He Was Alive... Father Who Died While Searching for Missing Daughter

Missing Reported Hanna Kobayashi
Voluntarily Went to Mexico
Police: "Not Involved in Human Trafficking or Other Crimes"

A woman in her 30s who went missing in Los Angeles (LA), USA, has been found safe. However, the father who went searching for his daughter reportedly passed away after suffering from the distress caused by her disappearance.

According to the Associated Press (AP) and other sources on the 12th (local time), Hanna Kobayashi (30), a Japanese-American from Hawaii, disappeared on the 11th of last month while transferring to a flight to New York at LA airport. Hanna was heading to New York to visit relatives but missed her connecting flight.

At the time, Hanna told her family she would "sleep at the airport," and the next day she sent a text message saying she would "tour LA." She also reportedly sent messages to her family expressing fears such as "I'm afraid of having my money and identity stolen." However, after those messages, her phone was turned off, and her family eventually reported her missing. Regarding this, Hanna’s aunt, Lari Pigeon, stated, "After receiving strange and unsettling messages from Hanna, we reported it to the police."

Japanese-American Hannah Kobayashi, who was missing and found. Photo by AP News

On the 15th of last month, after receiving the missing person report, the police began searching for her whereabouts but found no significant clues. Family, friends, and local volunteers joined the search for Hanna. Hanna’s father, Ryan Kobayashi (58), who was worried about his daughter, came from Hawaii to LA to look for her. However, during this process, Ryan was found to have taken his own life near LA airport. The family described it as "a tremendous tragedy," saying, "We tirelessly searched all over LA, but Ryan tragically passed away. This loss has intensified the family’s pain beyond measure."

Local US media widely reported the heartbreaking news, and the police also urged the public to provide any information about Hanna’s whereabouts. However, it was revealed that Hanna had already entered Tijuana, Mexico, on the 12th of last month. It is reported that Hanna was not missing but crossed the border into Mexico of her own will. The LA police also emphasized, "It appears she was not involved in any human trafficking or similar incidents."

The family issued a statement saying, "We are relieved that Hanna has been found safe," and added, "Last month was an unimaginable ordeal for our family. We thank everyone who helped us during this difficult time."