Hannah Kobayashi’s family hit back at police update, go to FBI

The family of Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old woman who went missing more than two weeks ago in Los Angeles, have hit back at the police department’s update on the investigation.
Hannah Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Hawaii, was heading to New York City on November 8 when she missed her connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles International Airport. Her family has said that she returned to the airport on November 11, but did not board a flight.
Her family filed a missing persons report after they received concerning text messages from her phone that day.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell provided details about the case during a meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday. Kobayashi’s family has since refuted some of the details provided during that meeting.
Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo
McDonnell said police had determined Kobayashi intentionally missed her connecting flight on November 8.
“On Friday November 8th, 23-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York, which the investigation determined was intentional,” McDonnell said.
‘Over the next few days, she maintained contact with her family and was active on Instagram. However, the family last heard from Hannah on November 11, after receiving concerning text messages and losing further contact, her family traveled to LA on November 13 and filed a missing person report. On November 15, our missing persons unit assumed investigative responsibility. Detectives have been diligently reviewing video surveillance and employing various investigative techniques to locate Hannah, while her family has continued their personal search efforts.”
McDonnell also noted that Kobayashi’s father had died by suicide while in the city searching for his daughter.
“We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy,” he said.
Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni Kobayashi told FOX 11 that “it does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight.” The family has previously said that she missed the flight because of a tight 42-minute layover.
Sydni Kobayashi also said that she and her family were not aware of the findings being presented at the meeting until videos of it 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,” she said.
She also noted that her sister is 30, not 23 as McDonnell stated, and that the family reported her missing on November 11, not November 13.
The “lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments,” she said. “However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department of doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah.”
Newsweek has contacted the family via an email to The Rad Movement and the LAPD via email.
Missing persons support organization The Rad Movement on Monday said the Kobayashi family had made a formal report to the FBI after receiving threats and made a decision to remove a Facebook page dedicated to locating Kobayashi.
“While Sydni and her mother believe the greater majority of the individuals on this page genuinely care, and are interested in helping find Hannah, the negativity and attacks on their family have become more than they can bear,” the organization said in a post on the page.
“As recent as yesterday, there were threats against their lives and the lives of their small children. This has prompted them to make formal reports to the FBI and make the difficult decision to remove this page.” The FBI has been contacted for comment via email.
Kobayashi is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds. She has brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin with freckles. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the LAPD on 1-877-527-3247 or The Rad Movement on 619-904-0840 or by email to [email protected].
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org