A missing woman from Maui, Hawaii has been found safe after disappearing for 30 days.
However, the search for her took a tragic turn when her father committed suicide during the ordeal.
According to the Associated Press, the 30-year-old, Hannah Kobayashi, was en route to New York for a new job on 8 Nov when she missed her connecting flight in Los Angeles.
Initially, the photographer texted her family, back in Hawaii, saying she planned to sightsee in Los Angeles for a day.
However on 11 Nov, the family received “strange and cryptic” text messages, according to her aunt Larie Pidgeon. When they pressed her for more details, she stopped replying, reported The Guardian.
Her phone “just went dead”, Ms Pidgeon said.
Ms Kobayashi’s mother and sister shared with Hawaii News Now the texts a friend received from her number.
In the messages, Ms Kobayashi allegedly said she was “tricked” into “giving away” all her funds to someone she believed she loved.
Her sister Sydni expressed doubts over whether the texts were genuinely from Hannah. “It was just really weird texts. I don’t know if it’s her or if someone else was texting,” she said.
The family reported her missing that day, amid fears she may have been abducted.
As the case unfolded, suspicions arose that Ms Kobayashi might have been embroiled in a marriage-for-money scheme.
Los Angeles Magazine reported that her mother found documents suggesting Hannah had secretly married an Argentinian man.
The alleged marriage was linked to an immigration scam, and some speculated she might have been scammed out of the proceeds.
Source: New York Post
Los Angeles police reviewed surveillance footage showing Ms Kobayashi retrieving her luggage at Los Angeles International Airport on 11 Nov, after requesting it be sent back from New York, said CNN.
The next day, footage captured her crossing into Mexico unharmed.
Source: New York Post
According to LA police chief Jim McDonnell, Hannah disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity”. The police came to the conclusion after reviewing the 30-year-old’s social media accounts, according to NBC.
Authorities found no evidence of foul play or human trafficking.
“She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her,” said chief McDonnell.
On 24 Nov, Ms Kobayashi’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, took his own life by jumping off a parking building at around 4am.
He had flown to Los Angeles to aid in the search and was found near Los Angeles International Airport.
The coroner ruled his death a suicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Source: New York Post
The family set up a GoFundMe page to support the search for Ms Kobayashi and cover Mr Kobayashi’s funeral expenses.
While the page raised more than US$46,000 (S$62,000), public backlash ensued when news broke that Hannah had been seen in Mexico. People began demanding for their money back.
According to NBC, the family announced on 11 Dec that they will honour any refund claims for the donations.
On 11 Dec, Los Angeles police announced that Ms Kobayashi had been found safe.
“Now that we have this new information, this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation,” it added.
Through their lawyer, Ms Kobayashi’s mother and sister also announced her safe return.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” they said. They also asked for privacy as they take the time to heal through the ordeal.
In a Facebook statement, Sydni Kobayashi shared that while the family had spoken to Hannah over the phone, she chose not to return home.
We do not have actual proof of where she is, other than that she is somewhere in Mexico. We have only spoken to her over the phone, and she was allegedly found safe with Larie, but at this time, she does not wish to return to us.
Although relieved by her safety, Sydni admitted feelings of anger and betrayal. “We also have mixed and overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, devastation, and betrayal,” she said.
Also read: Woman in Thailand found dead with ring fingers cut off & missing jewellery
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Featured image adapted from New York Post.
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