Hannah Kobayashi, who has been missing since early November, was filmed crossing the border into Mexico, authorities have revealed.
Kobayashi, originally from Maui, Hawaii, traveled to Los Angeles on November 8, intending to continue to New York City. However, she never boarded her connecting flight.
Investigators disclosed that Kobayashi may have discarded her phone after arriving in Los Angeles, further complicating the timeline of her movements.
Timeline of Kobayashi’s Final Days
Authorities have outlined the following sequence of events leading up to Kobayashi’s disappearance:
- November 8: Kobayashi arrives at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Maui. Surveillance footage shows her leaving the plane wearing a black hoodie and tie-dyed leggings.
- November 9: She is seen at a Taschen bookstore in The Grove shopping center, Los Angeles. She also makes two Venmo transactions to unidentified recipients.
- November 10: Kobayashi appears in a YouTube video at a Nike event at The Grove and posts a photo from the event on Instagram.
- November 11: Kobayashi sends distressing texts to her mother and a friend, claiming she was deceived and financially exploited by “Deep Hackers”. Surveillance footage from that day captures her at a downtown LA Metro station near Crypto.com Arena, appearing distressed and in the company of an unidentified individual.
- November 15: The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issues a missing person alert for Kobayashi, last officially seen at LAX.
- November 24: Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, dies by apparent suicide near LAX after an intense search for his daughter.
Kobayashi’s friends have expressed doubts about the authenticity of text messages sent from her phone on November 11, claiming they do not align with her usual communication style.
“I had text messages with her, and the ones on those screenshots do not feel like her,” said Ariana Ursua, a longtime friend of Kobayashi, in an interview with The New York Post.
Ursua explained that Kobayashi typically used emojis in her messages, often incorporating hearts, stars, and butterflies.
She noted that the absence of such emojis in the final texts was striking.
“All the texts I have with her — they have emojis,” Ursua added.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) footage captured Kobayashi crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on foot near Tijuana on November 12 at approximately 12:15PM, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
“She was alone, with her luggage, and appeared unharmed,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell stated during a press conference streamed by ABC 7.
“At this time, Kobayashi’s case has been classified as a voluntary missing person.”
Chief McDonnell emphasized that there is no evidence to suggest foul play or that Kobayashi has been a victim of trafficking.
“Additionally, the investigators noted that before departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity,” McDonnell added.
The LAPD urged Kobayashi to reach out. “Our priority is ensuring Ms. Kobayashi’s safety and well-being, and we urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement, or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know that she is safe.”
Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton highlighted the department’s dedication to the case during the Monday briefing.
“The LAPD has taken this report seriously from the moment we received it,” Hamilton said. “And we expended a lot of resources to include a trip this past weekend to the U.S.-Mexico border to collaborate with our partners there.”
