Police have clarified that a missing woman, Hannah Kobayashi, whose father died by suicide while searching for her, disappeared voluntarily.
Stepping away from modern connectivity
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, failed to board a connecting flight from Hawaii to New York on November 8, vanishing days later after sending “alarming” text messages to her family. Her father, Ryan, retraced her steps alongside relatives and volunteers, but on November 24, he was found dead in a parking lot near Los Angeles International Airport.
According to authorities, Hannah was last observed crossing into Mexico with her belongings, expressing a desire to “step away from modern connectivity.” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed there was no evidence suggesting she had been trafficked or was the victim of a crime, officially classifying her case as a “voluntary missing person.”
Case remains active to trace Hannah Kobayashi
“We’ve essentially exhausted our investigative avenues at this point,” McDonnell stated. “She has left the country and is in another nation now. While she has a right to privacy, we encourage her to reach out to her family. A simple message could provide reassurance to those who care about her.”
The case remains active, pending confirmation of her safety. Authorities will be alerted if she returns to the United States.
Hannah was reportedly seen in the Los Angeles area and had arranged for her luggage to be forwarded from New York. On November 11, she retrieved her belongings from the airport but left without her phone. Investigators noted she had expressed an intent to disconnect from modern technology.
Family received alarming messages from Hannah Kobayashi
Police also interviewed a man seen accompanying her on a train, describing him as “cooperative.”
CCTV footage reviewed by investigators showed Hannah walking alone and unharmed through a tunnel in San Ysidro, approximately 125 miles southwest of Los Angeles, around midday on November 12.
Hannah’s family reported receiving “strange, cryptic, and alarming” messages from her before her disappearance. In these texts, she mentioned being “intercepted” while boarding a train and expressed fear that someone was attempting to steal her identity. Her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, stated that communication with Hannah ceased once the family began pressing her for details.
Last week, detectives concluded that Hannah missed her connecting flight intentionally. However, her sister, Sydni, contested this assessment in a social media post.
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