LOS ANGELES — Hannah Kobayashi is believed to be in Mexico, authorities say.
Law enforcement sources close to the case told the Los Angeles Times on Monday afternoon that investigators believe the missing Hawaii woman is now in Mexico and there is no evidence of foul play. The news follows a statement by LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell that Kobayashi “intentionally” missed her connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport. Her family strongly disputed that statement.
Kobayashi went missing Nov. 8 after catching a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, with a connecting flight that would ultimately take her to New York, where she planned to visit relatives. Her family became worried after she landed at LAX and sent them cryptic text messages, suggesting that someone was trying to steal her money and identity.
Kobayashi’s family did not immediately respond to a Times request for comment on Kobayashi being in Mexico.
McDonnell briefed the L.A. Police Commission about the case during a Nov. 26 meeting.
“On Friday, November 8th, 23-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York, which the investigation determined was intentional,” McDonnell said.
Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni, responded to the statement in a social media post, disputing the development in the case and pointing out that McDonnell incorrectly gave Kobayashi’s age, which is actually 30 years old. Kobayashi’s family also said McDonnell gave an incorrect timeline of Kobayashi’s disappearance.
“Based on information, surveillance footage reviewed and information shared with us, these are the facts known to my mother and I: It does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight,” Sydni Kobayashi wrote.
“The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments,” Sydni Kobayashi’s statement said. “However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah.”
According to Kobayashi’s family, she landed at LAX on Nov. 8 and missed her connecting flight to New York City because of a short layover. Kobayashi stayed overnight in Los Angeles and was seen the next day at the Taschen bookstore at the Grove, an open-air shopping mall in the Fairfax District.
On Nov. 10, Kobayashi was captured on video outside of a Nike event near the Grove and was believed to have returned to LAX, according to her family’s statement.
On Nov. 11, Kobayashi was seen talking to a ticketing agent at LAX; she then boarded the LAX Metro C line at the Aviation/Century station around 9 p.m., her family wrote. She transferred at the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station and was seen in video footage leaving the Pico station with an unknown person.
On Nov. 12, Kobayashi was captured again on video footage at the Greyhound bus terminal at Union Station in downtown L.A. around 6:30 a.m., according to her family.
On Monday morning, LAPD spokesperson Jeff Lee confirmed that the agency was still investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance as an active missing persons case. He said there were no updates to share at that time.
Anyone with more information has been asked to contact the LAPD at (877) 527-3247.
After Kobayashi’s disappearance, her father, Ryan, flew to Los Angeles to help look for his daughter. The elder Kobayashi was found dead last week near LAX in what police said was an apparent suicide.
The body of Ryan Kobayashi, 58, was found in a parking lot in the 6100 block of Century Boulevard. According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, Ryan Kobayashi died from blunt force traumatic injuries.
“Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief,” McDonnell said during the Police Commission meeting. “We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy.”