Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe – The Associated Press

All rights reserved, Copyright 2024 © The Associated Press.

Los Angeles police announced on Wednesday that Hannah Kobayashi, the missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance sparked a widespread search and investigation in Los Angeles, has been located safe and sound. Kobayashi went missing last month in Los Angeles after missing her connecting flight and planning to explore the city the following day. Concern grew among her family when they received alarming text messages from her and were unable to reach her.

While further details about her disappearance and the circumstances of her discovery were not immediately disclosed, authorities had previously indicated that she had left voluntarily and crossed the border into Mexico on her own accord.

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department expressed their relief at finding Hannah safe and confirmed that the investigation would now be concluded as it had become a private matter. Kobayashi’s mother and sister, represented by their attorney, conveyed their immense relief and gratitude at her safe return, emphasizing the challenging ordeal their family had endured and requesting privacy as they process the recent events.

Hannah Kobayashi, a promising photographer from Maui, was en route to New York City for a new job opportunity and a family visit when she missed her connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport on November 8. Following concerning text messages received by her family, she was reported missing on November 11, prompting a search effort that involved her father, Ryan Kobayashi, who tragically passed away on November 24 near the airport, a death later confirmed as suicide by the county medical examiner.

Authorities revealed that Kobayashi had crossed into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing the day after her disappearance was reported, as seen in security footage from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell previously indicated that Kobayashi had chosen to disconnect from modern communication and voluntarily stepped away from her previous life.