LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� , the missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation in Los Angeles, has been found safe, police said Wednesday.
Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. She missed her connecting flight and planned to explore the city the next day, but subsequent text messages to her family 鈥� and an inability to then reach her 鈥� alarmed them so much that they later reported her missing.
Other details about her disappearance, as well as where and how she was found, were not immediately available Wednesday, but police previously said she was 鈥渧oluntarily missing鈥� and had gone on her own will .
鈥淲e are happy to learn that Hannah has been found safe," the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. 鈥淣ow that we have this new information, this has become a private matter and we will wrap up
Kobayashi's mother and sister, in a statement through their lawyer, were the first to announce Wednesday that she had been found safe.
鈥淲e are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,鈥� Brandi Yee and Sydni Kobayashi wrote. 鈥淭his past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.鈥�
Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, was heading to New York City on Nov. 8 for a new job and to visit relatives when she missed a connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles International Airport. She told her family she was sleeping at the airport that night and texted them the next day to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles.
Her family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received 鈥渟trange and cryptic, just alarming鈥� text messages, according to her aunt Larie Pidgeon.
鈥淥nce the family started pressing, she went dark,鈥� Pidgeon told The Associated Press late last month. After the texts on Nov. 11, her phone 鈥渏ust went dead,鈥� Pidgeon said.
Family members, friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles. Hannah鈥檚 father, Ryan Kobayashi, was among those who flew in from Hawaii to help in the search. He was found dead Nov. 24 in a parking lot near LA International Airport, according to the county medical examiner. Kobayashi鈥檚 family confirmed in a statement the same day, saying they 鈥渆ndured a devastating tragedy鈥� and that he died by suicide.
Police said Hannah Kobayashi walked into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles on Nov. 12, the day after her family reported her missing. Authorities made the announcement after reviewing security video from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to 鈥渟tep away from modern connectivity,鈥� Jim McDonnell, the LA police chief, previously said.
Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press
