Hannah Kobayashi Found Safe After Leaving U.S. for Mexico
Details surrounding Hannah Kobayashi’s missing persons case may never come to light.
While the 31-year-old’s family confirmed they made contact with her following her Nov. 11 disappearance in Los Angeles, local authorities said they don’t plan to investigate the matter further.
“We have not seen her and at this point we have no reason to compel her to see us,” Lt. Doug Oldfield of the Los Angeles Police Department’s missing persons unit told People Dec. 11. “It’s a big news story, so she may decide to come with a lawyer, but she is not obligated to speak to us.”
Oldfield noted that while authorities were told the Hawaii native—who was declared missing after she didn’t make it to her connecting flight from L.A. to New York City Nov. 8—was found in Mexico, the family’s attorney did not elaborate on where exactly she was found or how the family got in touch with her, according to the outlet.
“We’ll see what happens next,” Oldfield added. “We don't have a lot of details.”
Earlier in the day, Kobayashi’s family released a statement confirming they had successfully made contact with her, one week after the LAPD declared her a “voluntarily missing person.”
Hannah Kobayashi/Instagram
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” Hannah’s sister Sydni Kobayashi and mom Brandi Yee said in the statement given to NBC News. “This 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.”
They also acknowledged the outpouring of public support they received as the case unfolded.
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time,” the family added. “Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
For a recap of Hannah’s missing persons case, keep reading.
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