Hawaiian woman Hannah Kobayashi who reportedly fled to Mexico, wanted to disconnect from the world, according to law enforcement, who have now classified her case as that of a "voluntary missing person." Cops had earlier said that they believed Kobayashi had intentionally missed her flight from LAX but the woman's family outrightly refuted the claims.
Investigators said that security footage from the Tijuana border, around 145 miles from LAX, captured her alive between November 12 and 13—about a day after she vanished and 11 days before her father's suicide. On Monday, the LAPD confirmed that footage reviewed on Sunday "clearly shows 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi" crossing the border on foot.
Twist in the Tale
Authorities have shared new insights into their investigation, citing "witness interviews, reviewed video surveillance," and cooperation with local law enforcement to piece together Kobayashi's movements.
According to officials, Kobayashi "intentionally left" LAX after checking her luggage for a connecting flight from Maui to New York. Instead, she went to Union Station on November 11, where she used her passport to purchase a bus ticket to the border.
The next morning, she boarded a bus to San Ysidro, California, and then crossed into Mexico.
The LAPD said there is no indication of human trafficking or foul play. They suggested that Kobayashi appeared to be seeking a simpler, less complicated life. "The investigators noted that before departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed a desire to step away from modern connectivity," the police department said in a statement.
As a result, her disappearance is now being categorized as "voluntary" to honor and uphold "her right to privacy."
"The LAPD remains mindful of privacy concerns while ensuring all investigative actions are conducted within the bounds of legal and ethical standards," the statement added.
Police also said that they will not extend their investigation of Kobayashi's case into Mexico but will be alerted if she returns to the United States. They have also encouraged her to reach out to law enforcement or the American Embassy in Mexico to "confirm her well-being."
Her family has not yet commented on the reports suggesting that she may have traveled south toward the Mexican border.
Sources told NBC Los Angeles that no foul play is suspected in her disappearance. One source even remarked, "She's an adult and she can choose to be missing."
End of the Chase
The LAPD recently said they believe Kobayashi "intentionally " missed her flight to New York City. However, her family disputes this, claiming that it would be completely out of character for her.
Before she disappeared, Kobayashi had sent a text to a friend mentioning a "spiritual awakening" and was later spotted with an unidentified man on November 11.
The Kobayashi family has consistently said that she did not appear to be acting like herself, with her sister, Sydni, even suggesting that Hannah's messages "felt as though someone else was controlling her."
However, at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting on November 26, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said that the investigation concluded Hannah's missed connection was "intentional."
The 30-year-old vanished in downtown Los Angeles after failing to board her connecting flight from Maui to New York on November 8. "On November 15, our missing persons unit assumed investigative responsibility," he said.
"Detectives have been diligently reviewing video surveillance and employing various investigative techniques to locate Hannah, while her family has continued their personal search efforts."
McDonnell also said that the LAPD remains "committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy," especially after her father Ryan's suicide.
However, Kobayashi's family contends that the police chief never informed them of any evidence suggesting she "intentionally" missed her flight. Sydni implied that no such evidence exists.
In a statement on social media, Sydni revealed that the family only became aware of the alleged findings from the Los Angeles Police Commission meeting after several citizens sent them videos of the meeting, according to PEOPLE.
"These alleged findings have yet to be relayed to my mother and I directly from the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department or any detective involved in Hannah's case."
Sydni and her mother, Brandi Yee, also claimed that some of the information McDonnell provided about the case during the meeting was incorrect.
Kobayashi was caught on surveillance footage at LAX just before 10 p.m. on November 8, disembarking from a plane.
The aspiring photographer was seen wearing a black hoodie and colorful sweatpants, walking through the airport with headphones on.
Her ex-boyfriend, who had booked flights for both of them before their breakup, was also on that same flight. Kobayashi was scheduled to catch a connecting flight at 11 p.m., but she never boarded, while her ex continued on to New York.
He is now helping the police with their investigation.
The next day, Kobayashi was spotted at The Grove shopping mall between noon and 3 p.m., spending a significant amount of time at Taschen Books, where she stopped to charge her phone.
At 2:43 p.m., she sent a photo to her aunt before returning to the airport, where she is believed to have stayed overnight.
In a YouTube video taken outside an event in Los Angeles on November 10, Hannah was seen wearing the same outfit. She had attended a Nike event featuring LeBron James in LA around 3:30 p.m., where she was dressed in the same dark hoodie and headphones she had on at the airport. Kobayashi also posted a photo from the event on her Instagram, captioning it with an eye emoji.
Later that day, around 5 p.m., she was seen speaking with a ticketing agent at LAX. That same day, her family filed a missing-persons report due to what they described as unusual communication from Kobayashi.
The family explained that Kobayashi had sent some cryptic text messages and Venmo payments to unfamiliar people before and after her disappearance.
One payment, sent at 6:25 p.m. on November 9, was made to someone named Veronica Almendarez for an undisclosed amount, with the description only showing a bow and arrow emoji.
Another payment was sent less than an hour later to a person named Jonathan Taylor, also for an unknown amount, with the description simply stating: "Reading."
