Hannah Kobayashi, a Maui woman who disappeared after arriving in Los Angeles last month, has been found safe, according to her family.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” read a statement issued by the family. “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. 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.”
Kobayashi made national headlines when she flew from Maui to LAX in November and was expected to take a connecting flight to New York but missed the connection. Following the missed flight, the family had not heard directly from her other than a few cryptic text messages.
Police later said they believe she missed the connecting flight on purpose and retrieved her luggage from the airport days later, used cash and her passport at Union Station to buy a bus ticket to the border before walking into Mexico.
Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, was found dead around the time in a parking lot near LAX and later the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be suicide.
“After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life,” according to the statement. “This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
No further details have been released about her return to safety.
