Hannah Kobayashi Found Safe After She Was a ‘Voluntary Missing Person’: Inside Disappearance Case

The mystery began with a missed flight. On November 8, Hannah Kobayashi traveled from her home in Maui to L.A., where she failed to make her connection to NYC. Four days later, her family reported her missing. “[We’re] trying to make sense of it,” her aunt Larie Pidgeon said on December 3, “but still cannot.”

As details of the 30-year-old’s disappearance began to emerge, the case quickly captivated the country. After missing her plane — police say it was “intentional,” while family members believe a tight 42-minute layover window was to blame — Hannah told relatives she would sleep at the airport that night and make arrangements to have her luggage returned to L.A. Over the next two days, the aspiring photographer was seen around town visiting a bookshop and a Nike store — where she snapped a pic of her sneakers that she posted on Instagram. On November 11, she was back at the L.A. airport, where she spoke to a ticketing agent before she was captured on video leaving a metro station with an unknown person. “Everything was normal until the 11th,” Larie explained. “Her phone pinged at LAX at 4 p.m., and then after that … her phone went dead and her communication cut off completely.”

Cryptic Messages

Friends and loved ones grew worried when Hannah started sending “alarming” and “weird” texts. One read, “Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f–k since Friday.” To sister Sydni, “it feels like someone was controlling her,” she explained. “Intuitively knowing her and being so close to her my entire life, I just know this is absolutely not like her.” Video then showed Hannah at a Greyhound bus terminal in downtown L.A. on November 12. As police searched, Hannah’s recently retired father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, flew to L.A. to look, too.

Then tragedy struck: On November 24, he died by suicide, according to the L.A. County medical examiner, after plunging from a parking structure at LAX. His death came after online conspiracy theories emerged suggesting that Hannah was abducted by a cult or sex-trafficked by a gang. “He broke,” Larie said. “He died of a broken heart.”

Hannah Kobayashi Considered ‘Voluntary Missing Person’

On December 2 — nearly three weeks after Hannah vanished— the LAPD revealed new information. A U.S. Customs video showed her crossing the border into Tijuana, Mexico, on foot on November 12. “She was alone with her luggage and appeared unharmed,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said, explaining that the department now considered her disappearance a “voluntary missing person” case.

Police said they would be alerted if Hannah returned to the U.S. Until then, her family hoped the public would help. “I will not stop until I know my niece is safe and doing this on her own accord and in a good mental state,” her aunt Larie said. “This search is not over.”

Hannah Kobayashi Found Safe

Finally, Hannah’s family confirmed in a statement to In Touch on December 11, 2024, that she had been found safe.

“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found 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,” the statement read. “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 Breaks Silence

Hannah revealed she was “unaware” of the media coverage surrounding her whereabouts in a story published by People on December 16, 2024.

“I am still processing it all,” she said in the statement at the time. “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.”