What to know about Hannah Kobayashi’s disappearance as father is found dead
A family in Hawai’i is suffering two devastating tragedies.
Some weeks after Hawai’i woman Hannah Kobayashi went missing, her father, Ryan Kobayashi, has been found dead.
Ryan had flown to Los Angeles to help search for his daughter, who herself went missing after she didn’t board a connecting flight to New York City during a layover at Los Angeles International Airport.
Read on below for the latest.
Hannah’s dad Ryan found dead
Ryan, who was 58, was found dead on Sunday around 4am on West Century Boulevard, near LAX. Though the LAPD did not provide information concerning his cause of death, his family said he died by suicide.
In a statement released through a nonprofit group helping with the search for Hannah, they first said: “Hannah IS still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger. It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah,” before sharing: “The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today. After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
“What the family needs most in this difficult time is for all communities to rally around them with support, compassion, and prayers,” they added, and noted: “The trauma they are enduring is profound, and they now face the additional burden of grieving the loss of their family’s pillar and navigating next steps.”
What happened to Hannah?
Hannah, a 30-year-old aspiring photographer, had planned a trip to New York with her former boyfriend, and though they broke up, they kept their flights, travelling from Maui to New York via Los Angeles, however Hannah did not board her connecting flight, and her family last heard from her on November 11. Her ex-boyfriend did board the flight.
In the lead up to when Hannah’s family and friends last heard from her, her texts became increasingly off and concerning, including ones in which she claimed “Deep hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind [expletive] since Friday.”
To another friend she also reportedly texted: “Got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds … for someone I thought I loved.”
The latest
The investigation into Hannah’s disappearance remains ongoing, and the FBI is now involved along with the LAPD.
Her family has shared that the last known surveillance footage of Hannah shows her with an unknown individual at a downtown Los Angeles Metro train station on November 11, and that she “does not appear to be in good condition,” in it, per CNN, however no additional information has been provided.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.