LOS ANGELES – Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old woman from Hawaii who was reported missing in Los Angeles three weeks ago, walked freely into Mexico, police said.
Authorities declared Kobayashi a “voluntary missing person,” meaning she left of her own free will. Investigators reviewed surveillance video of her crossing the border alone with her luggage, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters Monday evening. Kobayashi appeared unharmed and authorities have found no evidence Kobayashi was being trafficked or was otherwise a victim of a crime, he said.
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The chief urged Kobayashi to contact her distraught family.
Here is a look at the case and the latest developments:
How did Hannah Kobayashi go missing?
Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, was heading to New York City on Nov. 8 for a new job and to visit relatives when she missed a connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles International Airport. She told her family she was sleeping at the airport that night and texted them the next day to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles.
Her family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages, according to her aunt Larie Pidgeon.
“Once the family started pressing, she went dark,” Pidgeon told The Associated Press on Nov. 23. After the texts on Nov. 11, her phone “just went dead,” according to Pidgeon.
Family members, friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles.
What do authorities say happened to Kobayashi?
Police said Kobayashi walked into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles on Nov. 12, the day after her family reported her missing. Authorities made the announcement after reviewing security video from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity,” McDonnell, the LA police chief, said Monday.
McDonnell said Kobayashi has a right to her privacy, but urged her to reach out to her family or law enforcement. He explained that the missing person case will remain active until law enforcement confirms her safety.
During a police commission meeting last week, McDonnell said detectives determined Kobayashi missed her connecting flight intentionally. The woman’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi, disputed his statement in a social media post.
Authorities in Mexico say they have been alerted about the missing woman but haven’t received any official request to search for her.
How are missing persons cases investigated?
It's difficult to investigate cases involving missing adults “unless you can prove that there is some sort of foul play” or other factors are involved, such as mental illness or an outstanding warrant, said Joseph Giacalone, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant whose career included missing persons cases.
“If you don’t want to be found, you don’t want to be found,” he told The Associated Press.
Giacalone said, in his career, the people who are were a “voluntary missing person” and leave without a trace were in a “very small category.”
“Usually there’s some indication why the person left,” such as problems at home or escaping a certain situation, he said.
Giacalone said the LAPD acted correctly in investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance because the missed flight could indicate foul play. But now, investigators need to move on to other cases, he said.
“We’re not going to go pick her up in Mexico and bring her back,” he said. “There’s nothing she did wrong.”
What about Kobayashi's family?
Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, was among those who flew in from Hawaii to help in the search. He was found dead on Nov. 24 in a parking lot near LA International Airport, according to the county medical examiner.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
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Kobayashi’s family confirmed Ryan’s death in a statement the same day, saying they “endured a devastating tragedy” and that he died by suicide.
“After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life,” according to the statement. “This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
The family set up a “Help Us Find Hannah” Facebook page that was no longer available Tuesday. Members of the public who were a part of the Facebook group shared a post Monday that said the family would be shutting it down. The post also said Sydni Kobayashi and her mother would not be responding to any messages.
Sydni Kobayashi has not responded to an emailed request for comment on the latest details.