Missing Hawaiian woman Hannah Kobayashi has been declared a “voluntary missing person” after video of her surfaced crossing into Mexico following a nearly month-long search, multiple outlets have reported.
Footage released by the Customs and Border Protection showed Kobayashi, 30, walking into Mexico near the southern border of Tijuana around 12:15 p.m. on Nov. 12, the day after the photographer was last seen. The LAPD announced the break in the case during a press conference on Monday night.
Kobayashi was believed to be missing in Los Angeles after she arrived on a Nov. 8 flight at LAX and then failed to board her connecting flight. Investigators believe that Kobayashi abandoned her phone shortly after she landed. “She was alone, with her luggage and appeared unharmed,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported. “At this time, Kobayashi’s case has been classified a voluntary missing person.”
McDonnell emphasized that there is no evidence suggesting Kobayashi is a victim of foul play or sex trafficking. “Additionally the investigators noted that before departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity,” he continued. “Our priority is ensuring Ms. Kobayashi’s safety and well-being and we urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know that she is safe.”
Members of Kobayashi’s family, including her father, Ryan Kobayashi, rushed to Los Angeles to aid in the search.
Tragically, Ryan was found dead in a parking lot near LAX on Nov. 24, just over a week before his daughter would be proven alive. Officials ruled his death a suicide, with the cause listed as multiple blunt-force traumatic injuries.
On Tuesday, Kobayashi’s family broke their silence regarding the latest developments in her disappearance. “We are deeply grateful for the urgency and dedication law enforcement has shown in investigating Hannah’s disappearance,” they told NBC News, without mentioning the death of Kobayashi’s father.
“We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement, or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know that you're safe," McDonnell said. "She has a right to her privacy and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her," McDonnell said. "A simple message could reassure those who care about her."
