Missing Hawaii Woman Hannah Kobayashi's Family Disagrees After Police Say She Intentionally Missed Flight

In a statement released on Saturday, November 30, as detailed by ABC27-WHTM, the family broke down the "facts known" at that time about the case, starting with a declarative statement in opposition to the LAPD.

"It does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight," the statement read, adding that the family wasn't even aware the LAPD had made those statements at the Los Angeles Police Commission meeting until videos were sent to them.

"These alleged findings have yet to be relayed to my mother and I directly from the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department or any detective involved in Hannah's case," the statement continued.

They also noted the police commission is "a five-member committee made up of five civilians, not law enforcement, who are not directly involved in Hannah's missing person's case."

The family further pointed out specific facts wrong in the presented report, including Hannah's age being reported as 23 when she is 30 and getting the date of her being reported missing wrong -- it was November 11, not November 13.

"The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments," the family stated. "However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah."

The statement continued to reiterate the family's belief that something happened to Hannah. "It is completely out of character for Hannah to simply disappear without a trace," they said. "We remain deeply concerned about Hannah’s safety, her well-being and her current state of mind."

"Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief," LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said on November 26 at a meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, per USA Today. "We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy."

As for the current status of their ongoing case, McDonnell told commissioners, per People, "On Friday November 8th, 23-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York, which the investigation determined was intentional."

Hannah's phone last pinged a location for her at LAX three days after her missed flight, placing her -- or at least her phone -- there on November 11.

That was also the last time family heard from her in text messages deemed "alarming" and that her sister believes may have been from someone "controlling her," as those messages were "not like her."

Speaking with The New York Post, Hannah's friends agreed with her sister, with one noting that Hannah constantly used emojis, which these messages did not include. "She has a very distinct way of messaging," Ariana Ursua told the outlet.

"On November 15th our missing persons unit assumed investigative responsibility," McDonnell told the commissioners. "Detectives have been diligently reviewing video surveillance and employing various investigative techniques to locate Hannah."

Acknowledging the family's ongoing "personal search efforts," McDonnell assured the commissioners that his investigators "remain fully committed to locating Hannah."

Hannah's final text messages came three days after she'd missed her connecting flight. Surveillance footage spotted her at LAX on November 8 and a bookshop about an hour away the next day.

In one of those final messages, Hannah texted a friend saying she "got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds," before a follow-up text claiming she was supposedly hoodwinked "for someone I thought I loved."

"This is completely out of character for my sister," Hannah's sister Sydni told NewsNation in an interview last week. "Intuitively knowing her and being so close to her my entire life, I just know this is absolutely not like her."

"Especially with those text messages that she just left that she last sent it just in my mind it feels like someone was controlling her or it might not even have been her," she added, maintaining the belief that her sister is still alive.

The two messages were sent just before Hannah's phone was turned off.

Her friend Ariana also told The New York Post that Hannah would have made it clear in her messages that she was acting of her own volition. "I personally have always felt like I can rely on her -- she’s genuinely one of the most caring people I know," she said. "If it was voluntarily [that she went missing] she would have made it known. She would have made it known that she was texting."

“I don't feel like it’s her to make people concerned. She wouldn't just ghost out of nowhere. Usually at parties she's the one that will make sure she says bye to her friend,” she said, adding that they'd been already talking about attending Burning Man in 2025 and looking forward to seeing New York in the fall.

On November 10, two days after missing her flight, Kobayashi was spotted in a YouTube video at the LeBron XXII Trial event at the Nike store in The Grove. She also shared an image of herself to her Instagram.

The family shared with The New York Post that they had seen surveillance footage of Kobayashi in downtown Los Angeles that shows she was with an unidentified individual near the Pico Metro station on Nov. 11.

That same day, she texted her mother to tell her she didn't make it to New York. To another friend she messaged, "Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f—k since Friday."

Another message read, "I'm just really scared love & the redwoods if calling me & I know I’m meant to be there, I’m being guided there, like you have before … I risk my freedom if this goes wrong for me hun.”

To the aunt she was supposed to stay with in New York, Hannah sent, "I just finished a very intense spiritual awakening. I'm charging my phone & heading back to the airport to get to NYC. I might need some help getting there, it's a long story. I'll peek you posted. I think I still have my hotel room."

After traveling from Hawaii to Los Angeles to help in the search for his daughter, 58-year-old Ryan Kobayashi was found dead in a parking structure near LAX on Sunday, November 24.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed his death in a report seen by KABC. His body was found around 4 a.m. in the parking lot of a business near LAX. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed he died after jumping from a parking structure, according to KNBC.

A statement released by a nonprofit organization believed to be working with the family in the search for Hannah, per KABC, also stated that Ryan had taken his own life. "The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today," the statement read in part. "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. Please be considerate with your comments and posts," the statement continued.

"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."

A GoFundMe has been set up on behalf of Ryan's fiancée, Li Jaena, stating, "Ryan Kobayashi flew to Los Angeles immediately after learning of Hannah’s disappearance. Tragically, Ryan is no longer with us, leaving us all heartbroken and at a loss for words."

"He has been living his absolute worst nightmare, since Hannah’s disappearance, and now, with his passing, our family is grappling with unimaginable grief," the message continued. "Ryan’s love for his family was boundless, and he would do anything to protect and care for his daughters."

Hannah Kobayashi is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 140 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes, and is fair-skinned with freckles.

Anyone with information regarding her disappearance is encouraged to contact the LAPD and/or her family at 845-750-3006.