The search for missing woman Hannah Kobayashi takes another dramatic turn

The disappearance of a Hawaii woman who had been missing in Los Angeles for more than three weeks took a dramatic turn this week when law enforcement officials said she crossed into Mexico.

Hannah Kobayashi, 30, “voluntarily” crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in California on Nov. 12, days after missing her connecting flight to New York, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Monday. He said her case had now been classified as a voluntary missing person and the ministry’s investigation would not continue while she was out of the country.

“We basically did everything we could do at that point,” he said. “She left the country and is now in another country. As I mentioned in previous comments, law enforcement will be notified when she returns to the US and we will try to do everything we can if there is a problem at that time.

McDonnell said she was not the victim of a crime or human trafficking, as was rumored on social media. And while police have not confirmed a motive, they said Kobayashi had previously expressed a desire to step away from “modern connectivity” and left her phone behind in Los Angeles.

It was the latest uproar in a case that has drawn international attention since Kobayashi was reported missing last month.

Kobayashi last contacted her family on November 11th, after which they reported her missing and launched a personal, voluntary search operation. On Nov. 24, her father, who had been trying to find his daughter, was found dead near Los Angeles International Airport of an apparent suicide, police said.

In a statement posted on social media on Monday, Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi, said: “The search is far from over and we are committed to doing everything we can to bring her home safely.” The family did not immediately respond to a query from USA TODAY for comment on Kobayashi’s alleged entry into Mexico.

Here’s what we know about Kobayashi’s whereabouts and the missing persons investigation:

Kobayashi misses the flight; The family and police disagree about the intention

McDonnell said Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight to New York after arriving in Los Angeles from Hawaii on November 8 – a claim the family denies.

“For unknown reasons, she decided not to board her scheduled flight to New York that same day,” he said at a news conference on Monday.

Sydni Kobayash previously said on social media, “It doesn’t look like Hannah intentionally missed her flight,” citing surveillance footage and information she shared with the family.

Kobayashi had a ticket to New York on the same flight as her ex-boyfriend. They kept the tickets because they couldn’t get refunds and planned to go their separate ways after landing in New York, Kobayashi’s sister told the Los Angeles Times. CNN reported that the ex-girlfriend had booked the connecting flight, but she didn’t.

Kobayashi was spotted around LA for several days

From Nov. 8 to 11, video footage and still images reviewed by the Los Angeles Police Department showed Kobayashi in “various locations around Los Angeles,” McDonnell said Monday.

Kobayashi stopped at The Grove shopping center in the city’s Fairfax District, where she sent a photo of a book to a relative, the Los Angeles Times reported. While they were searching for Kobayashi in person, her relatives stopped by the bookstore and confirmed that she was there and had filled out a newsletter form.

The next day, she appeared in a promotional video for a LeBron James Nike event at The Grove. She was active on Instagram for several days and posted a photo of the event on the social media platform.

Strange text messages, online payments

The family received worrying text messages after Kobayashi missed her flight, family and police said. The news was out of character for Kobayashi, her aunt Larie Pidgeon told USA TODAY. These included strange phrases and a lack of emojis.

The last day her family contacted her was November 11th. In screenshots of text messages shared with USA TODAY, Kobayashi said she was on her way to the airport.

“I have a safe passage” and “I’ll keep you posted,” she said, later adding “Matrix style.” In follow-up messages, she said: “I’m fine,” “I love you,” “Don’t worry,” “For the good of everyone,” “I’ll keep you updated,” “I promise,” and “Call you.” ” soon.”

On Monday, LAPD Chief Detective Alan Hamilton said “the communications can be traced back in a number of ways,” adding, “We are not in a position to interpret these communications without her being present to explain how they are.” felt when she sent them” and what specific meaning those messages had.”

She also sent two payments via Venmo to two people her family did not know, CNN reported.

Kobayashi returns to LAX, picks up her luggage and is seen with “unknown person.”

McDonnell said that although she initially checked her luggage all the way to New York, she asked that it be sent to her at LAX. He said police saw surveillance footage that showed Kobayashi retrieving her luggage from the baggage carousel on Nov. 11.

Her family previously told the Los Angeles Times that Kobayashi was seen speaking to a ticket agent at LAX on November 11. Around 9 p.m., she boarded a subway train at the Aviation/Century station before transferring and finally getting off at the Pico station. She left with an unknown person, the outlet reported.

Hamilton said at Monday’s news conference that investigators had identified and interviewed the man who told them he met Kobayashi at LAX.

“This individual was cooperative in the investigation, this individual cooperated by allowing himself to be interviewed by his attorney and family members who were present,” Hamilton said. “He fully disclosed the entire sequence of events. We used independent investigative techniques to verify his story and it was completely confirmed.”

The footage shows Kobayashi crossing the US-Mexico border

According to McDonnell, on November 11, Kobayashi traveled to Los Angeles Union Station – the city’s main train station – where she used her passport to purchase a bus ticket to a destination near the California-Mexico border.

McDonnell said Kobayashi traveled from Union Station to San Ysidro, California, the next day and crossed the border into Mexico. At 12:13 p.m. on Nov. 12, she went through the tunnel that leads to Mexico, Hamilton said. Officials added that she was alone with her luggage.

“She seemed fine,” Hamilton said. “She wasn’t with anyone else.”

She wanted to “disconnect from her phone,” police said

McDonnell told reporters Monday that before she left Maui, Kobayashi “expressed a desire to break away from modern connectivity.”

He did not elaborate on how she expressed this desire. LAPD Lt. Douglas Oldfield said police had reviewed “some requests or posts” that would match “someone wanting to disconnect from their phone.”

“Are we 100% correct? We can’t say. All we know is that she didn’t have her phone after she left LAX,” Oldfield said. “We know she doesn’t have her phone with her. For what reason, we can’t say exactly.”

McDonnell said there was no indication that the family caused Kobayashi to abruptly cut off communications and leave the country.

“There is no indication that this could happen this way,” he said, adding, “but like any family situation, someone knows the dynamics.”

After the family launched a search operation, the father was found dead

On Nov. 24, the case that had garnered widespread attention took a tragic turn when police announced that Kobayashi’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, was found dead in a parking lot next to LAX, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The family later confirmed on Facebook that he died by suicide.

Hannah’s aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told USA TODAY that she and her family were shocked by her brother-in-law’s sudden and unexpected death. “Suicide wasn’t even discussed. It wasn’t even a concept we thought would happen,” she said.

Pidgeon added that he suffered “a nervous breakdown” due to lack of sleep and worries while searching for his daughter.

“He just died of a broken heart,” Pidgeon said. “Being on the street and seeing what options there are for where his daughter could be. No sleep. The speculative rumors that are circulating. It just weighed on him.”

Tragic twist:Aunt of missing woman Hannah Kobayashi explains her father’s death

Police say Kobayashi was ‘not the victim of a crime’

LAPD officials said Monday that investigators found “no evidence that Kobayashi was trafficked or was the victim of a crime.” Police added that Kobayashi was also not suspected of any criminal activity.

According to police, Kobayashi’s missing person case remains active in the Missing and Unidentified Persons System until her safety is confirmed by law enforcement.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of Ms. Kobayashi,” McDonnell confirmed. “We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement, or U.S. Embassy personnel to let us know she is safe. She has the right to privacy and we respect her decisions, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel.” A simple message could reassure those who care about her.

McDonnell added: “I am very sorry to the family for everything they have been through during this ordeal.”

Featuring: Thao Nguyen, Eduardo Cuevas, James Powel, Anthony Robledo

Editor’s Note: This article is about suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call 988, text or chat at 988lifeline.org.

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The search for missing woman Hannah Kobayashi takes another dramatic turn

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