Hannah Kobayashi’s family says she was “found safe” on Wednesday, December 11, about a month after she entered Mexico and disappeared in what police described as a “voluntary disappearance” that has been occurring across the country made headlines – in large part because of the actions of her relatives. Insisting that something terrible might have happened.

“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” her sister and mother Sydni Kobayashi and Brandi Yee said in a statement to PEOPLE through their attorney Sara Azari.

“The last month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through,” the family continued.

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and care meant a lot to us,” added Hannah’s sister and mother.

Never miss a story again — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Azari did not provide details about when, where or how Hannah contacted her family and said there would be no further statements at this time.

Lt. Doug Oldfield of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit tells PEOPLE that authorities were separately notified by Azari that Hannah was found just “a few hours ago” on Wednesday.

“We haven’t seen them and at this point we have no reason to force them to see us,” he said.

Still, he notes, “It’s big news, so she might decide to come with a lawyer, but she’s not obligated to talk to us. We’ll see what happens next.”

He says Hannah’s family has not disclosed her current location and “we have not received any notification that she has been in contact with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or has re-entered the United States.”

“If she comes back, she’ll be reported as a missing person,” Oldfield said. “Typically we want law enforcement to determine that a person is safe and make contact. In this case, CBP could provide us with this information to remove it from the system.”

Hannah, a 30-year-old photographer from Hawaii, was reported missing on November 11 after failing to make a connecting flight to New York City from Los Angeles.

In the weeks since, Hannah’s relatives publicized her case nationally, saying they feared she was a victim of kidnapping or human trafficking.

“We’re terrified,” her Larie Pidgeon previously told PEOPLE. “We’re really scared.”

While they searched for Hannah, the family suffered another loss: her father, Ryan Kobayashi, died by suicide in LA on November 24th.

“He died of a broken heart,” Pidgeon said.

Los Angeles police said they spent weeks trying to decipher Hannah’s movements around the city between Nov. 8, when she arrived in Hawaii from Maui, and Nov. 11, when contact was lost.

A break in the case came on Dec. 1 when authorities at the southern border reviewed a video showing Hannah entering Tijuana alone and in no apparent distress, carrying a gray backpack and a pink rolling suitcase.

While that resolve has been questioned by Hannah’s family, who said they would launch their own search — “they don’t think there’s anything voluntary about it,” Azari told PEOPLE — investigators have stuck to their work.

“To date, the investigation has revealed no evidence that Kobayashi was trafficked or was the victim of a crime,” L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters at a news conference on Dec. 2. “She is also not a suspect in any criminal activity.”

“We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement or U.S. Embassy personnel to let us know that she is safe,” McDonnell said at the time.

“She has a right to her privacy and we respect her decisions, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her. A simple message could reassure those who care.”

This is breaking news. Please come back for updates.

Read the original article on People