Missing Photographer Hannah Kobayashi Breaks Silence After Disappearance, Says “I Won’t Return”

Hannah Kobayashi, the 31-year-old photographer from Hawaii, who disappeared from Los Angeles International Airport in November, contacted her family. In a telephone conversation with her mother and sister, she disclosed that she is in Mexico and does not intend to return home. Her decision has left her family in complex emotions, especially following the recent loss of her father.

Hannah’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi, made the news on social media, showing a blend of relief and deep sadness. While relieved to hear from Hannah, Sydni also shared the emotional toll they are under as she describes feeling “exhaustion, devastation, and betrayal.” The situation remains very difficult for the family as they come to terms with the tragic loss of their father, Ryan Kobayashi, who died by suicide on November 24 during the intense search for Hannah. Sydni stated that this emotional toll has been what added to their suffering.

The search for Hannah has unveiled considerable family stress, particularly between Sydni and her aunt, Larie Pidgeon. According to reports, Sydni accused Pidgeon of turning the search for Hannah into a “media circus,” which was not what the family wanted. However, Pidgeon defended her actions, explaining that she only wanted to do everything in her powers to locate her niece and dismissed the criticisms as misunderstanding.

Also, there have been public controversy cases associated with the GoFundMe set for the search mission and costs of holding Ryan’s funerals. Despite assuring that every donated contribution goes through transparency, Sydni admitted the enormous pressure placed on them publicly as well as emotionally.

When Was Hannah Last Seen?

Hannah was last seen on surveillance footage crossing into Mexico on November 12, a day after she missed her connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York. Reports indicate that she entered Mexico alone and appeared unharmed at the time. Authorities, including the Los Angeles Police Department, confirmed that she did not seem to be in distress when crossing the border. She had reportedly been into a complicated personal situation, namely a green card marriage, in the period leading up to her disappearance from the U.S.

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