Explained | Who is Hannah Kobayashi and what we know about her disappearance

Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old budding photographer, was scheduled to get on a connecting flight from the Los Angeles airport LAX to New York on November 8. She missed it, and after many days, with very few sightings of her and little to no contact, she seemingly left her life behind and crossed the border into Mexico.

The 'disappearance' seems baffling to most, given the amount of surveillance and connectivity available in this day and age. So who is she, and what do we know about her disappearance so far?

Who is Hannah Kobayashi?

According to a report in the Times of India, 30-year-old, a native of Maui, Hawaii, had just begun a career in photography. Having completed multiple projects and gained experience and skill, she had finally received a paid photography assignment in New York City, which was why she was flying to New York.

TOI reported that the she had planned to visit various places during her trip including restaurants and museums, and had also booked a hotel room to stay in for a few thousand dollars.

The family saw no signs of her wanting to get away from her current life, except perhaps her want to disconnect from modern technology.

How did she disappear?

On November 8, Hannah reached LAX, on her way to New York, but missed her connecting flight.

Following this, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told USA Today it was likely that she intentionally missed her flight, a claim that her family disputes.

"For unknown reasons, she decided not to board her prescheduled flight to New York that same day," he said at a news conference on Monday.

She then requested that her luggage be retrieved in Los Angeles rather than forwarded to New York. Between 8 and 11 November, surveillance footage captured Hannah at multiple locations across Los Angeles. On 11 November, she was last seen retrieving her luggage from LAX. 

After that, her family began receiving strange messages from her. "I have a safe passage" and "Will keep you posted," she said, later adding "Matrix style." USA Today reported that in follow-up messages, she said, "I'm safe", "Love you", "Don't worry", "For the good of all", "I will keep you posted", "Promise" and "Call you soon."

There were also two Venmo payments to individuals that her family couldn't identify. Then her phone went dead. Following this, her family filed a missing persons report and an in-person, volunteer search effort was launched

According to McDonnell, Kobayashi travelled to the Los Angeles Union Station – the main train station in the city – where she used her passport to buy a bus ticket to the California-Mexico border on November 11.

McDonnell added that Kobayashi travelled from the Union Station to the San Ysidro district of San Diego the next day and crossed the border into Mexico at 12:13 pm on November 12. Officials added that she was alone and carrying her luggage.

That was the last time she was seen.

Police have classified it as a case of voluntary disappearance. "We've basically done everything we can do at this point," McDonnell said. "She's left the country and is in another nation now. So, as I mentioned in the earlier comments, if she comes back into the US, law enforcement will be notified of that, and we will try and do whatever we can if there's a need to at that time."

McDonnell also added that she was not the victim of an abduction, foul play, or human trafficking as had been rumoured on social media. Given her previous desire to disconnect and that she left her phone behind in California, that might have been the motive, officials suggested.

LAPD Lt. Douglas Oldfield told USA Today "there were some desires or posts" police had reviewed that would be consistent with "somebody who'd want to disconnect from her phone."

"Are we 100 per cent right on that? We can't say. We just know that she did not have her phone after she left LAX," Oldfield said. "We know she doesn't have her phone on her. For what reason we can't say for sure."

The Death of Hannah's father

Meanwhile, Hannah's father, who had come in search of her to LA, reportedly combed the city for 13 days, before being found dead by the authorities, who ruled it as a case of suicide.

Hannah's aunt, Larie Pidgeon told USA Today, "Suicide is not something that was even spoken of. It wasn't even a concept that we would think would happen," adding, "He just died of a broken heart. Being on the streets and seeing what the possibilities of where his daughter could be. No sleep. The speculating rumors that are going around. It just took a toll on him."

What happens now?

With the police now concluding their investigations, the family will voluntarily continue their search.

"I want to thank the LAPD for their hard work and the resources they have dedicated to this search. I know they’ve worked tirelessly, and their efforts have brought us to this new piece of the puzzle," Pidgeon said. "But I also want to be clear — this search is not over. Knowing Hannah crossed the border does not provide the answers I need, nor does it ease the heartbreak I feel."

"Our priority is ensuring Ms. Kobayashi's safety and well-being," McDonnell told reporters on Monday. "We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement, or personnel at the US Embassy to let us know she is safe. She has the right to privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel. A simple message could reassure those who care about her."

"I'm very sorry to the family for all that they've been through throughout this ordeal," he added.