Hannah Kobayashi’s family is offering to return GoFundMe donations

Hannah Kobayashi’s family is offering to return GoFundMe donations

Hannah Kobayashi’s family offered to refund online donations after announcing Wednesday that she had been found.

Numerous donors donated more than $47,000 to the family on GoFundMe before Kobayashi’s sister Sydni dropped off donations Thursday morning.

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time,” wrote Sydni Kobayashi. “Your kindness and caring meant a lot to us.”

The family asked anyone who wants a refund to submit a claim by Dec. 18.

Kobayashi, a 30-year-old Hawaii resident, was reported missing after missing a connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York. Surveillance video showed her crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and walking from San Diego to Tijuana on Nov. 12.

The search is on for a woman from Hawaii who disappeared while on a trip to New York

Handout for the family

Hannah Kobayashi

Los Angeles police said Kobayashi disappeared “voluntarily” and investigators said they did not suspect foul play in her case. But Kobayashi’s family continued to work to find her.

Kobayashi’s father Ryan died by suicide at Los Angeles International Airport on November 24th. Police said the elder Kobayashi, 58, jumped to his death from an airport parking garage.

After more than a month of searching, Kobayashi’s family said Wednesday they had contacted her in Mexico. The family did not provide further information about where Kobayashi was found or how she was contacted.

“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah is safe,” they said. “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.”

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