Featured Image Credit: KTLA/KITV
Topics: News, US News, Police, New York, Los Angeles
Gerrard Kaonga
Police have issued an update for Hannah Kobayashi and explained that the young woman is ‘voluntarily missing’.
Hannah Kobayashi was traveling from her home in Maui, Hawaii, to get a connecting flight to New York via Los Angeles back in November but never boarded her flight at LAX.
This caused a stir amongst her family who eventually traveled to the city to look for her before placing a missing person’s report.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell held a press conference about Kobayashi’s disappearance and gave a crucial update about the woman on Monday (Dec 2).
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In the police briefing, the Los Angeles police confirmed that they had spotted Kobayashi on video surveillance.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said: “As the family is aware, late yesterday after traveling to the US-Mexico border we reviewed video surveillance from US Customs and Border Protection which clearly shows Kobayashi crossing United States border on foot into Mexico."
As well as this, the police also gave a run down of the timeline of Kobyashi's disappearance, however, her family has taken issue with this.
He said: “On November 8, 23 year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York which the investigation determined was intentional.
“Over the next few days she maintained contact with her family and was active on Instagram.
“However, the family last heard from Hannah on November 11 after receiving concerning text messages and losing further contact her family traveled to LA on November 13 and filed a missing person report.”
“On November 15, our missing person’s unit assumed investigative responsibility, detectives have been diligently reviewing video surveillance and employing various investigative technique to locate Hannah, while her family has continued their personal search efforts.
“Tragically on November 24, during the search for his daughter, Hannah’s father Ryan Kobayashi was found deceased.
“Preliminary findings indicate his death was by suicide.”
However, according to the New York Post, Kobayashi’s family have ‘vehemently’ denied McDonnell’s findings.
They also took issue with the fact that he gave the incorrect age for the missing woman, stating she was 23-years-old not 30.
They also took issue with the timeline stating that the police gave incorrect dates for when she was reported missing.
Police also dismissed that, at this point, the idea that Kobayashi is involved in any criminal activity.
McDonnell also said: “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,” McDonnell said.
“She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices but we also understand that the concern her loved ones feel for her.”