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| Missing Hawaii woman seen crossing into Mexico, police say | Missing Hawaii woman seen crossing into Mexico, police say |
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| Hannah Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to ‘step away from modern connectivity’, LA police say | Hannah Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to ‘step away from modern connectivity’, LA police say |
| A Hawaii woman who vanished after landing in Los Angeles three weeks ago disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity” and was last seen crossing into Mexico, police said at a news conference. | |
| Hannah Kobayashi, 30, appeared unharmed as she walked alone with her luggage into a tunnel at the San Ysidro crossing about 125 miles (201km) south-east of Los Angeles around noon on 12 November the day after her family reported her missing, LA police said Monday. Authorities made the discovery after reviewing surveillance video from the US Customs and Border Protection late on Sunday. | |
| The Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, said that there is no evidence Kobayashi was being trafficked or was otherwise a victim of a crime. Investigators conducted “extensive” witness interviews and reviewed video surveillance but have found no evidence of foul play. Kobayashi’s disappearance is now classified as a “voluntary missing person”. | |
| “We’ve basically done everything we can do at this point. She’s left the country and in another nation now,” he said, adding that if she returns to the US, law enforcement will be notified. | “We’ve basically done everything we can do at this point. She’s left the country and in another nation now,” he said, adding that if she returns to the US, law enforcement will be notified. |
| McDonnell said she has a right to her privacy, but urged her to reach out to her family or law enforcement. | McDonnell said she has a right to her privacy, but urged her to reach out to her family or law enforcement. |
| “A simple message could reassure those who care about her,” McDonnell said. He explained that the missing person case will remain active until her safety is confirmed by law enforcement. | “A simple message could reassure those who care about her,” McDonnell said. He explained that the missing person case will remain active until her safety is confirmed by law enforcement. |
| Kobayashi went missing after the budding photographer from Maui didn’t make a connecting flight to New York on 8 November to travel for a new job and to visit relatives. She told her family she would sleep in the Los Angeles international airport that night. | Kobayashi went missing after the budding photographer from Maui didn’t make a connecting flight to New York on 8 November to travel for a new job and to visit relatives. She told her family she would sleep in the Los Angeles international airport that night. |
| Family members assumed she was on standby for another flight, according to her aunt, Larie Pidgeon. The next day, Kobayashi texted them to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles, planning to visit The Grove shopping mall and downtown LA, Pidgeon said. | Family members assumed she was on standby for another flight, according to her aunt, Larie Pidgeon. The next day, Kobayashi texted them to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles, planning to visit The Grove shopping mall and downtown LA, Pidgeon said. |
| On 11 November the family received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages from her phone that referenced her being “intercepted” as she got on a Metro train and being scared that someone might be stealing her identity, her aunt said. Her disappearance set off an extensive search and attracted significant media attention. | |
| Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, who had been in the search party along with volunteers, was found dead by apparent suicide on Sunday, 24 November in a parking lot near LA international airport, police and her family said. | Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, who had been in the search party along with volunteers, was found dead by apparent suicide on Sunday, 24 November in a parking lot near LA international airport, police and her family said. |
| McDonnell said during a police commission meeting last Tuesday that detectives determined Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight intentionally. Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi, disputed his statement in a social media post. | McDonnell said during a police commission meeting last Tuesday that detectives determined Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight intentionally. Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi, disputed his statement in a social media post. |
| Police said Monday that after Hannah Kobayashi was seen in various locations around LA, she requested that her luggage, which had been checked to New York, be sent back to LAX. She then returned to the airport to retrieve it on 11 November and did not have her phone when she left again, according to police. | Police said Monday that after Hannah Kobayashi was seen in various locations around LA, she requested that her luggage, which had been checked to New York, be sent back to LAX. She then returned to the airport to retrieve it on 11 November and did not have her phone when she left again, according to police. |
| Investigators found that she had “expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity”. | Investigators found that she had “expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity”. |
| Police also identified and questioned a man that Kobayashi was seen with on the Metro. He was “cooperative” and said he met her at LAX, police said. | Police also identified and questioned a man that Kobayashi was seen with on the Metro. He was “cooperative” and said he met her at LAX, police said. |
| Sydni Kobayashi did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Members of the public who were in the “Help Us Find Hannah” Facebook group, which garnered the interest of more than 25,000 participants, shared a post from the group Monday that said the family would be shutting the group down after “threats against their lives and the lives of their small children”. | Sydni Kobayashi did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Members of the public who were in the “Help Us Find Hannah” Facebook group, which garnered the interest of more than 25,000 participants, shared a post from the group Monday that said the family would be shutting the group down after “threats against their lives and the lives of their small children”. |
| The post also said Sydni Kobayashi and her mother would not be responding to any messages. | The post also said Sydni Kobayashi and her mother would not be responding to any messages. |
| The Los Angeles police department said in a statement that it would not continue the investigation into Mexico but encouraged her to contact police or the US embassy so that officials can “confirm her wellbeing”. | |
| During the news conference, McDonnell reflected on all that the family had endured these last few weeks. | During the news conference, McDonnell reflected on all that the family had endured these last few weeks. |
| “My ask would be to anybody considering doing this, think about the people you’re leaving behind, your loved ones who are going to be worried sick about you,” he said. | “My ask would be to anybody considering doing this, think about the people you’re leaving behind, your loved ones who are going to be worried sick about you,” he said. |
| In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org | In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org |