Woman who went missing while on vacation speaks out upon return to the US after father died during search for her
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
More than a month has passed since news that a 30-year-old woman had gone missing, and while she's been found 'safe and well' her father died while searching for her.
Hannah Kobayashi was due to meet her family in New York having flown out from Maui, in Hawaii. However, she failed to board her connecting flight taking off from Los Angeles International Airport to NYC on November 8 and was last heard from on November 11.
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The aspiring photographer is understood to have sent a text saying she had had a 'spiritual awakening' and was spotted three days with an unknown man, sparking fears that she may have been kidnapped.
Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, flew into the Californian city to help locate his daughter but on November 24, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed that he was found dead in a car park near the airport in what is believed to be suicide.
Two days later, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced during a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting that officials believed Hannah missed her flight on purpose and had gone missing 'voluntarily' - although the family disputed those claims.
On December 2, she was spotted crossing the border to Mexico and the case was reclassified to state that she was 'voluntarily' missing.
But over a week later, on December 11, an update was finally provided on the case as Hannah was found 'safe and well' in Mexico.
"We are incredibly relieved and grateful Hannah has been found safe," a family statement shared with the MailOnline stated.
While yesterday (December 16), cops closed the missing person case as Hannah crossed back into the US as Customs and Border Protection described her as appearing in 'good health' and that she 'did not appear to be under any distress'.
Now, Hannah has spoken out through a statement provided to People via her aunt Larie Pidgeon after her sister publicly spoke about the 'betrayal' her family had been put through.
The statement read: "At daybreak on December 15th, I crossed the border back into the United States.
"My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity. I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.
"I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away, and I am still processing it all. I kindly ask for respect for myself, my family, and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time. Thank you for your understanding."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Topics: Los Angeles, Mexico, US News
Joe Yates