death threats and someone saying they are now coming for my child. I feel so sick to my stomach about how evil and twisted people are. It feels like we’ve been living in a nightmare that I just want to wake up from, first with Hannah going missing and then my dad taking his own life out of being so broken-hearted by all of this.
“But we do not discount the fact that there have also been so many people who have been so supportive and compassionate, and we genuinely have nothing but love and an immense amount of appreciation for you all.
“We kindly ask that although the FB page is coming down, that you help to continue to post every day. We will not stop until we find my sister. If you have any information or tips, please call 911 immediately along with the numbers posted on her most recent and up-to-date flyer. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all.”
A Go Fund Me page (www.gofundme.com/f/4fmxej-support-the-search-for-hannah-kobayashi) established to support the family’s search efforts remains online. As of Dec. 3, nearly $47,000 had been raised toward the goal of $50,000.