Hannah Kobayashi disappearance: Mystery deepens as missing Hawaii woman caught on camera crossing into Mexico

Hannah Kobayashi has now been declared a voluntary missing person, Los Angeles police said.

Missing Hawaii photographer Hannah Kobayashi was caught on camera crossing into Mexico after disappearing from a Los Angeles airport last month, reports have claimed. The 30-year-old vanished while heading to New York City after missing a connecting flight to New York and being stranded in Los Angeles.

Missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi caught on camera crossing into Mexico (Hannah Midori Eve Kobayashi/Facebook)

Law enforcement sources told various news outlets, including ABC 7, that Hannah intentionally missed her connecting flight from LA to New York, and left the country instead. However, her relatives disputed this claim.

Hannah has now been declared a voluntary missing person, Los Angeles police said Monday, December 2, CNN reported. “As the family is aware, late yesterday after traveling to the US-Mexico border we reviewed video surveillance from US Customs and Border Protection which clearly shows Kobayashi crossing United States border on foot into Mexico,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a news conference.

“She was alone, with her luggage, and appeared unharmed,” McDonnell added.

Hannah Kobayashi’s concerning texts

According to Hannah’s family, she sent some strange text messages before going missing. “Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f—k since Friday,” she reportedly texted one of her friends.

“I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds … For someone I thought I loved,” another text read.

Hannah’s friends and family have claimed that the texts were unlike her. In fact, her sister, Sydni Kobayashi, even said that “it feels like someone was controlling her or it might not even have been her.” She said that the messages were “completely out of character.”

Hannah’s father, 58-year-old Ryan Kobayashi, travelled to Los Angeles along with other family members to help in the search. To the family’s dismay, he was found dead in a parking lot near LAX on November 24. He is believed to have jumped to his death, and officials ruled his death a suicide. 

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).