Hannah Kobayashi has been found alive
A missing Hawaiian woman whose father killed himself during an extensive search for her has been found safe.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Wednesday that Hannah Kobayashi is alive.
Ms Kobayashi’s disappearance last month after travelling to Los Angeles sparked a massive search across California and a missing persons investigation.
It was not immediately clear where she has been found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico and they would drop the missing persons case.
“We are happy to learn that Hannah has been found safe,” the LAPD said in a statement. “Now that we have this new information, this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation.”
Family ‘relieved and grateful’
Ms Kobayashi has spoken to her family and reassured them she is safe, according to ABC Eyewitness News.
In a statement, her family said they were “relieved and grateful” she was safe.
“This past 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.
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
Hannah Kobayashi vanished last month after travelling to Los Angeles
Ms Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, set off on a “bucket list” trip to New York on Nov 8. She had planned to see relatives, attend a folk festival in Brooklyn and complete a photography job.
Kobayashi seen in different parts of LA
When she landed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) en route to New York, Ms Kobayashi had 42 minutes to catch her connecting flight. However, she never boarded the plane.
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.
In the coming days Ms Kobayashi was seen in different parts of 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,” Ms Pidgeon previously said, adding that her phone “just went dead”.
Family members, friends and local volunteers launched a search party for Ms Kobayashi last month. Among them was Ryan Kobayashi, her father, who flew from Hawaii to Los Angeles to help track down his missing daughter.
He was found dead on Nov 24 having jumped from a parking lot near LAX, 13 days after arriving in California.
Ms Pidgeon told CNN he “died of a broken heart”.
Kobayashi seen crossing into Mexico
As the family grappled with the double tragedy of Ms Kobayashi’s disappearance and her father’s subsequent suicide, they were offered new hope after police reported the following week that she had in fact crossed into Mexico on Nov 12, the day after her family reported her missing.
A security video from US Customs and Border Protection showed that Ms Kobayashi appeared “unharmed” as she walked across the border alone near Tijuana about 125 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Police urged Ms Kobayashi to contact her family to let them know she was safe before later drawing the conclusion that she had fallen off the grid on purpose.
Authorities reported that the 30-year-old had retrieved her luggage from LAX days after arriving before using cash to purchase a bus ticket from Union Station to the border.
“To date, the investigation has not uncovered any evidence that Kobayashi is being trafficked or is the victim of foul play. She is also not a suspect in any criminal activity,” the LAPD said at the time.
“Additionally, investigators noted that before departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed a desire to step away from modern connectivity.”
Sources previously told NBC News last month’s disappearance was not the first time Ms Kobayashi had gone missing.
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