[Hawaii Woman Missing in LA for 3 Weeks Declared Voluntary Missing Person
Hannah Kobayashi, the Hawaii woman who has been missing for more than three weeks after arriving in Los Angeles, has been declared a voluntary missing person, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
According to the police, Kobayashi was seen crossing the United States border into Mexico on foot, using her luggage and passport. The police department had reviewed video surveillance from US Customs and Border Protection which clearly shows Kobayashi crossing the border unharmed.
Kobayashi had arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on November 8 but failed to board her connecting flight to New York. Police say she then traveled via LA Metro to Union Station where she used her passport and cash to purchase a ticket that took her to the US-Mexico border, where she crossed into Mexico on November 12.
Despite the new development, police do not suspect Kobayashi is the victim of foul play or being trafficked. Police respect Kobayashi’s choice to travel and recognize that her loved ones have concerns for her well-being.
Kobayashi had expressed a desire to disconnect from modern technology before leaving Maui, and investigators say they know she didn’t have her phone with her. They have also spoken with a person seen with Kobayashi at an LA Metro station and say they have been transparent with Kobayashi’s family, who have been publicly appealing for information.
Kobayashi’s family has created a GoFundMe to cover search efforts and the costs of a funeral for her father, Ryan Kobayashi, who passed away after a 13-day search for Hannah. The police urge Kobayashi to make contact with her family or law enforcement to let people know she is safe.
As the investigation has shown, Kobayashi did have control over her disappearance, but police urge her to let her family know that she is okay, citing the emotional distress the search has caused to those closest to her.
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