LOS ANGELES — After a month of uncertainty and heartache, the family of Hannah Kobayashi has some incredible news: the 30-year-old has been found safe.
In a heartfelt statement released on Wednesday, December 11, attorney Sara Azari spoke on behalf of the Kobayashi family, saying, “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 family also took a moment to thank everyone who supported them during their search, adding, “Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
Azari did not provide details about where Hannah is now or what exactly happened during the month she was missing. However, the events leading up to her disappearance have been pieced together by investigators.
Hannah had flown from Maui to Los Angeles on November 8. Over the next few days, surveillance cameras spotted her at various locations around the city. She was scheduled to catch a flight to New York, but she never boarded the plane. Instead, she asked for her luggage to be sent back to Los Angeles and picked it up at the airport on November 11.
After leaving Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with her belongings, Hannah traveled to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, where she purchased a bus ticket to San Ysidro, a town near the U.S.-Mexico border. Security footage later confirmed she crossed the border into Mexico on foot, alone, and with her luggage.
By December 2, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) announced they had classified Hannah as a “voluntary missing person,” explaining that there was no evidence of foul play and video clearly showed her leaving the country willingly.
But for Hannah’s loved ones, the news brought little comfort. Her family flew from Hawaii to Los Angeles to help with the search. Tragically, during this time, her father was found dead in a parking lot near LAX. Police say his death appeared to be a suicide.
Adding to the complexity of the case, rumors began to swirl about Hannah being involved in a green card marriage scam. Some reports suggested her ex-partner and a man from Argentina might be connected. However, the family’s lawyer, Azari, was quick to set the record straight. In a December 4 statement, she clarified that the family had not publicly shared anything about a supposed marriage, as they didn’t have enough information to confirm the claims.
While many questions remain about what led Hannah to cross the border and what she experienced in the past month, her safe return brings much-needed relief to her family after weeks of pain and uncertainty.
